Interference Wear Behaviors of the Pipeline Inspection Gauge Sealing Cups: Experimental Research and Numerical Modeling
Publication: Journal of Pipeline Systems Engineering and Practice
Volume 14, Issue 4
Abstract
In the long-distance pigging operation of natural gas pipelines, severe wear of the sealing cups always leads to the failure and instability of the pig. Different from ordinary conditions, the wear process of the polyurethane rubber (PUR) used in the pigging operation occurs under the condition of interference fit, which generates a continuously varied wear rate. In this research, a custom-built wear experiment was designed and conducted by adopting a specially made indenter and specimen, and then the effect of contact pressure on the wear rate, i.e., the empirical expression of wear rate, was obtained based on the test results and Hertz contact theory. In addition, a numerical model that presents the PUR interference wear behaviors was established by combining the empirical expression of the wear rate and the analytical expression of the hyperelastic materials under the interference fitting. Through MATLAB programming with the iterative algorithm, the wear laws of two kinds of sealing cups were investigated, and the results indicate a coupling induction among the wear rate, wear loss, and contact pressure. The variation of wear loss with traveling distance was proven to agree with the exponential function, and thus a prediction model suitable for engineering practice was built to calculate the wear loss of the sealing cups.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are proprietary or confidential in nature and may only be provided with restrictions.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFF0215002 and 2022YFC3070102), Science and Technology Program of CSEI (2022 Key 01), and Science and Technology Plan Projectof China State Administration for Market Regulation (2022MK202).
References
Archard, J. F. 1953. “Contact and rubbing of flat surfaces.” J. Appl. Phys. 24 (8): 981–988. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1721448.
Bae, J., and K. H. Chung. 2016. “Accelerated wear testing of polyurethane hydraulic seal.” Polym. Test. 63 (Oct): 368–369. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymertesting.2017.08.014.
Cao, Y. G., C. Liu, H. J. Tian, S. H. Zhang, and Y. T. Sun. 2020. “Prediction of the driving force for a cup pig based on the distribution of contact stress.” J. Nat. Gas Sci. Eng. 81 (Sep): 103415. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2020.103415.
Da Silva, R. C. L., C. H. da Silva, and J. T. N. Medeiros. 2007. “Is there delamination wear in polyurethane?” Wear 263 (7): 974–983. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2007.01.082.
Drobny, J. G. 2007. Handbook of thermoplastic elastomers. Norwich, NY: William Andrew Pub.
Feng, J. J., and Y. Q. Tan. 2009. “Analysis of the slipping contact between a cylinder and a plane on the base of hertz theory.” [In Chinese.] Eng. Mech.Tribology 29 (4): 346–350.
Feng, J. J., and Y. Q. Tan. 2010. “The stress calculation in the frictionally slipping contact between a rigid cylinder and a half plane.” [In Chinese.] Eng. Mech. 27 (8): 40–47.
Flitney, R. K., and M. W. Brown. 2007. Seals and sealing handbook. Oxford, UK: Elsevier/Butterworth-Heinemann.
Friedrich, K., H. Sue, P. Liu, and A. Almajid. 2011. “Scratch resistance of high performance polymers.” Tribol. Int. 44 (9): 1032–1046. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.triboint.2011.04.008.
Fukahori, Y., and H. Yamazaki. 1994a. “Mechanism of rubber abrasion part 1: Abrasion pattern formation in natural rubber vulcanizate.” Wear 171 (1): 195–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1648(94)90362-X.
Fukahori, Y., and H. Yamazaki. 1994b. “Mechanism of rubber abrasion part 2: General rule in abrasion pattern formation in rubber-like materials.” Wear 178 (1): 109–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1648(94)90135-X.
Fukahori, Y., and H. Yamazaki. 1995. “Mechanism of rubber abrasion part 3: How is friction linked to fracture in rubber abrasion.” Wear 188 (1): 19–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1648(94)06571-3.
Giraldo, D., and J. M. Vélez. 2002. “Estudio del desgaste por deslizamiento en seco de algunos plásticos.” [In Spanish.] Dyna 136 (Aug): 11–20.
Hausberger, A., Z. Major, G. Theiler, and T. Gradt. 2018. “Observation of the adhesive and deformation contribution to the friction and wear behavior of thermoplastic polyurethanes.” Wear 412 Oct: 14–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2018.07.006.
Huang, F. Y., W. He, Y. Xu, F. Y. Xia, and X. Luo. 2020. “Study on wear of polyurethane cup of pig based on modified archard model.” [In Chinese.] China Plast. Ind. 48 (3): 126–131.
Hutchings, I. M. 1992. “Tribology: Friction and wear of engineering.” Mater. Des. 13 (3): 187. https://doi.org/10.1016/0261-3069(92)90241-9.
