Numerical study of solid–liquid two-phase flow and erosion in ball valves with different openings

In the coal chemical industry, petrochemical industry, and other industries, ball valve is a common and important valve due to its reliable structure. The conveying medium has particles that affect the valve surface under the drive of water flow, thereby making the ball valve face the risk of erosion and damage. In this study, the CFD-DEM method was adopted to study the influence of different openings and particle diameters on the two-phase flow and erosion characteristics inside the ball valve. The two-phase flow and particle distribution of the ball valve were analyzed, and the main erosion wall surfaces were determined. The erosion distribution of these walls was obtained. The variation rule of particle number with erosion rate was analyzed, which shows that particle number played a dominant role in erosion degree. Result also showed that in the case of small opening, the erosion decreased with the increase in particle diameter.