INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE, IMPINGEMENT ANGLE, VELOCITY AND STANDOFF DISTANCE ON THE EROSION CHARACTERISTICS OF INCONEL 718 AND Ti-6Al-4V

Erosion is the primary concern in gas turbines, power plants, fertilizer plants, jet aircraft and civil aircraft. The military, gas turbine blades are affected by dust clouds ingestion and impingement of slurry particles. In this study, we investigated the erosion rate of Inconel 718 and Ti-6Al-4V turbine blades in the air jet-erosion test rig by ([Formula: see text]m) silica erodent. The primary process parameters, such as velocity (100 and 150[Formula: see text]m/s), impingement angle (30–90∘), feed rate (5–10[Formula: see text]g/min), temperature (30–650∘C) and standoff distance (10–50[Formula: see text]mm) were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). The design of experiments (DOE) and experimental screening tests were performed to identify the significant process parameters on the erosion of turbine blade materials. To optimize the process parameters, the experiment was conducted to obtain a lowest erosion rate. The ploughing and cutting mechanism of both Inconel 718 and Ti-6Al-4V materials were identified through a scanning electron microscope. As a result, the erosion rate increases with an increase in velocity and temperature; however, the erosion rate decreases with an increase in the impingement angle. The experimental analysis showed that the erosion rate ranged between 0.051–1.914[Formula: see text]mg/g for Inconel 718 and 0.02–1.0095[Formula: see text]mg/g for Ti-6Al-4V.