Measurements and computations of flow in pipe bends

Abstract

Measurements are given of the total pressure and yaw relative to the pipe axis of flow in various pipe bends attached to the end of a long straight pipe, for a pipe Reynolds number of 2·36 × 10⁵. The behaviour of the induced secondary flows is presented in detail. In a 180° bend it is found that, from the start of the bend, the secondary flows increase to a maximum and then decrease to a steady value. This effect is explained by relating the local total pressure gradient to the production of streamwise vorticity. The same flow mechanism is used to predict qualitatively the flow pattern in an S-bend in which it is found that the secondary flows cause a complete interchange of the slow moving wall fluid and the faster central core. Results of a computer program for calculating the secondary flow from a knowledge of the upstream velocity profile are included. Although real fluid effects, other than those causing the upstream velocity profile, are omitted from the computations, the measured flow pattern is reasonably well predicted in a long bend up to a bend angle of about 75°.