Numerical Investigation on the Friction Factor Estimation for Laminar and Turbulent Flow in Smooth Pipe

Abstract

Fluid flow through pipes is a commonly used application in industries. The fluid is enforced by a fan or pump to flow through the pipe. The pressure loss or head loss during the flow is related to friction between fluid and pipe wall. Pumping power required to transport the fluid in pipe is calculated from the pressure loss. Hence, the friction factor plays an essential role in the transport of fluid in industries. Loss in pressure through steady pipe flow is calculated by using the Darcy–Weisbach equation, which includes Darcy friction factor (f). In the current work, numerically calculated friction factor for the laminar and turbulent pipe flow is compared with the Blasius equation, Swamee–Jain equation and experiment data for different Reynolds numbers. A pipe can say to be smooth when the flow relies only on the Reynolds number (Re) and not on the roughness (roughness is minimal). In the present study, a 2D smooth pipe is considered. Commonly used turbulence models, such as k-omega SST and k-eps realizable models, are considered to evaluate the friction factor. Steady-state Navier–Stokes equations are determined with the second-order accuracy. Friction factors are calculated from the numerical simulation for different Re numbers and compared well with the theoretical data and experiment data of Oregon and Princeton for the laminar and turbulent flow. CFD modeling results are verified by comparing them with available data in the literature. The model results show the best correlation.