This is the first part of a two‐part paper focusing on the assessment of accuracy of turbulence‐related data from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations using effective numerical dissipation rate and effective numerical viscosity. Setup of the CFD cases replicating a swirling pipe flow experiment from literature, for which turbulence‐related data measured via laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) had been reported, is presented. The way effective numerical dissipation rate and effective numerical viscosity were obtained for each mesh cell is also discussed. The results of the study are presented in the second part of this series.