Sector orifice with a correlation-based analysis

Abstract

In single and multiphase flows, an orifice is a vital flow-measuring and flow-controlling device that operates on Bernoulli’s theorem on the determination of the pressure drop (∆p). Laboratory, petroleum, energy, nuclear, mining, chemical, processing, and food industries all depend on flow monitoring and flow regulations. A sector or segmental orifice meter is a much simpler device used for drainage and sediment-laden type non-homogeneous flow. Sector orifice meter analysis is the rate of flow, pressure and velocity profile concerning input parameters to find out the ∆p and coefficient of discharge (Cd) of an orifice meter. The present study varies with different sector angles (θ), Reynolds number (Re) and space ratio (s/d) of the sector orifice for the flow analysis with the use of CFD (Ansys. Inc) based study. The numerical simulation range considered for θ (30°-180°), Re (10000-100000), and s/d (0.1-0.9). To compute the flow rate, ∆p and Cd by using air as a working fluid to present a flow problem through high viscous flow. The simulation also presents the pressure and velocity profiles along the flow on the variant of Re, θ and s/d. Based on the numerical data a correlation developed which will help the measurement through sector orifice for wide range of future application. With the comparison of the existing literature, this will give a good contribution to sector orifice for accurate flow measurement for high viscous flow.