Proceedings of the ASME 2022
International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition
PREPARATION AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF EROSION RESISTANT LINING OF
BIMETALLIC COMPOSITE PIPE
Jianwei Dong1, Deguo Wang1, Yanbao Guo1
1
China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing, China
ABSTRACT
Erosion widely exists in oil and gas production and
transmission pipelines, which seriously affects the service life of
pipelines. Ordinary carbon steel pipe can meet the strength and
pressure of oil and gas transportation, but it has the
disadvantages of poor erosion resistance, short service life and
frequent replacement. The cost of using erosion resistant metal
pipe is high, which is not suitable for comprehensive
popularization and application. Bimetallic composite pipe
includes outer layer and inner layer. It is formed by two different
metals through a variety of processing technologies, which has
the advantage that a single material does not have. It not only has
the strength and toughness of the outer pipe, but also has the
erosion resistance of the inner pipe. The service life of bimetallic
composite pipeline can be 4-6 times longer than that of
traditional carbon steel pipeline, and the manufacturing cost is
relatively low, the service time is long, and it has good economy.
Therefore, it is more and more widely used in oil and gas
production and transportation. However, the common problem
of bimetallic composite pipe is that the bonding interface
between outer pipe and inner layer is not fully bonded and there
has gaps. Or the interface binding force is not enough. When the
composite pipe is eroded by the fluid in the pipe, the stress
concentration at the interface will lead to the separation of the
inner layer and the outer pipe, leading to the reduction of the
service life of the pipe. Therefore, how to prepare the bimetallic
composite pipe with good quality and strong erosion resistance
has become an urgent problem to be solved. In this paper, carbon
steel cemented carbide bimetallic composite pipe was prepared
by electromagnetic heating through the application of centrifugal
force and molten metal fluidity. The joint surface of the prepared
bimetallic composite pipe was observed and analyzed, and the
erosion test of the inner layer was carried out. The micro
morphology of the erosion sample was observed and analyzed
by shape analysis laser microscope. The erosion rate was
accurately calculated according to the mass loss of the sample
before and after erosion. The results show that the bimetallic
composite pipe prepared by the above method has good interface
IMECE2022
September 26-30, 2022, Calgary, AB, Canada
IMECE2022-####
bonding quality and no obvious defects. In the same erosion
environment, the bimetallic composite pipe has stronger erosion
resistance, lower erosion rate and higher service life than carbon
steel pipe. Therefore, through the exploration of the preparation
method of bimetallic composite pipe, this paper improves the
preparation process of bimetallic composite pipe, improves the
comprehensive mechanical properties and erosion resistance of
bimetallic composite pipe, and promotes the application of
bimetallic composite pipe in industrial production.
Keywords: Bimetallic composite pipe; Inner layer; Joint
surface; Erosion; Electromagnetic heating
NOMENCLATURE
ε epsilon
1. INTRODUCTION
When the pipeline is transporting oil and natural gas for a
long distance, the particles and flow field in the pipe will cause
serious erosion and wear to the pipe, resulting in the failure of
the pipe[1-5]. it is not only related to the safety of industrial
production, but also related to the safety of life and property.
Therefore, wear-resistant pipe have been more and more
used in industrial production. high chromium cast steel pipe has
high wear resistance due to chromium[6-7]. but it needs to be
formed by centrifugal casting. due to the limitation of casting
process, the pipe wall thickness is thick and difficult to control,
so it is difficult to form a unified standard for pipe diameter. at
the same time, casting sand holes, pores and other defects often
appear in the casting process[8-10]. and the price is high, so it is
difficult to popularize and use in large quantities. wear resistant
ceramic lined composite pipe is usually prepared by inlay
method, thermal spraying method and self propagating high
temperature synthesis method[11-12]. it has high corrosion
resistance and wear resistance of ceramics, as well as excellent
characteristics such as heat insulation and high temperature
resistance[13-14]. however, the strength and toughness of ceramic
lining are poor. when subjected to strong impact, cracks and even
spalling often occur, resulting in short service life. the self
propagating high temperature synthesis method has the
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advantages of simple process and low cost[15]. in recent years,
under the research of many scholars, this technology is becoming
more and more mature and widely used [16-18]. this provides a lot
of reference for the process selection and preparation method of
bimetallic composite pipe in this paper.
