Flow Coefficient Prediction of a Bottom Load Ball Valve Using Computational Fluid Dynamics
Abstract
Throughout the fluid handling industry there are several tools used to regulate the distribution of fluids for a given process. The valve, in its many variations, is a commonly used tool found in a variety of processes that regulates flow. Like all products, certain variations of the valve are better suited to specific applications than others. Just as there are a variety of valves that have benefits and limitations, there are a variety of techniques used to evaluate the effectiveness and performance of valves. Perhaps the most common technique used to evaluate a valve’s performance involves computational fluid dynamic (CFD) software. Computational fluid dynamic software provides a numerical approximation of the Navier-Stokes equations, which describe the motion and behavior of viscous fluids and are based on applying Newton’s second law of motion to fluid motion (A. Del Toro, 2012). CFD software also provides a numerical approximation to various turbulence models. These turbulence models are often semi-empirical and describe the effects turbulence in fluid flow. This study analyzed the capability of a CFD model to predict several performance characteristics. The primary characteristic of this study was the flow coefficient. To measure the accuracy of CFD model, its computational results were compared to experimentally gathered data. The results of this study showed that a CFD model can predict flow coefficient to a reasonable degree of accuracy when flow is generally uninterrupted and laminar. However, as the flow grows increasingly turbulent, a CFD model predicts flow coefficient at a decreasing level of accuracy. This study also analyzed several designs and quantified each design’s ability to linearly increase flow rate using both a CFD model and experimental data. The results of this study are outlined in the following chapters.
Degree
M.Sc.
Advisors
French, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Energy|Computer science|Design|Fluid mechanics|Mathematics|Mechanics
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