Getting started with Flow Simulation in SolidWorks

Aim :- To run an internal pipe flow simulation in solidworks and to plot the velocity profile.

Objective :-

• Run a pipe flow simulation with an inlet Reynolds number of 100,1000 and 10,000
• Place line probes at 95%, 90% and 85% of the pipe length & Compare the normalized velocity profile at each of these locations
• Normalize the velocity profile by the inlet velocity.

Formula / Governing eqn :-

- using the renolds no we can findout the inlet velocity by the given formula

`R_e =(rho. V.D) / mu`

Where

• `R_e`= Reynolds No
• `rho` = density of fluid
• V = Velocity of fluid
• D = dia of pipe
• `mu` = dynamic viscosity

• Now the input values are as given

- Dia of pipe (D) = 0.05m

- Length of pipe (l) = 0.5m

- Shell size = 0.001

- `rho` = 1000

- `mu` = 8.9 x 10^-4

- `R_e` = 100 , 1000 , 10000

• For the following input values and using the above formula we have obtained the inlet velocities values as given below

- For Re = 100 , V = 0.00178

- For Re = 1000 , V = 0.0178

- For Re = 10000 , V = 0.178

Pipe 3d Part design ;-

Procedure ;-

• Input variables are considered for the parametric study

• Output parameters like cut plot and velocity graphs are taken under consideration

• In the scenario tab the parametric study is ran for three different velocity values by increasing the mesh values by multiplying the original (x2) for second and third case

Cut-Plots :-

• Cut plot 1 for the flow at line 1 ( for Re = 100 , 1000 , 10000 & for the three velocity values V=0.00178 , 0.0178 & 0.178.)

• Cut plot 3 for the flow at line 2 ( for Re = 100 , 1000 , 10000 & for the three velocity values V=0.00178 , 0.0178 & 0.178.)

• Cut plot 4 for the flow at line 3 ( for Re = 100 , 1000 , 10000 & for the three velocity values V=0.00178 , 0.0178 & 0.178.)

• Cut plot 2 all over the length of the pipe ( for Re = 100 , 1000 , 10000 & for the three velocity values V=0.00178 , 0.0178 & 0.178.)

• Case 1 :- for Re=100 , V=0.00178 the flow throughout the whole pipe is shown below

• Case 2 :- for Re=1000 , V=0.0178 the flow throughout the whole pipe is shown below

• Case 3 :- for Re=10000 , V=0.178 the flow throughout the whole pipe is shown below

Explanation :-

• Software used solid works 2016
• Start by designing the circle of 0.05m and using extrude command to extrude for a length of 0.5m
• Providing the shell thickness of 0.001 for the pipe
• Now as we want the flow inside the pipe we need to provide the lids to close the face of the pipe
• Now using front plane sketch three lines at 95 , 90 & 85 % of the pipe length
• Now it’s time to start the flow simulation
• Selecting the new parametric study and provide the input variables, output parameters and in scenario run it for three different velocity values with increasing the mesh values.
• In this case three Reynolds no are given so three velocity values are obtained
• The three lines at 95 , 90 & 85 % of the pipe length are used to show the cut plot at a particular distance.The cut plots generated are shown above
• For the three lines the velocity at each line is plotted and finally the velocity profile is compared

Result :-

• Thus we have studied the basics of an internal pipe flow simulation
• Also obtained the velocity profile graph and compared it

Graph / plots :-

Velocity graph obtained at line 1

The three lines are generated due to the three different velocity values

Velocity graph obtained at line 2

Velocity graph obtained at line 3

Comparision of all the three graphs :-