Unmatched Durability in Harsh Slurry: Pexgol Outperforms Steel

Trial Demonstrates Superior Wear Resistance in Sea Water + Ash Slurry Conditions.

Case Study Nº

182 Customer

Tata Power

India

2023

Working Conditions

Temperature: 45° to 52°C | Flow: 515m³/hr | Pressure: 1.5 bar | Fluid Component: Sea water with 30% ash solids

Pexgol Pipes

Pexgol 280 mm

Application

Slurry Transport

Lenght

6 m / 19 ft

The Challenge

In a coastal mining facility, ash slurry—created by mixing sea water with 30% ash solids—was being transported at a ﬂow rate of 500–550 m³/h. The abrasive nature of the slurry, combined with particle sizes ranging from 110 µm to 450 µm (and occasional lumps up to 50 mm), caused accelerated wear in the steel pipes traditionally used on site.

Steel pipelines suffered consistent erosion, requiring frequent maintenance and patchwork to remain operational. With ambient temperatures between 45–52°C and system pressure not exceeding 1.5 bar, the environment added thermal stress but remained within moderate pressure limits.

The client needed a more durable solution that would extend maintenance cycles and reduce operational interruptions.

The Solution

A Pexgol pipe with 280 mm OD and 200 mm ID was installed as a trial section for ash slurry transport. The trial, conducted between April 2023 and December 31, 2023, involved a 6-meter pipe segment operating under full system conditions.

After 9 months of continuous operation, the pipe was returned to the supplier’s warehouse for post-trial inspection. Dimensional analysis conﬁrmed almost no erosion. Measurable wear was not observed on the internal diameter.

Compared to the previously used steel pipes—which showed visible wear and required repeated repair—the Pexgol solution offered unprecedented durability. According to the client’s certiﬁcation and ﬁeld data, over 85% of the solid particles in the slurry were under 100 microns, which are typically the most erosive. Even under these harsh slurry conditions, Pexgol maintained its structural integrity.

This successful trial validated Pexgol as a high-performance alternative to steel, capable of handling high-solids, abrasive slurries with minimal maintenance and downtime.