A new method for calculating the sonic conductance of airflow through a short-tube orifice

Abstract

In this study, we proposed a method for calculating the sonic conductance of a short-tube orifice. First, we derived a formula for calculating the sonic conductance based on a continuity equation, a momentum equation and the definition of flow-rate characteristics. The flow-rate characteristics of different orifices were then measured using the upstream constant-pressure test method in ISO 6358. Based on these test data, the theoretical formula was simplified using the least squares fitting method, the accuracy of which was verified experimentally. Finally, the effects of the diameter ratio, the length-to-diameter ratio and the critical pressure ratio were analysed with reference to engineering applications, and a simplified formula was derived. We conclude that the influence of the diameter ratio is greater than that of the length-to-diameter ratio. When the length-to-diameter ratio is <5, its effect can be neglected. The critical pressure ratio has little effect on the sonic conductance of a short-tube orifice, and it can be set to 0.5 when calculating the sonic conductance in engineering applications. The formula proposed in this study is highly accurate with a mean error of <3%.