Laminar entrance flow in a curved pipe

1984 ◽  
Vol 148 ◽  
pp. 109-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Y. Soh ◽  
S. A. Berger

The full elliptic Navier–Stokes equations have been solved for entrance flow into a curved pipe using the artificial compressibility technique developed by Chorin (1967). The problem is formulated for arbitrary values of the curvature ratio and the Dean number. Calculations are carried out for two curvature ratios, a/R = 1/7 and 1/20, and for Dean number ranging from 108.2 to 680.3, in a computational mesh extending from the inlet immediately adjacent to the reservoir to the fully developed downstream region.Secondary flow separation near the inner wall is observed in the developing region of the curved pipe. The separation and the magnitude of the secondary flow are found to be greatly influenced by the curvature ratio. As observed in the experiments of Agrawal, Talbot & Gong (1978) we find: (i) two-step plateau-like axial-velocity profiles for high Dean number, due to the secondary flow separation, and (ii) doubly peaked axial-velocity profiles along the lines parallel to the plane of symmetry, due to the highly distorted secondary-flow vortex structure.

1996 ◽  
Vol 314 ◽  
pp. 227-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip A. J. Mees ◽  
K. Nandakumar ◽  
J. H. Masliyah

Steady developing flow of an incompressible Newtonian fluid in a curved duct of square cross-section (the Dean problem) is investigated both experimentally and numerically. This study is a continuation of the work by Bara, Nandakumar & Masliyah (1992) and is focused on flow rates between Dn = 200 and Dn = 600 (Dn = Re/(R/a)1/2, where Re is the Reynolds number, R is the radius of curvature of the duct and a is the duct dimension; the curvature ratio, R/a, is 15.1).Numerical simulations based on the steady three-dimensional Navier – Stokes equations predict the development of a 6-cell secondary flow pattern above a Dean number of 350. The 6-cell state consists of two large Ekman vortices and two pairs of small Dean vortices near the outer wall that result from the primary instability that is of centrifugal nature. The 6-cell flow state develops near θ = 80° and breaks down symmetrically into a 2-cell flow pattern.The apparatus used to verify the simulations had a duct dimension of 1.27 cm and a streamwise length of 270°. At a Dean number of 453, different velocity profiles of the 6-cell flow state at θ = 90° and spanwise profiles of the streamwise velocity at every 20° were measured using a laser-Doppler anemometer. All measured velocity profiles, as well as flow visualization of secondary flow patterns, are in very good agreement with the simulations, indicating that the parabolized Navier – Stokes equations give an accurate description of the flow.Based on the similarity with boundary layer flow over a concave wall (the Görtler problem), it is suggested that the transition to the 6-cell flow state is the result of a decreasing spanwise wavelength of the Dean vortices with increasing flow rate. A numerical stability analysis shows that the 6-cell flow state is unconditionally unstable. This is the first time that detailed experiments and simulations of the development of a 6-cell flow state are reported.


1987 ◽  
Vol 109 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. C. Cheng ◽  
F. P. Yuen

Secondary flow patterns at the exit of a 180 deg bend (tube inside diameter d = 1.99 cm, radius of curvature Rc = 10.85 cm) are presented to illustrate the combined effects of centrifugal and buoyancy forces in hydrodynamically and thermally developing entrance region of an isothermally heated curved pipe with both parabolic and turbulent entrance velocity profiles. Three cases of upward, horizontal, and downward-curved pipe flows are studied for constant wall temperatures Tw=55–91°C, Dean number range K=22–1209 and ReRa=1.00×106–8.86×107. The flow visualization was realized by the smoke injection method. The secondary flow patterns shown are useful for future comparison with numerical predictions and confirming theoretical models. The results can be used to assess qualitatively the limit of the applicability of the existing correlation equations for laminar forced convection in isothermally heated curved pipes without buoyancy effects.


1978 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 497-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Agrawal ◽  
L. Talbot ◽  
K. Gong

An experimental investigation was carried out of the development of steady, laminar, incompressible flow of a Newtonian fluid in the entry region of a curved pipe for the entry condition of uniform motion. Two semicircular pipes of radius ratios 1/20 and 1/7 were investigated, covering a Dean number range from 138 to 679. The axial velocity and the component of secondary velocity parallel to the plane of curvature of the pipe were measured using laser anemometry. It was observed that, in the upstream region where the boundary layers are thin compared with the pipe radius, the axial velocity within the irrotational core first develops to form a vortex-like flow. In the downstream region, characterized by viscous layers of thickness comparable with the pipe radius, there appears to be three-dimensional separation at the inner wall. There is also an indication of an additional vortex structure embedded within the Dean-type secondary motion. The experimental axial velocity profiles are compared with those constructed from the theoretical analyses of Singh and Yao & Berger. The quantitative agreement between theory and experiment is found to be poor; however, some of the features observed in the experiment are in qualitative agreement with the theoretical solution of Yao & Berger.


