Analysis of Capsule Pipeline System by the Method of Characteristics : Influence of Air Leakage through the Capsule between the Pipe Wall and the Capsule

Abstract

A numerical analysis of the motion of a single capsule through horizontal pipeline is made by taking account of air leakage through the clearance between the pipe wall and the capsule. The boundary condition at the inlet and outlet of pipeline is the pressure being constant. Compared with an analysis ignoring the air leakage, the prediction of the time history of pressure at the pipeline and of the mean velocity of capsule over the pipeline is improved.