Laminar Pipe Flow

=
D

= / L
• : Average axial velocity at any cross-section
• = = 100
• < 2300 Laminar flow

Pre-Analysis

1. Mathematical model
2. Numerical solution procedure
3. Hand-calculations of expected results/trends

1
 Mathematical Model: Axisymmetric
Assumption
• Use cylindrical co- r
ordinates , θ,
z
• = ,
• =v ̂ +v ̂ +v ̂ y
• = (r, z)
• = , x

Mathematical Model: Domain

r (y in
FLUENT)

z (x in
L
FLUENT)
Axis of symmetry

• 0≤ ≤
• 0≤ ≤
• 0≤ ≤2

2
 Mathematical Model: Governing
Equations in Vector Form
1. Conservation of mass (continuity eq.)
 ⋅ =0
2. Conservation of momentum ( ⃗ = ⃗)
 ( ⋅ ) =− +

Assumptions:
= ̂ + ̂ • Axisymmetric
• Steady
Unknowns: • Incompressible
, , , , ( , ) • Laminar

Mathematical Model: Governing

Equations in Expanded Form
1 ( )
+ =0

1
+ =− + − +

1
+ =− + − +

3
 Mathematical Model: Boundary
Conditions

r
= =0

=1 / =1
=0
z
= = = 0

=0

Numerical Solution Strategy

System of
Mathematical Model Invert Cell-center
algebraic
(Boundary Value values of
equations in cell-
Problem) , ,
center values
Post
Control volume processing
balance for each cell
, , ( , )
Wall shear etc.

4
 Discretization and Linearization

Differential form Integral form Discretization Algebraic

of governing of governing error equations
equations + equations + relating cell-
BCs BCs center values
Linearization
error

Stop iterations Solve iteratively Linearized

when imbalances updating guess algebraic
are below after each equations relating
tolerance iteration cell-center values

Example: Algebraic Equation for

Mass Conservation

5
 Hand Calculations: Expected Trends
Inviscid Core Boundary Layer Fully developed region:
 Analytical solution
 Parabolic profile

Le
Fully Developed Flow
Developing Flow

Entrance length:
 ≈ 0.06

Fully-Developed Region: Simplifications

in Governing Equations
1 ( )
+ =0

+ =
1
− + − +

1
+ =− + − +

6
 Fully-Developed Region: Analytical
Solution
• Parabolic velocity profile:
 =2 1 −

• Skin friction coefficient:

 = = = 0.16
.

Drag Coefficient Monitor

• FLUENT finds the net force
acting on the pipe wall by
integrating the pressure and
shear forces on the surface
• Drag is component of this force
vector in the axial direction
• Drag coefficient in our case is
• =
. ( )

• Drag coefficient in FLUENT is

• =
. ( )

7
 Drag Coefficient Monitor
• FLUENT finds the net force
acting on the pipe wall by
integrating the pressure and
shear forces on the surface
• Drag is component of this force
vector in the axial direction
• Drag coefficient in our case is
• =
. ( )

• Drag coefficient in FLUENT is

Denominator is set in
• =
. ( ) “Reference values” panel

Verification & Validation Section

• Verification: Did I solve the model right?

– Check consistency with mathematical model, level of numerical
errors, comparison with hand calcs
• Validation: Did I solve the right model?
– Check against experimental data

8
 Verification Steps
1. Sanity checks
2. Does the CFD solution honor the boundary conditions in the
mathematical model?
3. Does the CFD solution honor the physical principles in the
mathematical model?
– Check mass and momentum conservation in the domain
4. Is the linearization error acceptable?
5. Is the discretization error acceptable?
– Perform mesh refinement studies
6. Does the CFD solution match the analytical solution in fully-
developed region?