1997 ◽  
Vol 347 ◽  
pp. 263-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
YUTAKA KOMAI ◽  
KAZUO TANISHITA

Fully developed intermittent flow in a strongly curved tube was numerically simulated using a numerical scheme based on the simpler method. Physiological pulsatile flow in the aorta was simulated as intermittent flow, with a waveform consisting of a pulse-like systolic flow period followed by a stationary diastolic period. Numerical simulations were carried out for the following conditions: Dean number κ=393, frequency parameter α=4–27, curvature ratio δ=1/2, 1/3 and 1/7, and intermittency parameter η=0–1/2, where η is the ratio of a systolic time to the cycle period. For α=18 and 27 the axial-flow profile in a systolic period becomes close to that of a sinusoidally oscillatory flow. At the end of the systole, a region of reversed axial velocity appears in the vicinity of the tube wall, which is caused by the blocking of the flow, similar to blocked flow in a straight tube. This area is enlarged near the inner wall of the bend by the curvature effect. Circumferential flow accelerated in a systole streams into the inner corner and collides at the symmetry line, which creates a jet-like secondary flow towards the outer wall. The region of reversed axial velocity is extended to the tube centre by the secondary flow. The development of the flow continues during the diastolic period for α higher than 8, and the flow does not completely dissipate, so that a residual secondary vortex persists until the next systole. Accordingly, the development of secondary flow in the following systolic phase is strongly affected by the residual vortex at the end of the previous diastolic phase, especially by stationary diastolic periods. Therefore, intermittent flow in a curved tube is strongly affected by the stationary diastolic period. For η=0 and 1/5, the induced secondary flow in a systole forms additional vortices near the inner wall, whereas for η=1/3 and 1/2 additional vortices do not appear. The characteristics of intermittent flow in a curved tube are also strongly affected by the length of the diastolic period, which represents a period of zero flow.


Author(s):  
Setyo Nugroho ◽  
Achmad Arifudin Hidayatulloh

The use of elbow or curved pipe in the installation of piping has a loss of pressure (pressure drop) which could lead the power of pump that drive the fluid and decrease the energy efficiency of the system. The pressure drop is caused by the curved shape of the elbow that cause pressure on the outer wall (outter) larger and blocking off the pace of the fluid, and flow pressure losses caused by friction, flow separation and secondary flow. A method that can be used to reduce flow separation and pressure loss in the elbow is by the insertion guide vane. The test model in the form of rectangular elbow 900  with a radius ratio (rc/Dh) = 1.1249 without using a guide vane and number of guide vane insertion one until three guide vanes. With Reynolds number ReDh ≈ 8.6 × 104. The velocity inlet is uniform, the measured variable is static pressure. Static pressure was measured using an inclined manometer. With variation the number of guide vane gives a more effect on the value of pressure drop, the largest pressure drop until 123.35% compared to that without guide vane. The velocity distribution profile on the outlet side becomes more uniform. The magnitude of this pressure drop occurs as a result of the increased flow friction and its secondary flow become smaller.


1976 ◽  
Vol 98 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. C. Cheng ◽  
Ran-Chau Lin ◽  
Jenn-Wuu Ou

The Navier-Stokes equations are solved by a numerical method for steady, fully developed, incompressible, laminar flow in curved rectangular channels considering the curvature ratio effect in the formulation. Solutions are obtained for aspect ratios 1, 2, 5 and 0.5 and Dean number ranges from 5 to 715, for example, for the case of square channel. It is found that an additional counter-rotating pair of vortices appears near the central outer region of the channel in addition to the familiar secondary flow at a certain higher Dean number depending on the aspect ratio. This phenomenon is consistent with Dean’s centrifugal instability problem and the secondary flow patterns with two pairs of counter-rotating vortices have not been reported in the past. The correlation equations for the friction factor are developed. The friction factor results are compared with the available theoretical and experimental results for the case of curved square channel and the agreement is found to be good.


