DefinePK

Abstract

Flow inside pipes is extended applicable in various industrial sectors, from power plants and food industries to oil and gas companies and petrochemical procedures. In most of the cases corrosion and energy losses problems are mentioned, which are difficult to be faced due to the lack of data or information concerning the flow visualization, simulation and estimation especially at fluid flows inside sharp 90?pipes. In the present paper a flexible and accurate enough numerical approach is presented for Newtonian flows inside pipes with 90?curvature. The flow in the pipe is assumed as incompressible, laminar and viscous while the numerical results will be presented for various Reynolds numbers. Priority will be given in crude oil flows, type of Arabian light, where appropriate schemes for the prediction of the crude oil properties are developed. Existing empirical correlations as well as corresponded results by the literature are used for the needs of numerical results validation. Various results are presented concerning the flow variables, the energy losses and the stresses giving emphasis at the elbow area. It seems that near the elbow exit the stresses are increased, while maximum values are appeared on the innerradius. Additionally as the Re value is increased, more deviations occur within the stream eventually, leading to recirculation regions occurring in the pipe just downstream of the 45?section. Accurate interoperation of these deviations will show that the pressure and velocity of the fluid varies accordingly along the pipe.