Scaling of turbulence intensity for low-speed flow in smooth pipes

Abstract

In this paper, we compare measured, modelled, and simulated mean velocity profiles. Smooth pipe flow simulations are performed for both incompressible (below Mach 0.2) and compressible (below Mach 0.1) fluids. The compressible simulations align most closely with the measurements. The simulations are subsequently used to make scaling formulae of the turbulence intensity as a function of the Reynolds number. These scaling expressions are compared to scaling derived from measurements. Finally, the found compressible scaling laws are used as an example to show how the flow noise in a flowmeter is expected to scale with the mean flow velocity.