Improving the prediction of turbulent kinetic energy for drag reduction in turbulent viscoelastic pipe flow

Abstract

Reducing turbulence in pipe flows using polymer additives is crucial for industrial applications like crude oil, water, and sewage transportation. While previous research has accurately predicted friction factor and velocity profiles, none has fully understood turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) behavior in such fluids. Authors are now focusing on exploring turbulence models to better understand the TKE behavior. In this research, we have introduced a model to improve the behavior of TKE in a modified generalized Newtonian fluid (GNF). The developed model aims to simulate the viscoelastic effects of fluids that result in drag reduction in turbulent pipe flow. The work is noteworthy as it integrates turbulence and viscoelastic components, offering a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon. By incorporating the rheological properties of viscoelastic fluids and replacing the damping function with a non-Newtonian alternative proposed by Cruz and Pinho, the Launder–Sharma k–ε turbulence model is now suitable for simulating dilute non-Newtonian viscoelastic fluids. The viscoelastic aspect of the model employs the modified GNF model. The developed model has been subjected to simulations using the computational fluid dynamics software. The results obtained for fluid TKE demonstrate a significant improvement in comparison to our previous research and the findings of other researchers. Furthermore, the model's prediction for the Darcy friction factor has been enhanced, resulting in an average error of only 3.71% in this section. It is noteworthy that the model consistently maintains a high level of accuracy in predicting other essential flow parameters such as mean axial velocity and Reynolds stresses. The provided model advances our understanding of viscoelastic fluid behavior in turbulent pipe flow by applying the modified GNF model.