Pulsating flow in circular pipes - the analysis of thermal stresses

Flow pulsation in externally heated pipes generates a pulsating temperature field, which, in turn results in oscillating thermal stresses across the p ipe wall. In the present study, pulsating flow inside a circular pipe, whic h is externally heated, is considered. The flow and temperature fields are computed numerically using a control volume approach. The resulting thermal stresses across the pipe wall due to temperature variation in the transver se direction are computed. Pressure pulsation at the pipe inlet is employed to produce the flow pulsation. The simulations are extended to include dif ferent pipe lengths, pipe diameters and pipe thickness. It is found that pi pe diameter has a significant effect on the effective stress levels; in whi ch case, the amplitude of the oscillation in stress levels across the pipe wall reduces considerably with increasing pipe diameter. Moreover, the effe ct of Reynolds number is more pronounced at mid and outlet planes such that increasing Reynolds number amplifies the amplitude of stress levels in the pipe. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.