This paper intends to adopt the electromagnetic heating
method with the characteristics of green, energy saving and high
efficiency[19-20]. bimetallic composite pipe was prepared by using
carbon steel metal pipe and cemented carbide powder. the
bimetallic composite pipe not only has the strength and
toughness of the outer carbon steel metal pipe, but also has the
high hardness and high wear resistance of the inner cemented
carbide. a bimetallic composite pipe preparation process with
simple preparation process, low cost, energy saving and
environmental protection is formed. it provides a new method for
the preparation of bimetallic composite pipe and promotes the
industrialization process of bimetallic composite pipe.
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
2.1 Preparation of bimetallic composite pipe
1-Power supply; 2-Cemented carbide powder; 3-Temperature
measuring instrument; 4-Electromagnetic coil; 5-Carbon steel
pipe
FIGURE 1: SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF BIMETALLIC
COMPOSITE PIPE SAMPLE PREPARATION
The schematic diagram of preparing bimetallic composite
pipe sample is shown in FIGURE 1. The outer layer of the
composite pipe adopts carbon steel pipe to ensure its high
strength and mechanical properties. Cemented carbide powder is
selected as the material for making the inner layer, so that the
prepared inner layer has good properties of high temperature
resistance, corrosion resistance, wear resistance and so on. Place
the carbon steel pipe with cemented carbide powder in the
electromagnetic coil and power on the equipment. The heat
generated by electromagnetic heating melts the cemented
carbide powder placed in the carbon steel pipe. The molten
cemented carbide is subjected to centrifugal force in the
circumferentially rotating carbon steel pipe and the fluidity of
the molten metal itself, so that it can be evenly distributed on the
inner wall of the outer pipe. After slow cooling, a certain
thickness of inner layer is formed in the carbon steel outer pipe.
After the preparation of bimetallic composite pipe, the
combination of outer pipe and inner layer is observed and
analyzed. A large number of studies have shown that the
interface between the outer layer and the inner layer of bimetallic
composite pipe and the surface forming quality of the inner layer
play a key role in the performance of bimetallic composite
pipe[21-22]. After inspection, the prepared bimetallic composite
pipe sample has achieved a good combination of the outer pipe
and the inner layer, and the inner layer has no obvious defects
such as holes and cracks. This is because during the
transformation from molten state to solid state, the solidification
rate of cemented carbide is controlled by slowly reducing the
temperature. At the same time, under the action of centrifugal
force, the molten metals squeeze each other and finally solidify,
so there are no obvious defects.
2.2 Erosion test of bimetallic composite pipe
The erosion resistance of bimetallic composite pipe is an
important index to measure its service performance. In this
paper, the erosion test of the prepared bimetallic composite pipe
is carried out by using the liquid-solid two-phase flow erosion
loop system designed and built by the laboratory (FIGURE 2).
FIGURE 2: SOLID-LIQUID TWO-PHASE FLOW EROSION
LOOP SYSTEM
The system mainly includes the following modules: water
and sand mixing box and mixing device, corrosion-resistant and
wear-resistant pump, variable frequency speed regulator, flow
acquisition module, flow velocity acquisition module and visual
erosion box. Use electromagnetic flowmeter to measure liquid
flow. The pipeline between the corrosion-resistant and wear-
resistant pump and the visual erosion box is equipped with a
check valve and an anti-seismic pressure gauge. The check valve
is used to prevent the reverse flow of fluid at the moment of start
and stop of the device, and the pressure gauge is used to measure
the pressure in the pipeline. The erosion rate is adjusted by the
frequency conversion speed regulator, the sand and water are
mixed and proportioned by the agitator, and then enter the visual
erosion box from the sand outlet through the corrosion-resistant
and wear-resistant pump for erosion. The mixture of sand and
water after erosion flows into the sand mixing device through the
sand outlet to realize the circulation effect. The erosion angle and
distance are controlled and adjusted by the fixture in the visual
erosion box.
