DefinePK

Abstract

In a bid to reduce the incessant failure of buried pipes, due considerations have been given to the effects of external factors on the pipe structure while the effects of such factors on flow in buried pipes remain unknown. This paper employs the versatility of Comsol Multiphysics to numerically simulating flow in buried pipes in order to examine the effects of atmospheric temperature and soil loads on the temperature, pressure and velocity of fluid. The results show that the temperature, pressure and velocity of water in an unburied HDPE pipe at a distance 1.52m from the inlet are 303.9K, 101235.8Pa and 1.19m/s respectively. Considering the effects of atmospheric temperature on water at the same point in HDPE pipe buried at a depth of 1m in Sandy soil results in a temperature of 293.15K, pressure of 101780.4Pa and velocity of 2.651m/s. Combining effects of soil loads with atmospheric temperature results in a change of these values to 303.91K, 90457.81Pa and 823423.6m/s. The results reveal a need for due consideration of the effects of atmospheric temperature and soil loads on flow in buried pipes before fixing the operating conditions of the pipeline.