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Title: Irrecoverable pressure loss coefficients for two out-of-plane piping elbows at high Reynolds number

Abstract

Pressure drops of multiple piping elbows were experimentally determined for high Reynolds number flows. The testing described has been performed in order to reduce uncertainties in the currently used methods for predicting irrecoverable pressure losses and also to provide a qualification database for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) computer codes. The earlier high Reynolds number correlations had been based on extrapolations over several orders of magnitude in Reynolds number from where the original database existed. Recent single elbow test data shows about a factor of two lower elbow pressure loss coefficient (at 40x 106 Reynolds number) than those from current correlations. This single piping elbow data has been extended in this study to a multiple elbow configuration of two elbows that are 90o out-of-plane relative to each other. The effects of separation distance and Reynolds number have been correlated and presented in a form that can be used for design application. Contrary to earlier extrapolations from low Reynolds numbers (Re c 1.0x 106), a strong Reynolds number dependence was found to exist. The combination of the high Reynolds number single elbow data with the multiple elbow interaction effects measured in this study shows that earlier design correlations are conservative by significantmore » margins at high Reynolds numbers. Qualification of CFD predictions with this new high Reynolds number database will help guide the need for additional high Reynolds number testing of other piping configurations. The study also included velocity measurements at several positions downstream of the first and second test elbows using an ultrasonic flowmeter. Reasonable agreement after the first test elbow was found relative to flow fields that are known to exist from low Reynolds number visual tests and also from CFD predictions. This data should help to qualify CFD predictions of the three-dimensional flow stream downstream of the second test elbow.« less

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory (BAPL), West Mifflin, PA
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology (NE)
OSTI Identifier:
7647
Report Number(s):
WAPD-T-3252
ON: DE00007647
DOE Contract Number:  
AC11-93PN38195
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: ASME Fluids Engineering Division summer meeting, San Francisco, CA, July 18-22, 1999
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING NOT INCLUDED IN OTHER CATEGORIES; Pipe Fittings; Pressure Drop; Reynolds Number

Citation Formats

Coffield, R D, Hammond, R B, and McKeown, P T. Irrecoverable pressure loss coefficients for two out-of-plane piping elbows at high Reynolds number. United States: N. p., 1999. Web.
Coffield, R D, Hammond, R B, & McKeown, P T. Irrecoverable pressure loss coefficients for two out-of-plane piping elbows at high Reynolds number. United States.
Coffield, R D, Hammond, R B, and McKeown, P T. 1999. "Irrecoverable pressure loss coefficients for two out-of-plane piping elbows at high Reynolds number". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/7647.
@article{osti_7647,
title = {Irrecoverable pressure loss coefficients for two out-of-plane piping elbows at high Reynolds number},
author = {Coffield, R D and Hammond, R B and McKeown, P T},
abstractNote = {Pressure drops of multiple piping elbows were experimentally determined for high Reynolds number flows. The testing described has been performed in order to reduce uncertainties in the currently used methods for predicting irrecoverable pressure losses and also to provide a qualification database for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) computer codes. The earlier high Reynolds number correlations had been based on extrapolations over several orders of magnitude in Reynolds number from where the original database existed. Recent single elbow test data shows about a factor of two lower elbow pressure loss coefficient (at 40x 106 Reynolds number) than those from current correlations. This single piping elbow data has been extended in this study to a multiple elbow configuration of two elbows that are 90o out-of-plane relative to each other. The effects of separation distance and Reynolds number have been correlated and presented in a form that can be used for design application. Contrary to earlier extrapolations from low Reynolds numbers (Re c 1.0x 106), a strong Reynolds number dependence was found to exist. The combination of the high Reynolds number single elbow data with the multiple elbow interaction effects measured in this study shows that earlier design correlations are conservative by significant margins at high Reynolds numbers. Qualification of CFD predictions with this new high Reynolds number database will help guide the need for additional high Reynolds number testing of other piping configurations. The study also included velocity measurements at several positions downstream of the first and second test elbows using an ultrasonic flowmeter. Reasonable agreement after the first test elbow was found relative to flow fields that are known to exist from low Reynolds number visual tests and also from CFD predictions. This data should help to qualify CFD predictions of the three-dimensional flow stream downstream of the second test elbow.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/7647}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Feb 08 00:00:00 EST 1999},
month = {Mon Feb 08 00:00:00 EST 1999}
}

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