Abstract
This paper presents results of laboratory and numerical research concerning determination of water flow resistance through three types of two-way connection of polymer installation pipes: PP-R 20x3.4 mm and PEX/Al/PEX 16x2.0 mm. The following fittings were applied: the direct connection, pipe union and coupler, allowing to test six measurement variants. The laboratory measurements of pressure loss for the tested pipes connections were performed for variable Reynolds number, from approx. 5000 to 50000. The numerical modeling allowing to assess the distributions of velocity of flow and turbulence intensity were performed using FLUENT, Ansys Inc. modelling software. The relations between determined values of minor pressure loss and coefficients of local pressure losses and type of pipes connection, direction of flow as well as the value of Reynolds number were observed. The applied nonparametric statistics, combined with multi comparison, showed that in most cases of analyzed connections, besides the pipe union, the observed differences in pressure losses for various directions of flows are statistically significant for p = 0.05.
Highlights
The proper calculations of losses pressure losses in modern plastic pipes, including polyethylene (PE), cross-linked polyethylene (PEX), polypropylene (PP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipelines, which are nowadays very popular in various domestic installations, for which minor pressure losses may reach even the significant level of 40–60% of total pressure drop, is the important and rather difficult issue [1,2,3,4]
This paper presents results of laboratory measurements and numerical studies of pressure loss during water flow through three types of two-way connection of polymer installation pipes: PP-R 20x3.4 mm and PEX/Al/PEX 16x2.0 mm
The performed laboratory measurements of local pressure losses for three different connections of PP-R and PEX/Al/PEX domestic installation pipelines and two applied directions of flow showed that all tested fittings generated different local pressure drop, in relation to the applied direction of flow
Summary
The proper calculations of losses pressure losses in modern plastic pipes, including polyethylene (PE), cross-linked polyethylene (PEX), polypropylene (PP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipelines, which are nowadays very popular in various domestic installations, for which minor pressure losses may reach even the significant level of 40–60% of total pressure drop, is the important and rather difficult issue [1,2,3,4]. The modern pipelines may be connected in various combinations and in different manners, using several possible fittings, which may not fit to the values of coefficients of minor pressure losses presented in the former PN-M-34034:1976 [5], developed for different materials and fittings. The final calculated values of minor pressure drop were often reported as different than the real, measured values [3, 6,7,8,9,10]. Taking into account that values of minor pressure loss coefficients presented in PN-M-34034:1976 [5] for direct connections of pipes as well as for pipe union and coupler are in the range between 0.25–0.5, the determination of real coefficients of minor pressure losses for selected connections of different pipelines is required. Three different possible connections of the tested pipelines were tested: the direct connection, pipe union and coupler
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
