Performance and application of an evaluation method for flow conditioner based on CFD

Abstract

Abstract As evaluation of the performance of flow conditioner mostly depends on the specific pipeline system, which cannot be timely feedback to improve the structure design, an evaluation method for flow conditioner based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is promoted. First, the evaluation coordinates for flow conditioner is established and the coordinate values of each sampling point are solved. Then, the judgment basis of whether the velocity distribution of pipe cross-section is fully developed is derived, and then come to the evaluation index of flow conditioner rectifier performance. Finally, with CFD simulation technology, the verified experiments of grid format flow conditioner are performed. The results showed that, the proposed evaluation method is qualified to evaluate the grid format flow conditioner’s performance quickly and effectively. Besides, it is helpful to analyze the function of flow conditioner’s performance on Reynolds numbers. What’s more, when 5.84 × 106≤Re≤5.84×108, the required minimum length of straight pipe for irregular downstream field of the grid format conditioner achieving fully developed is only 0.5-0.6 times by those without conditioner. It is of great significance to accelerate the flow conditioner designed and to promote fluid energy monitoring.