Pipe Flow Module

The Pipe Flow Module, which is new in version 4.3, is intended for the modeling and simulation of flow of incompressible fluids in pipe and channel systems, as well as compressible hydraulic transients and acoustics waves. Typical simulations yield the velocity, pressure variation, and temperature in systems of pipes and channels. Hydraulic transients resulting from a valve that is closed rapidly in a pipe network is referred to water hammer, which can be modeled too. The module can be used to design and optimize complex cooling systems in turbines, ventilation systems in buildings, pipe systems in chemical processes, and pipelines in the oil and gas industry.

In common for pipes and channels that can be modeled is that the pipe length is large enough so that the flow inside can be considered fully developed. Piping components such as bends, valves, T-junctions, contractions/expansions, and pumps are also available.

The Pipe Flow Module includes these physics:

• The Pipe Flow physics computes the pressure and velocity field in isothermal pipe systems.

• The Heat Transfer in Pipes physics computes the energy balance in pipe systems but receives the flow field as a value or as a known solved field. Wall heat transfer to the surroundings is included.

• The Transport of Diluted Species in Pipes physics solves a mass balance equation for pipes in order to compute the concentration distribution of a solute in a dilute solution, considering diffusion, dispersion, convection, and chemical reactions.

• The Non-Isothermal Pipe Flow physics is a multiphysics interface that solves the flow, pressure, and temperature simultaneously and fully coupled.

• The Reacting Pipe Flow physics is a multiphysics interface that solves the flow, pressure, temperature, and reacting species transport simultaneously and fully coupled.

• The Water Hammer physics solves rapid hydraulic transients in pipe systems, taking the elastic properties of both the fluid and pipe wall into account.

• The Pipe Acoustics, Transient physics models sound waves in flexible pipe systems.

The physics in the module define the conservation of momentum, energy, and mass of an fluid inside a pipe or channel system.