Applications of Fluid Structure Interaction Analysis Techniques for Flow Regulation

In fluid-structure interactions (FSI), one or more structures interact with incompressible or compressible fluids. These problems are non-linear multi-physics phenomena. Most FSI problems require a numerical solution rather than an analytical solution (Gene, 2012). This is particularly true for problems involving large deformations of elastomers and for problems related to plugging of flow. The classical two way coupling of fluid and structural solver does not work well and at times fail to reach a solution. Using a monolithic solver and non-conforming mesh techniques like Coupled Eulerian Lagrange (CEL) or Arbitrary Lagrange Eulerian (ALE) formulations we show solutions for such large deformation and plugging type FSI problems. The technique has been applied to help develop an industrial flow regulator. The regulator uses a single piece elastomeric material that undergoes deformation due to pressure drop in the system. The deformation in turn restricts flow in the system and potentially developing flow related noise in the system. Rigorous FSI analyses techniques were used to design and develop the concepts minimizing prototype development time. The FSI analysis not only helped in designing the mechanical function of the regulator but also the helped evaluate the acoustic noise level in the system. The resulting design performance was validated by controlled performance tests. The design was shown to work reliably and meet performance requirements.