Pipe Flow SImulation in SolidWorks

Introduction:

Carrying out fluid flow simulations in a virtual environment is a better suited approach. This allows the engineer to model the fluid’s behavior at every stage in the process and accurately predict how it will react in an actual casting environment. In doing so, it greatly reduces the time it takes to create a working design, which can then be manufactured in the real world. Because of the work that has been done in the virtual world, the chances of this unit performing as expected are greatly increased and the overall cost of development is substantially reduced.

Types of flow:

• Laminar flow: Laminar flow is characterized by smooth streamlines and highly ordered motion. If the pipe is sufficiently long (relative to the entry length) then the entrance effects are negligible and therefore the flow is fully developed. Laminar flow occurs when the fluid flows in parallel layers without mixing. The velocity of the fluid is constant at any given moment. Since the flow is steady, there is no acceleration. The flow is laminar for cylindrical pipes when Reynolds number is less than 2500.
• Turbulent flow: Turbulent flow is characterized by velocity fluctuations and highly disordered motion. Most flows encountered in practice are turbulent. Turbulent flow occurs when streamlines of the liquid are irregular and change over time. The paths of the fluid flow are also irregular and form tiny whirlpool regions. The flow is turbulent when Reynolds number is greater than 4000. In practice, most flows in engineering are turbulent.

OBJECTIVES:

In this study we will be looking to:

• pipe flow simulation with an inlet Reynolds number of 100,1000 and 10,000.
• Placing line probes at 95%, 90% and 85% of the pipe length and compare the velocity at each location for the three cases.

Geometry:

Boundary conditions:

(1): Inlet velocity = 0.00185 m/s when R=100

= 0.0185 m/s when R=1000

=0.185 m/s when R=10,000

(2): Static pressure = 101325 Pa

Temperature = 293.2 K

(3): Wall type: Real wall

PROCEDURE:

1. Create a sketch of a Circular pipe Using Solid Works.

1. Length of the pipe: 1m
2. Outer Diameter:0.050m
3. Internal diameter:0.048m
4. Thickness:0.002m

2. Now Create Probes on the Sketch we just made at a length of 95 mm , 90 mm, 85 mm. These probes will help us to understand the effect of the fluid in the pipe at different Reynolds Number.

3. As we have to perform a flow simulation so we need to consider a fluid Which will flow through this pipe.

Here we are considering water as our major flowing fluid. velocity is calculated as follows:

Fluid characteristics

• Fluid used: water
• Dynamic viscosity: 8.9×10−4Pa.s
• Density of water: 1000 kg/m−3

Reynolds number equation:

`

where:

• R is the Reynolds number, which is unitless
• ρ is the fluid density in kilograms-per-cubic-meter (kg/m3)
• v is the velocity in meters-per-second (m/s)
• D is the diameter of the pipe in meters (m)
• μ is the viscosity of the fluid in Pascal-seconds (Pa⋅s)

Velocity at different Reynolds numbers:

1. R=100 ; V=0.00185 m/s
2. R=1000 ; V=0.0185 m/s
3. R=10,000 ; V=0.185 m/s

5. When we are finish doing the above steps go to flow simulation in SolidWorks.

6. Now we will create Lids on both sides of the pipe. These Lids will helps us to create The boundary conditions.

7. After creating Lids, go to the insert boundary and create boundaries Like Inlet Velocity At Lid1, static Pressure at Lid2, Real wall across the length of the pipe.

8. Make cut plots Across the Probes.

when we finish doing the above steps. We will perform the Parametric Study.

This parametric study Will give us very refined plots For Different Reynolds numbers at various design points.

PLOTS:

1. Re=100 , v=0.00185 m/s

a. Probe at 95%

b. Probe at 90%

c. Probe at 85%

Velocity variation when Re=100 and v=0.00185 m/s:

2. Re=1000 , v=0.0185 m/s

a. Probe at 95%

b. Probe at 90%

c. Probe at 85%

Velocity Variation when Re=1000 and v=0.0185 m/s:

3. Re=10000 , v=0.185 m/s

a. Probe at 95%

b. Probe at 90%

c. Probe at 85%

Velocity variation when Re=10000 and v=0.185 m/s:

OBSERVATION:

Observing the above results we can say that by increasing the Reynolds number the flow flow pattern changes and it goes from laminar to turbulant flow.

By increasing the mesh size we can get the very accurate results.

CONCLUSION:

Hence the pipe flow simulation is done and results are obtained.