Pipe Flow Simulation

PROJECT TITLE: PIPE FLOW SIMULATION.

OBJECTIVE: 1.Creating a pipe model in SolidWorks.

2.Running an air flow simulation for different Reynolds No. at inlet .

3.Placing line probes at different positions inside the pipe and getting the normalized velocities at those locations.

Design and Analysis:

Dimensions of the pipe:

Diameter= 30mm;

Thickness= 0.5mm;

Length= 1m;

Fluid taken for simulation= Air

Assuming the simulation is being carried out at Room temperature(T=20C)

kinematic viscosity of air at 20C = 15.06*10^-6 m^2/s

We know that Reynolds\'s Number= (ρ*u*L)/μ or (u*L)/ ν

• ρ is the density of the fluid (SI unit: kg/m³)
• u is the velocity of the fluid with respect to the object (m/s)
• L is a characteristic linear dimension (m), here it is the diameter
• μ is the dynamic viscosity of the fluid (Pa·s or N·s/m² or kg/m·s)
• ν is the kinematic viscosity of the fluid (m²/s).

velocity= (kinematic viscosity*Re)/ diameter

For different Reynold\'s Number at inlet the different input velocity are:

when Re=100

input vel. = 0.0502m/s;

Re=1000

input vel. = 0.502m/s;

Re=10,000

input vel. = 5.02m/s;

Now with the above informations we will be able to get the plots and we can also see the boundary layer formation inside the pipe with different inlet velocity. Hence, simulation will be complete.

Design point1 - when Re=100 or v=0.0502m/s

Design point2 - when Re=1000 or v= 0.502m/s

Design point3 - when Re=10,000 or v= 5.02m/s

RESULTS:

Cut Plots:

Design Point1

Design Point 2

Design Point 3

Now velocity vs length plots:

Comparison among the 3 probes:

CONCLUSION:

After looking at the plots, we can say that as the velocity inside the pipe increases the boundary layer thickness starts to decrease. In the first plot it is maximum thickness.