In-bend pressure drop and post-bend heat transfer for a bend with a partial blockage at its inlet

Abstract

This paper describes a three-part numerical investigation of fluid flow and heat transfer in a never-previously-studied pipe bend situation. The investigation deals with downstream fluid-flow and heat transfer processes which are affected by upstream flow disturbances. The studied physical situation is a 90° pipe bend fitted with a wall-adjacent obstruction that partially blocks the inlet cross section. The first phase of the work consisted of validating numerical simulation results with experimental data. In the second phase, the impact of the inlet flow distribution on the pressure drop is determined. Heat transfer downstream of the bend exit comprises the third section of the paper. The heat transfer results are reported in terms of the circumferentially averaged Nusselt numbers which are displayed as a function of axial position for Reynolds numbers between 100 and 10,000. It was found that the disturbances caused by the blockage significantly enhance the Nusselt number values.