Prediction of degradation in 90° elbow joints of ba35 brass used in potable water pipes through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation

Failure of 90° elbows in water pipes due to corrosion is a critical issue in water supply and distribution systems. Therefore, understanding the behavior of pipelines under corrosion is essential to increase their durability. This original study aims to specifically analyze the failure of 90° elbows due to the erosion-corrosion phenomenon. The behavior of water flow, in terms of velocity profile, pressure gradient, and turbulence zones at these elbows, is numerically simulated using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. The simulations, performed with FLUENT software, identify the areas most susceptible to erosion and corrosion, thus contributing to a better understanding of processes such as stress corrosion cracking and cavitation. This work also highlights the importance of designing elbows with suitable characteristics and adopting adequate maintenance practices to prevent failures. These results can serve as a basis for future experimental validations and for the design of more robust pipeline systems.