---
title: "Tube erosion / tube wastage"
description: "Tube erosion (also tube wastage) is the gradual thinning of boiler tube walls by repeated mechanical impact from particulate or by steam-jet impingement. Continued erosion eventually thins the tube below its design pressure rating, triggering boiler tube failure (BTF)."
canonical_url: "https://sylio.co/glossary/tube-erosion-tube-wastage"
last_updated: "2026-06-28T02:29:26.464Z"
---

**Tube erosion** (also *tube wastage*) is the gradual thinning of boiler tube walls by repeated mechanical impact from particulate or by steam-jet impingement. Continued erosion eventually thins the tube below its design pressure rating, triggering [boiler tube failure (BTF)](/glossary/boiler-tube-failure).

## Two main mechanisms

- **Fly-ash erosion** — abrasive ash particles continuously impact tube surfaces, particularly in high-velocity sections of the [convective pass](/glossary/convective-pass-backpass) and economiser. Worst on units burning high-ash coals
- **Sootblower erosion** — steam jets from poorly-aligned [IK or IR sootblowers](/glossary/ik-long-retract-sootblower) directly impinge on adjacent tubes, thinning them at the impingement zone

## Mitigation

- Flow-shielding (chord plates, dummy tubes)
- Ash-load reduction (selective fuel blending, pre-cyclone removal)
- Sootblower lance alignment audits and re-aiming
- Coatings (HVOF, thermal-spray) on the most exposed tubes

## Sonic horns and erosion

[Sonic horns](/glossary/sonic-horn) contribute zero mechanical erosion because they apply no contact force and no high-velocity jet. Plants that have suffered repeated sootblower-erosion BTF often retrofit horns and reduce sootblower duty, slowing the erosion progression.

## Related terms

- [Boiler](/glossary/boiler)
- [Boiler tube failure](/glossary/boiler-tube-failure)
- [Economiser](/glossary/economiser)
- [Steam sootblower](/glossary/steam-sootblower)
- [Sonic horn](/glossary/sonic-horn)