Comparative Study of Particulate Erosion Phenomena Between Elbow and Target Tee in Pipe Flow

Abstract

In offshore oil and gas operations, sand particles with the crude oil causes drastic particulate erosion of transporting pipes, especially during bending of flow, which results in higher economic losses in terms of replacement of pipe fittings. Sand particles having critical velocity strike the wall surface of pipe-elbow, which causes pitting phenomena of material from the erosion zone on the basis of brittleness or ductile nature of pipe fitting material. This problem is countered by using target tee or cushion tee, which is generally a 90° elbow with a blind-end branch. The blind branch is filled with soft materials to accommodate the excessive erosion caused by sand particles. The blind end of target tee is filled with soft material, which provides the cushion effect to the impinging solid particles of fluid at the bend surface. This cushion effect reduces the probability of erosion in target tee and prevents the flow process from the economic losses caused by erosion.