Eric Werzner

Proposed method for measurement of flow rate in turbulent periodic pipe flow

The present investigation deals with a previously proposed flow metering technique for laminar, fully-developed, time-periodic pipe flow. Employing knowledge of the pulsation frequency-dependent relationship between the mass flow rate and the pressure gradient, the method allows reconstruction of the instantaneous mass flow rate on the basis of a recorded pressure gradient time series. In order to explore if the procedure can be extended for turbulent flows, numerical simulations for turbulent, fully-developed, sinusoidally pulsating pipe flow with low pulse amplitude have been carried out using a ?2-f turbulence model. The study covers pulsation frequencies, ranging from the quasi-steady up to the inertia-dominated frequency regime, and three cycle-averaged Reynolds numbers of 4360, 9750 and 15400. After providing the theoretical background of the flow rate reconstruction principle, the numerical model and an experimental facility for the verification of simulations are explained. The obtained results, presented in time and frequency domain, show good agreement with each other and indicate a frequency dependence, similar to that used for the signal reconstruction for laminar flows. A modified dimensionless frequency definition has been introduced, which allows a generalised representation of the results considering the influence of Reynolds number.