Flow development downstream of a standard tube bundle and three different porous plate flow conditioners
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abstract
The development of the mean velocity and turbulence intensity downstream of a standard tube bundle and three different slotted plates has been measured in a four inch pipe using a 1-D laser Doppler anemometer system. The results show how far the standard tube bundle must be placed upstream of the orifice plate to obtain fully developed mean velocity and turbulence. Numerical analyses of how shaping the velocity profile exiting a flow conditioner effects the development of both the turbulence and mean velocity have been performed. These analyses indicate that a power law profile (1/7th) with a 9% turbulence intensity produces a fully developed flow in the shortest pipe length, 20 D. A parabolic profile requires a slightly longer development length. A uniform flow required the longest length of pipe. The effect of the turbulence intensity produced by the flow conditioner was also investigated. Three different slotted plates were manufactured to produce a 1/7th power law, parabolic, and uniform velocity profile downstream of the plate. The development of the mean velocity and turbulence have been measured. These data were compared to the predictions with very favorable results. The simulations accurately represented the flow field and turbulence intensity distibutions.
