Physically Realistic Inlet-Velocity Profiles in Duct Flows

Abstract

A uniform inlet velocity profile is widely used in the numerical simulations of fluid flow and heat transfer in ducts for both incompressible and compressible flows. In incompressible flows, the calculated fluid pressure at the inlet edge is extremely high and affects the calculation of the average pressure. In compressible flows, the fluctuation of pressure in the flow direction results in the fluctuation in the velocity. This has motivated this study to numerically investigate a physically realistic velocity profile at the inlet of a pipe rather than using a uniform velocity profile. The numerical simulations were based on the control volume-based power law scheme and the semi-implicit method for pressure-linked equations (SIMPLE) algorithm. The continuity and momentum equations for a flow in a pipe with the rounded inlet corner were solved to obtain a physically realistic inlet velocity profile. The obtained inlet velocity profile was expressed by a simple expression in the range of Reynolds number from 100 to 2000. Using this velocity profile, both the incompressible and compressible flows in a pipe were numerically investigated. The results resolved the previously observed inconsistencies in the pressure that were previously observed in the numerical simulations with uniform inlet velocity profiles.