Kim, H., R. U. Kim, K. H. Chung, J. H. An, H. G. Jeon, and B. J. Kim. 2014. “Effect of test parameters on degradation of polyurethane elastomer for accelerated life testing.” Polym. Test. 40 (Dec): 13–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymertesting.2014.08.004.
Laux, K., H. Sue, A. Montoya, and T. Bremner. 2015. “Wear behavior of polyaryletherketones under multi-directional sliding and fretting conditions.” Tribol. Lett. 58 (3): 41. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-015-0517-2.
Lee, S. H., S. S. Yoo, D. E. Kim, B. S. Kang, and H. E. Kim. 2012. “Accelerated wear test of FKM elastomer for life prediction of seals.” Polym. Test. 31 (8): 993–1000. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymertesting.2012.07.017.
Liu, C., Y. G. Cao, J. Z. Chen, C. L. Dai, R. Y. He, and Z. G. Zhou. 2022. “The blockage risk in the elbow of the bi-directional pig used for submarine pipeline based on the modified Burgers-Frenkel (MB-F) model.” Ocean Eng. 268 (Jan): 113508. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2022.113508.
Liu, C., Y. G. Wei, H. J. Tian, and Y. G. Cao. 2021. “Evaluation method of cleaning ability of pig based on contact friction characteristics.” [In Chinese.] Oil Gas Storage Transp. 40 (2): 233–240.
Martínez, F. J., M. Canales, J. M. Bìelsa, and M. A. Jiménez. 2010. “Relationship between wear rate and mechanical fatigue in sliding TPU-metal contacts.” Wear 268 (3): 388–398. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2009.08.026.
Meng, H. C., and K. C. Ludema. 1995. “Wear models and predictive equations: Their forma and content.” Wear 181 (2): 443–457. https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1648(95)90158-2.
Pan, D. Y., P. P. Wu, Z. X. Gao, and Y. Z. Zhang. 2013. “The analysis on the tribological properties of TPU/PVC blends under oil lubrication.” Adv. Mater. Res. 774 (Sep): 94–98. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.774-776.94.
Rabinowicz, E. 1965. Friction and wear of materials. New York: Wiley.
Sackfield, A., D. Dini, and D. A. Hills. 2005. “The finite and semi-infinite tilted, flat but rounded punch.” Solids Struct. 42 (18): 4988–5009. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2005.02.013.
Suárez, F. A., and J. M. Vélez. 2005. “Estudio del modelo de desgaste propuesto por Archard.” [In Spanish.] Dyna 17 (146): 27–43.
Wu, G. C. 2016. “The mechanisms of rubber abrasion.” Ph.D. dissertation, College of Mechanical Engineering, Mechanics Institute, Queen Mary Univ. of London.
Xu, D., J. Karger-Kocsis, and A. Schlarb. 2008. “Rolling friction and wear of organoclay-modified thermoplastic polyurethane rubbers against steel.” Kautsch. Gummi Kunstst. 61 (3): 98–106.
Yahiaoui, M., J. Denape, J. Y. Paris, A. G. Ural, N. Alcalà, and F. J. Martinez. 2014. “Wear dynamics of a TPU/steel contact under reciprocal sliding.” Wear 315 (1): 103–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2014.04.005.
Zhang, H., M. Q. Gao, B. Tang, C. Cui, and X. F. Xu. 2022. “Dynamic characteristics of the pipeline inspection gauge under girth weld excitation in submarine pipeline.” Pet. Sci. 19 (2): 774–788. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petsci.2021.09.044.
Zhang, H., S. H. Liu, and S. M. Zhang. 2017a. “Friction and wear of a polyurethane elastomer used in dewatering for bi-directional pipeline inspection gages.” Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng., Part J: J. Eng. Tribol. 231 (8): 1068–1077. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350650117690919.
Zhang, H., C. Sanchez, S. H. Liu, S. M. Zhang, and H. Liang. 2017b. “Wear of polyurethane rubber used in dry gas pipeline as inspection gauges.” J. Nat. Gas Sci. Eng. 41 (May): 40–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2017.02.035.
Zhao, G., T. Wang, and Q. Wang. 2011. “Friction and wear behavior of the polyurethane composites reinforced with potassium titanate whiskers under dry sliding and water lubrication.” J. Mater. Sci. 46 (20): 6673–6681. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-011-5620-7.
Zou, Y., Z. Zhuang, and K. Z. Huang. 2004. “The solutions of axisymmetric plan stress for a hyperelastic material interference problem.” [In Chinese.] Eng. Mech. 21 (6): 72–78.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Pipeline Systems Engineering and Practice
Volume 14 • Issue 4 • November 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 11, 2022
Accepted: May 11, 2023
Published online: Jul 31, 2023
Published in print: Nov 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Dec 31, 2023
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.