No abstract

The full elliptic Navier–Stokes equations have been solved for entrance flow into a curved pipe using the artificial compressibility technique developed by Chorin (1967). The problem is formulated for arbitrary values of the curvature ratio and the Dean number. Calculations are carried out for two curvature ratios, a/R = 1/7 and 1/20, and for Dean number ranging from 108.2 to 680.3, in a computational mesh extending from the inlet immediately adjacent to the reservoir to the fully developed downstream region.Secondary flow separation near the inner wall is observed in the developing region of the curved pipe. The separation and the magnitude of the secondary flow are found to be greatly influenced by the curvature ratio. As observed in the experiments of Agrawal, Talbot & Gong (1978) we find: (i) two-step plateau-like axial-velocity profiles for high Dean number, due to the secondary flow separation, and (ii) doubly peaked axial-velocity profiles along the lines parallel to the plane of symmetry, due to the highly distorted secondary-flow vortex structure.

SUMMARYIt is generally assumed in curved pipe flow analyses that the curvature ratio, 6, of the pipe is very small, in which case the flow depends on a single parameter, the Dean number. This is not the case if 6 is not very small. To determine the importance of this effect we have numerically solved the full Navier-Stokes equations, in primitive variable form, for arbitrary values of 6. A factored AD1 finite-difference scheme has been used, employing Chorin's artificial compressibility technique. The results show that the central-difference calculation on a staggered grid is stable, without adding artificial damping terms, due to coupling between pressure and velocity. A spatially variable time step is used with a fixed Courant number.

Developing fluid flow in a curved duct of square cross-section is studied numerically by a factored ADI finite-difference method on a staggered grid. A central-difference scheme with primitive variables is used inside the computational domain to reduce numerical diffusion. Two Reynolds numbers, 574 and 790, based upon a bulk velocity and hydraulic diameter are chosen for curvature ratios of 1/6.45 and 1/2.3, respectively. It is found that the secondary flow is far more complicated than expected, with the appearance of at least two pairs of vortices. Main-flow separation is also observed for the higher curvature ratio. Furthermore, it is observed that the flow develops into two quite different states downstream, depending upon the inlet conditions.Solution of the fully developed Navier-Stokes equations is shown to be not unique beyond a certain critical Reynolds number. Developing flow seems to evolve into the fully developed state along a particular branch, into which the fully developed solution bifurcates.