抄録
Accurate predictions of pressure surges are crucial in many fluid-line systems. There are several techniques available for modelling flow transients in hydraulic pipelines, offering different advantages and disadvantages and therefore suiting different applications. In this paper four modelling methods are evaluated in terms of accuracy, computational efficiency and flexibility for laminar, single-phase flow in circular, rigid pipes. These are the method of characteristics (MOC), the finite element method (FEM), the transmission line method (TLM), and the rational polynomial transfer function approximation (RPTFA) method, which is a form of modal approximation method. All four methods were implemented in MATLAB/Simulink. It was found that the RPTFA model potentially gives the most accurate solution, while the MOC and TLM models are the most computationally efficient. The FEM is the least accurate out of the four methods, but it can be used with varying parameters and time steps thus providing the most modelling flexibility.