1993 ◽  
Vol 251 ◽  
pp. 315-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shijie Liu ◽  
Jacob H. Masliyah

Steady axially invariant (fully developed) incompressible laminar flow of a Newtonian fluid in helical pipes of constant circular cross-section with arbitrary pitch and arbitrary radius of coil is studied. A loose-coiling analysis leads to two dominant parameters, namely Dean number, Dn = Reλ½, and Germano number, Gn = Reη, where Re is the Reynolds number, λ is the normalized curvature ratio and η is the normalized torsion. The Germano number is embedded in the body-centred azimuthal velocity which appears as a group in the governing equations. When studying Gn effects on the helical flow in terms of the secondary flow pattern or the secondary flow structure viewed in the generic (non-orthogonal) coordinate system of large Dn, a third dimensionless group emerges, γ = η/(λDn)½. For Dn < 20, the group γ* = Gn Dn-2 = η/(λRe) takes the place of γ.Numerical simulations with the full Navier-Stokes equations confirmed the theoretical findings. It is revealed that the effect of torsion on the helical flow can be neglected when γ ≤ 0.01 for moderate Dn. The critical value for which the secondary flow pattern changes from two vortices to one vortex is γ* > 0.039 for Dn < 20 and γ > 0.2 for Dn ≥ 20. For flows with fixed high Dean number and A, increasing the torsion has the effect of changing the relative position of the secondary flow vortices and the eventual formation of a flow having a Poiseuille-type axial velocity with a superimposed swirling flow. In the orthogonal coordinate system, however, the secondary flow generally has two vortices with sources and sinks. In the small-γ limit or when Dn is very small, the secondary flow is of the usual two-vortex type when viewed in the orthogonal coordinate system. In the large-γ limit, the appearance of the secondary flow in the orthogonal coordinate system is also two-vortex like but its orientation is inclined towards the upper wall. The flow friction factor is correlated to account for Dn, A and γ effects for Dn ≤ 5000 and γ < 0.1.


1990 ◽  
Vol 217 ◽  
pp. 421-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Thangam ◽  
N. Hur

The occurrence of secondary flow in curved ducts due to the centrifugal forces can often significantly influence the flow rate. In the present work, the secondary flow of an incompressible viscous fluid in a curved duct is studied by using a finite-volume method. It is shown that as the Dean number is increased the secondary flow structure evolves into a double vortex pair for low-aspect-ratio ducts and roll cells for ducts of high aspect ratio. A stability diagram is obtained in the domain of curvature ratio and Reynolds number. It is found that for ducts of high curvature the onset of transition from single vortex pair to double vortex pair or roll cells depends on the Dean number and the curvature ratio, while for ducts of small curvature the onset can be characterized by the Dean number alone. A comparison with the available theoretical and experimental results indicates good agreement. A correlation for the friction factor as a function of the Dean number and aspect ratio is developed and is found to be in good agreement with the available experimental and computational results for a wide range of parameters.


1980 ◽  
Vol 99 (3) ◽  
pp. 469-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob H. Masliyah

Calculations of the flow field under laminar conditions in a helical semicircular duct have been made by numerically solving the Navier–Stokes equations. With the flat wall of the duct being the outer wall, the solution of the momentum equations for Dean numbers below 105 gave, for the secondary flow, twin counter-rotating vortices of Taylor–Goertler type. However, above a Dean number of Dn = 105, two solutions were possible. One solution was similar to that obtained for Dn < 105. The other solution revealed four vortices for the secondary flow. For Dn > 105, convergence to either flow pattern depended on the initial guess used in the numerical solution. Flow visualization confirmed the possibility of the presence of both types of secondary flow patterns.


1990 ◽  
Vol 210 ◽  
pp. 353-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Costas C. Hamakiotes ◽  
Stanley A. Berger

In a previous paper we reported on the effect of Dean number, κm, on the fully developed region of periodic flows through curved tubes. In this paper we again consider a sinusoldally varying volumetric flow rate in a curved pipe of arbitrary curvature ratio, δ, and investigate the effect of frequency parameter α, and Reynolds number Rem on the flow. Specifically, we report on the flow-field development for the range 7.5 [les ] α [les ] 25, and 50 [les ] Rem [les ] 450. The results, obtained by numerical integration of the full Navier–Stokes equations, reveal a number of characteristics of the flow previously unreported. For low values of Rem the secondary flow consists of a single vortex (Dean-type motion) in the half-cross-section at all times and for all values of α studied. For higher Rem we observe inward ‘centrifuging’ (Lyne-type motion) at the centre. This motion always occurs during the accelerating period of the volumetric flow rate. It appears at lower α for higher Rem and, for the given Rem at which it appears, it occurs at earlier times in the cycle for lower a. A striking feature is observed for α = 15 for the range 315 [les ] Rem [les ] 400: period tripling. The flow field varies periodically with time for the duration of three volumetric-flow-rate cycles then repeats for the subsequent three cycles, and so on. The computed axial pressure gradient also varies periodically with time but with the same period as the volumetric flow rate.


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