Modeling Arbitrarily Shaped Liquid Pipelines Using a Segmented Transmission Line Model

Abstract

This paper presents a new method of simulating the dynamic flow and pressure of laminar liquid flow through pipes of arbitrarily changing cross section. This method uses a segmented model based on the previously presented tapered transmission line model (TLM). This new method is computationally efficient and has comparable accuracy to previous methods such as the method of characteristics (MOC), but allow for more flexibility in solution time-step (such as accommodating variable time-step solvers), which is required if the rest of the system model has stiff equations. For the sample geometry presented, the new model calculates the dynamic response an order of magnitude faster than the previous method of characteristics solution, with minimal loss of accuracy.