Description
Solid particle erosion is recognized as a significant problem in several fluid-handling industries, especially for the oil and gas industry where multiphase flow with the presence of solids conveyed by the fluid is a common occurrence. Failure of the tool string can be both expensive and dangerous, thus it is critical to identify, or at least have a gross idea of, where failure could occur and what is the associated estimated service life before the final loss of integrity. With this in mind, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) can play a significant role in helping engineers minimize the potential of solid particle erosion by leveraging its predictions early on in the tool design process and by helping them compare multiple configurations. An overview of the CFD modeling process for erosion prediction along with results for specific downhole applications will be presented.