Computational Fluid Dynamic Analysis of Venturimeter for Incompressible Oil

The venturimeter is widely used in industry for flow measurement. Venture has a number of industrial applications in which its design is very important factor. The principle of venturimeter is that when a fluid flows through the venturimeter, it accelerates in the convergent section and decelerates in the divergent section, resulting in a drop in the static pressure followed by a pressure recovery in the flow direction. By measuring the difference in the pressures at an axial station upstream of the convergent section and at the throat, the volumetric flow rate can be estimated.A significant amount of pressure loss occurs in the oil and gas pipe line due to present of this type of flow meter. Permanent pressure loss depends on shape of venturimeter, the diameter ratio and properties of fluid passing through venturimeter. But minimum permanent loss is the most desirable condition for an ideal venturimeter. In the present work, the effect of angle of divergent, angle of convergent and β ratio on permanent pressure loss for incompressible oil has been illustrated by Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) method.The Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) software ANSYS FLUENT© has been used to perform modelling a simulation of the venturimeter. The results obtained from the software simulation will be analysed for optimum design of venturimeter. The simulated results show that the differential pressure loss is strongly depended on the angle of divergent, the angle of convergent and the β ratio.

Keywords:

CFD , Venturimeter , Angle of divergent , Angle of convergent , β ratio