How Turbulence Models Perform in Simulating Pipeflow Response to Targeted Wall-Shapes?

Abstract

This study evaluates how Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) models perform in simulating the characteristics of mean three-dimensional perturbed flows in pipes with targeted wall-shapes. The principal objective of this investigation is to evaluate which of the well-established RANS models can best predict the flow response and recovery characteristics in perturbed pipes at moderate and high Reynolds numbers (1×104−1.58×105). First, the flow profiles at various axial locations are compared between simulations and experiments. This is followed by assessing the well-known mean pipeflow scaling relation in the far downstream region, where the flow obtains a fully-developed state. The consistency of computationally predicted results and their similarities with experiments suggested that the Standard k−ε model can accurately capture the pipeflow characteristics in response to introduced perturbation with smooth sinusoidal axial variations.