Numerical investigation of maximum air entrainment into cylindrical louvered pipe

Abstract

The main approach behind the present numerical investigation is to estimate the air flow rate into the pipe through the louvers from the atmosphere. The present numerical investigation has been performed by solving conservation equations of mass, momentum, and energy along with two equation-based k-ɛ models for a louvered horizontal cylindrical pipe by the finite volume method. The existing experimental results of a wall constraint jet have been matched with the numerical results. The numerical computations show that the air suction rate into the pipe increased with the increase in the louvers opening area and number of nozzles used. With all other parameters remain fixed, an optimum protrusion of the nozzle was found where the suction rate was found to be the highest for a given nozzle flow rate. It was also found from the numerical investigation that there exists an optimum pipe diameter corresponding to the three times of nozzle diameter where the maximum air suction rate was achieved.