The test methods used in this erosion test mainly include
weight loss method and microscopic technology. Due to the
small surface area of the sample. Therefore, the average erosion
rate calculated by the weight loss method can be used as the final
erosion rate at this position. The calculation formula of erosion
rate is:
m  m1 (1)
= 0
msand
Where: ε is the erosion rate of the sample, g/kg; m0 and m1 are
the mass of the sample before and after erosion, g; msand is the
total mass of sand particles impacting the target, kg.
In the two-phase flow used in the test, the liquid medium is
deionized water and the solid medium is quartz sand, which the
particle size range is 200~300 um, with edges and corners. The
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specific gravity of quartz sand is about 15%. The liquid-solid
two-phase flow erosion test was carried out under the condition
of water temperature of 25℃ and liquid flow rate of 30 m/s. Each
test shall be carried out continuously for 5.5 h. In order to reduce
the test error, parallel experiments shall be carried out, and the
average value of the two results shall be taken as the final erosion
rate. After each test, replace the solution and quartz sand.
In order to control a single variable, the erosion rate, erosion
angle, sand weight ratio, time and other parameters of each group (a) The first group of carbon steel pipe erosion samples (b) The
are adjusted to be unified, and only the erosion sample is taken first group of bimetallic composite pipe erosion samples (c)
as the only variable. Two sets of erosion tests were performed on The second group of carbon steel pipe erosion samples (d) The
each sample. The test parameters are shown in Table 1. second group of bimetallic composite pipe erosion samples
Table 1: EROSION TEST PARAMETERS FIGURE 3: MACRO MORPHOLOGY OF EROSION SAMPLE
Sand The micro morphology of the erosion sample is shown in
Velocity Angle specific Time FIGURE 4 and FIGURE 5. From the microscopic morphology
Sample Group
(m/s) (°) weight (h) magnified by 200 times (FIGURE 4), pits caused by two-phase
(％) flow erosion appear on the surfaces of bimetallic composite pipe
Carbon 1 30 30 15 5.5 erosion samples and carbon steel pipe erosion samples, and the
steel pipe 2 30 30 15 5.5 distribution is relatively uniform. It shows that the prepared
Bimetallic 1 30 30 15 5.5 bimetallic composite pipe has uniform texture. However, in the
composite same visual field, the number of pits in the bimetallic composite
2 30 30 15 5.5 pipe erosion sample is significantly less than that in the carbon
pipe
In order to more clearly observe and analyze the erosion steel pipe erosion sample. It shows that the erosion resistance of
results, the working surface of the sample shall be polished bimetallic composite pipe is stronger. At the same time, it is
successively with 240#~1500# water sandpaper before the observed that there are obvious corrosion traces around the pits
erosion test. After cleaning and drying, weigh the mass of the in the carbon steel pipe erosion sample, indicating that the
sample before the experiment with an electronic balance corrosion phenomenon occurs at the same time under the action
(Accuracy: 0.01 g), measure it for 3 times and take the average of two-phase flow erosion. Under the combined action of erosion
value. Then, the erosion test shall be carried out according to the and corrosion, the damage of the sample will be accelerated.
above parameter settings. After the test, clean and dry the Under the action of erosion, fatigue cracks appear on the surfaces
sample, weigh the mass with a balance, measure it for 3 times of both samples. The growth, expansion and falling off of fatigue
and take the average value. Then, the 3D erosion morphology of cracks on the surface will cause quality loss. The crack length in
the erosion sample was observed and analyzed by using VK- the erosion sample of bimetallic composite pipe is about one fifth
X250K shape analysis laser microscope. of that of carbon steel pipe, which shows that bimetallic
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION composite pipe has stronger resistance to fatigue damage and
The macro morphology of bimetallic composite pipe and higher fatigue life in the erosion environment.
carbon steel pipe samples of the same specification after erosion
test is shown in FIGURE 3. In the erosion test, under the same
test parameters, the average width of erosion wear of carbon steel
sample is 15 mm and that of bimetallic composite pipe sample is
11 mm. After erosion, the damage area of bimetallic composite
pipe is smaller.

