Numerical simulation of stud-type four-way erosion under fracturing conditions

Abstract The stud-type four-way valve is commonly employed in high-pressure fracturing manifolds, where the inner wall of the valve is subjected to significant erosion and wear due to particle impact and high internal pressure during fracturing operations. This study establishes a theoretical model for erosion wear and utilizes FLUENT simulation software to analyze the variation of erosion wear under different operating conditions for both the Φ130-105 full four-way valve and the Φ130-78 four-way valve. Additionally, it investigates the influence of corner radius at the intersection on the maximum erosion rate, providing theoretical insights for mitigating erosion wear and enhancing the longevity of these valves. Research findings indicate that: (1) For the Φ130-105 full four-way valve under spacing plugging and adjacent plugging working condition, an increase in fluid flow velocity and particle mass flow rate significantly exacerbates erosion wear. Moreover, there is an opposite trend in erosion wear with increasing particle diameter under these two conditions; (2) In working condition “three in and one out” of the Φ130-78 four-way valve, erosion wear increases with higher speed difference between two pipes; while in working condition “two in and one out”, increased fluid flow velocity also notably intensifies erosion wear. Furthermore, an increase in particle diameter leads to reduced maximum erosive damage under both conditions, whereas an increase in mass flow rate results in elevated maximum erosive rates; (3) The introduction of a circular radius at the intersection effectively reduces erosive damage. The optimal circular radius at this intersection is found to be 40 mm for the Φ130-105 full four-way valve and 55 mm for the 0130-78 four-way valve.