Semi-empirical pressure loss model for viscous flow through high aspect ratio rectangular orifices

Abstract

A predictive model is developed for the pressure loss coefficient for a viscous flow through a rectangular orifice on a pipe-installed thick plate. The model is developed based on the 1-dimensional Navier-Stokes equation and an asymptotic increase in velocity modeled to have a direct relation with the flow convergence in the near-inlet region. Here, the flow velocity increases asymptotically from the steady mean upstream value to the orifice velocity. This phenomenon is represented by a convergence parameter, ϕ, used in the velocity transition model to quantify the length of the convergence zone. The static pressure drop is measured experimentally for varying orifice aspect ratio, AR, at creeping Reynolds numbers (0.01 ≤ Re ≤ 0.1). A significantly wider range of AR is covered (1 ≤ AR ≤ 250), compared to related works in the literature. Results show that the relative dominance of the convergence phenomenon is affected by AR. The maximum length of convergence is for the square orifice (AR = 1), as the flow experiences comparable convergence from all directions, whereas for higher AR, convergence becomes less dominant in one of the two midplanes of investigation. The loss coefficient thus decreases as AR increases. At constant Re, higher AR generally leads to higher pressure drop but lower values of the loss coefficient. The velocity gradient in the convergence zone is also determined as a function of AR and Re which verifies that lower AR takes a longer distance for the velocity transition due to increased convergence.