FIGURE 4: MICROSTRUCTURE OF EROSION SAMPLE

(200X): (A) CARBON STEEL PIPE (B) BIMETALLIC COMPOSITE
PIPE
As can be seen from the microscopic morphology magnified
by 1000 times (FIGURE 5), furrows formed by the plastic
extrusion of quartz sand appear on the surfaces of both samples
under the action of low angle erosion of two-phase flow. At a
lower impact angle, the cutting wear trace of quartz sand on the
surface of the erosion sample is obvious, and the metal falls off
on the surface. When the cutting wear occurs in the actual
industrial oil and gas pipeline, the surface metal will fall off and
the internal metal will be exposed again. The long-term erosion

3 © 2022 by ASME
will lead to the thinning of the wall thickness of the eroded part
and reduce the service life of the oil and gas pipeline. At the same
time, it is observed that there are few furrows and cutting marks
on the surface of bimetallic composite pipe, while there are many
furrows and cutting marks on the surface of carbon steel pipe.
This is because with the progress of erosion, the original
microstructure, properties and mechanical state of the first
damaged position on the sample surface have changed. The
strength and erosion resistance of the material are affected,
which makes the damage further develop and accumulate
gradually. Finally, the furrow and cutting marks in the figure are
relatively concentrated. The emergence of this problem will
greatly shorten the erosion resistance life of the material. This
shows that the bimetallic composite pipe prepared this time has
strong erosion resistance.
FIGURE 5: MICROSTRUCTURE OF EROSION SAMPLE
(1000X): (A) CARBON STEEL PIPE (B) BIMETALLIC
COMPOSITE PIPE
The mass loss and erosion rate of the sample obtained from
the erosion test are shown in Table 2. In the same erosion
environment, the mass loss of carbon steel pipe is greater than
that of bimetallic composite pipe, resulting in a large erosion
rate. The erosion sample of bimetallic composite pipe has less
mass loss and smaller erosion rate, which can correspond to the
analysis results of micro morphology of the erosion sample.
Table 2: RESULTS OF EROSION TEST
Mass Mass Total
before after sand Erosion
Sample Group
erosion erosion mass rate(ε)
(g) (g) (kg)
Carbon 1 158.54 158.49 226.08 0.22
steel pipe 2 161.30 161.25 226.08 0.22
Bimetallic 1 108.12 108.11 226.08 0.04
composite
2 108.11 108.09 226.08 0.09
pipe
4. CONCLUSION
In this paper, the forming quality and erosion resistance of
bimetallic composite pipe prepared by electromagnetic heating
are tested and analyzed. The erosion resistance of bimetallic
composite pipe is studied. Through the erosion test, the
observation and analysis of the macro and micro structure
morphology of the erosion sample and the analysis of the test
data, the following conclusions are mainly drawn:
(1) Due to the centrifugal force, the inner layer of the
bimetallic composite pipe prepared by electromagnetic heating
has uniform forming texture, no obvious defects, and the
bonding quality of the outer pipe and the inner layer is good. It
provides a new low-cost, green and energy-saving method for
the preparation of bimetallic composite pipe.
(2) Compared with carbon steel pipe, the strength and
erosion resistance of the bimetallic composite pipe are greatly
improved, the probability of corrosion in the erosion
environment is smaller, and the bimetallic composite pipe has
higher fatigue life and strong erosion resistance.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We gratefully acknowledge the kind cooperation of Dr. Bin
Wang in the preparation of this application note.
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