Basic principles of wear protection technologyfor bulk materials (Part 1)
Summary: In many industries the wear caused by handling bulk materials is a factor that limits the availability of plants and thus considerably increases operating and production costs. The following article aims to provide plant operators affected by this problem with a sound basis for assessing, classifying and solving their problems in relation to wear. After a brief overview of the relationships relating to contact and fracture mechanics there is a systematic analysis of the basic interdependencies that affect the wear process and the extent of wear. Part 2 presents corresponding mathematical methods and models. The report concludes with a practical example highlighting the systemic nature of the problem of wear.
The working life or availability of plant and machinery used for transporting or handling bulk materials is often determined by the wear of the wall surfaces that are in temporary or permanent contact with the solids. However, it is not just the properties of the bulk materials that lead to wear. The specific operating conditions such as the speed of the bulk material relative to the wall, the contact pressure and the operating temperature, as well as the wall geometry, the structure and properties of the wall material and the interstitial medium also affect the intensity...