Abstract
An optimized finite element model is applied to simulation of turbulent transient flow in pipes. The turbulent friction is a nonlinear function of flow rate. It can be evaluated without linearization when using the optimized finite element model. The model is written as a state space equation, whose coefficient matrices are obtained on the assumption of non-loss pipes. A turbulent friction term is introduced into the model as an augmented block. The turbulent friction block is a combination of a block of the square of the flow rate and a block of a frictional coefficient. The model can be applied to simulation-tool software such as simulink. Experiments are carried out using an open-end pipe. Simulated results are compared with experimental results to reveal the accuracy.
