Erosion-induced wear and failure analysis of protective coatings in centrifugal pumps operating in southern Xinjiang's sediment-rich water

This study investigated the wear of centrifugal pumps in high-sediment water in Southern Xinjiang by combining numerical simulation (Mixture multiphase flow and Discrete Phase Model wear models) with an experimental evaluation of four coatings (Al 2 O 3 , TiSiN, WC-10Ni, AlCrN). Results identified the impeller outlet as the most severe wear area, and the simulated wear locations agreed well with experimental observations. Al 2 O 3 exhibited the best wear resistance, while TiSiN showed the most significant material loss. Microstructural analysis revealed distinct failure mechanisms: brittle spalling for Al 2 O 3 , uniform abrasive wear for WC-10Ni, and plastic-flow-dominated polishing wear for TiSiN. The study provides theoretical and experimental references for coating selection under high-sediment conditions in Southern Xinjiang. • Reveals a coupled “flow instability–particle enrichment–mechanical wear” mechanism. • Introduces an integrated macro-micro framework for sediment-laden conditions. • Predicts wear locations via simulation, consistent with experimental data. • Shows distinct coating failures and synergistic property effects on wear.