Fluid mechanic phenomena relating to flow control in conduits and pumps

Abstract

The attainment of controlled homogenized fluid flow is a major issue in the efficient utilization of internal flows for applications as diverse as heat exchange, electrostatic filtration, water purification, particle conveyance, swirl control, and waste disposal. Among the candidate methodologies for accomplishing the homogenization task, perforated plates provide exceptional versatility and adaptability. The principle that underlies perforated plate flow control is the tendency of a flowing fluid to seek the path of least resistance. This tendency is coupled with the capability of the fluid to "see" what lies ahead, enabling it to adjust its trajectory. That capability is due to streamwise diffusion, which transfers information both upstream and downstream. In contrast, advection is a one-way information transfer mechanism, the direction of transfer coinciding with the direction of fluid motion.The degree of homogenization afforded by perforated plates depends on several geometrical and operating parameters. The geometrical parameters include: (a) plate porosity, (b) plate thickness, (c) aperture diameter, (d) pattern of aperture deployment, and (e) distance between apertures. With respect to operating parameters, those investigated here encompass (f) fluid velocity, (g) flow regime, and (h) angle of attack. Nondimensionalization diminished the total number of parameters to five. Numerical simulation was employed to solve the three-dimensional flow covering a Reynolds number range from 0.01 to 25,000. Results extracted from the solutions included dimensionless pressure drop, downstream distance for disturbance decay, vector diagrams and streamlines, and flow regime boundaries. A paradox where the pressure drop for a thin plate exceeded that for a thick plate was rationalized.The pressure drop characteristics of a perforated plate are akin to those for a porous medium. The Darcy-Forchheimer pressure drop model was extended into the turbulent flow regime for the first time, thereby contradicting the prior limitation to inertial laminar flow.The Taguchi method was applied to pinpoint the most important among the independent variables with respect to the dimensionless pressure drop, highlighting the importance of the porosity.Control of the liquid flow produced by a pump was analyzed as a problem of fluid-structural interaction.