Performance degradation model and life prediction method of spool pair caused by erosion wear

The erosion of solid particles in the fluid causes the wear of the metering edge of the spool pair, resulting in a decrease in system performance. This paper aims to develop a general method to evaluate performance degradation and life prediction of spool pairs induced by erosion. Considering the diversity of influencing factors and the complexity of operating conditions, traditional numerical calculation methods will consume huge computational costs. It is difficult to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the evolution of metering edge by numerical calculation. The erosion prediction model (EPM) constructed by machine learning methods can be used to predict the wear profile discretized in time and space. Combined with the mathematical model of the valve-controlled cylinder, a performance degradation model (PDM) that can simulate real-time working conditions is established. Through the data exchange and iterative update between EPM and PDM, a complete digital platform for the calculation of slide valve durability is constructed. After comparing with the experimental results, it can be concluded that the proposed method can realize the performance degradation evaluation and life prediction of the spool pair caused by erosion wear under continuous working conditions.