Observation and numerical modelling of density currents resulting from thermal transients in a non rectilinear pipe

Abstract

In a U-shaped pipe, are studied the density effects following a change in the inlet temperature. When the flow rate is small and the temperature difference high, thermal stratifications appear. The two-dimensional numerical modelling uses finite difference methods with a curvilinear grid, and k-∊a models for turbulence. The computation allows to predict with good accuracy the phenomena which are observed from experiment.