A New Method for Prediction of the Transient Force Generated by a Liquid Slug Impact on an Elbow of an Initially Voided Line

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to predict the impact force applied by an individual transient liquid slug on an elbow at the end of a horizontal and initially empty pipeline. The liquid slug is driven by pressurized air in a tank located upstream of the pipeline. The time dependent pressure distribution along the elbow and a vertical extension segment after the elbow are solved with a 1D numerical approach along a curved line mesh. An assumed and calibrated axial turbulent velocity profile function with 3D skewed shape for the slug is also used in the solution. The impact pressures and the transient forces at the elbow are computed and also compared with those obtained experimentally and numerically from previous studies. Comparisons indicate that the new method developed in the present study predict the peak pressures and/or forces with higher accuracy than the previous method proposed by other researchers.