Numerical Flow Simulation in a Horizontal-to-Vertical Elbow
The petroleum industry has been faced with the problem of flow-related erosion and corrosion during oil production and transportation for decades. In this paper, to characterize the flow behavior inside a pipe elbow, the RNG k-ε turbulence model with MUSCL discretization scheme is applied to the simulation. The calculation results are analyzed and conclusions can be drawn from these analyses: The simulations predicted value for the diametrical pressure coefficient is in excellent agreement with published correlation obtained from experimental data; The simulations indicate that the maximum wall shear stress occur near the inner corner wall, just downstream of the entrance to the elbow; At the entrance of the elbow, it is clear that the faster moving fluid starts out displaced towards the inner radius and the wall shear stress taking on its maximum value there; just downstream of 45°plane, the flow separates from the inner radius and a large separation vortex is formed that extends downstream.