A Numerical Study on Pressure and Velocity Characteristics of Fluid Passing through a Plain Suddenly Expanded and Contracted Channel

In this paper, the computational investigations have been performed to study the pressure and velocity characteristics of an incompressible fluid flowing through a plain symmetric suddenly expanded and contracted rectangular channel. The two-dimensional steady differential equations for conservation of mass and momentum are solved for the Reynolds number (Re) ranging from 50 to 350, the expansion length (Lexp) ranging from 1 to 20 and aspect ratio (AR) of 2. The effect of Reynolds number and expansion length on average static pressure, average stagnation pressure drop, wall pressure and pattern of velocity distribution has been studied in detail. From the study, it is revealed that all the above investigated parameters except average stagnation pressure drop are increased with increase in Reynolds number. However, the average stagnation pressure drop decreases with increase in Reynolds number. It is further observed that the variation of the said investigated parameters also depends on expansion length. Keywordsaverage stagnation pressure, average static pressure, expansion length, sudden expansion and contraction, wall pressure