How to Use Compressible Bends (Steady State) Page 1 of 3

Compressible Bends

How to Use: Steady State

Bend Direction

The supplied symbols have the branches numbered 1 and 2. Since the pressure loss through
the bend is independent of the flow direction, the component can be incorporated into your
network in any orientation.

Losses

Bends are relatively low loss components. They should only be explicitly modelled using these
components, when the losses associated with the bends are expected to have a significant
effect on the performance of the network. Bend losses include the losses that are associated
with the full redevelopment of flow after the bend. This usually takes about 30 diameters to
occur.

However, another bend located downstream of the first bend can help to reduce the loss
coefficient of the upstream bend, by altering the amount of flow redevelopment occurring after
the first bend.

For a Compressible simulation, loss effects are not modelled, therefore a Steady State
simulation may overestimate the pressure drop.

Bend Loss Coefficients

The bend loss coefficients for smooth circular bends take into account the arc length on the
centre line. Hence the coefficients increase for large r/d. Where r/d is less than 0.7 or bend loss
coefficient is greater than 0.4, Flowmaster uses the formula for Reynolds number correction
factor shown in 'Internal Flow Systems' by D. S. Miller (Page 206).

No bend loss data is available for r/d > 10, and for a smooth pipe of equivalent length to a bend
with r/d = 10 the loss is underestimated by 24%. However, this may be insignificant when
compared to the other losses in the network. If not, a discrete loss incorporating the additional
loss can be used instead of bends of r/d > 10, in which case the adjacent pipes should then
include the centre line length of the actual bend. No outlet tangent corrections are included in
the bend models.

For smooth circular bends the adjoining pipes should terminate at the entry and exit points on
the bend. Whereas, for mitre-circular bends adjoining pipes should include the length to the
intersection point of the bend.

Bend Angle Data (Composite Mitre Bends)

Where the data is known for one angle (Total Angle of Data), then it may be used at another
angle (Total Swept Angle). The corrected loss coefficient is then calculated as follows:

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How to Use Compressible Bends (Steady State) Page 2 of 3

Equation: 1

Where:

kD = Corrected loss coefficient

k = Original loss coefficient

= Total swept angle

1 = Total angle of data

The circular composite-mitre bend is supplied in the standard database with the circular arc
curve obtained from Figure 9.10 (Miller). If the other performance data from Figure 9.10 (or
another source) is required, then you MUST select a new curve from the database.

Choking

Bends are allowed to choke at the outlet.

R/D Ratio

If r/d is less than 0.5, the program will halt with an error, because this is physically impossible.
A value of r/d between 0.5 and 1.5 is permitted, but a warning will be issued, because this may
lead to unreliable results for compressible flow, as explained below.

The Bend Loss Coefficient surface from Miller that is the supplied default in Flowmaster has a
'valley', the invert of which runs from about r/d = 1 at low bend angle up to r/d 2.8 for bends
around 90, curving back to r/d 2.2 as deflection angle approaches 180o. To the right of this,
the loss is increasingly dominated by friction, while to the left it is increasingly dominated by
momentum change due to turning, which is associated with adverse pressure gradient, leading
to flow separation in very low r/d bends.

Separation in a compressible flow can be managed in components where the geometry firmly
fixes the location and extent of the separation, such as valves and orifices (except long orifices
with 0.1 < L/d < 0.8, where reattachment is highly unstable). However, short-radius bends do
not behave in this way and are prone to reattachment instabilities similar to those in long
orifices, typically where r/d is less than about 1.5. Low-angle bends are likely to be stable
somewhat below this limit, but bends of large deflection angle can be unstable at significantly
higher values of r/d.

Thermodynamic Model

The bend model always assumes adiabatic flow conditions.

Using the Rigorous Energy Solver

It is now possible to use these bend components with the new rigorous energy solver. In order
to do this, the circuit type must be set to the following setting:

l Complex Vapour Phase.

Using the MO Controller Connection

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By connecting a gauge component to this output, you can measure any one of the features
shown below:

Figure 1: Available Features

The above dialog is displayed when you make the connection to the input of the gauge
component.

When you connect a gauge template to the component to measure or display one of the above
outputs, you need to set the following features for the component:

l Algorithm Type - This is set to 1: Output = Input

l Output Quantity - this is automatically set when you select the required feature from the
dialog shown above and then click OK. For example, if you selected 'Pressure Drop', then the
Output Quantity is set to: 'Pressure Difference'. If you selected 'Choking Parameter', then it
would be set to 'Normalised Value'.

l Output Initial Value - this is set to the required value

l Output Clipping Min/Max Limits - these should be set as required

In addition to the above, if you wanted to display one of the above outputs in a plot window,
then you would need to set the following feature:

l Plot Window No. - this is set to: 1: 1'st Window.

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