Modeling Interactions between Hydraulic Transients and Inline Air Pockets in Water Pipelines: Dynamic Behavior and Energy Dissipation
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 150, Issue 6
Abstract
The existing one-dimensional model is inadequate in predicting the dynamic interactions between hydraulic transients and inline air pockets in water pipelines, leading to underestimated pressure dissipation in the modeling results. In this study, a one-dimensional (1D)–three-dimensional (3D) coupling model was applied to analyze and explain the interactions between the hydraulic transients and inline air pockets observed in systematic laboratory experiments. In this model, the method of characteristics provides 1D modeling of hydraulic transients in the regions without the inline air pocket and the finite-volume method with volume of fluid approach provides 3D modeling of hydraulic transient interactions at the air pocket. The coupling between 1D and 3D models is achieved using the partly overlapped coupling method. The analysis of the transient velocity profile unveils unique velocity distributions on both sides of the air pocket due to reflection and transmission processes, which contribute to the compression and movement of the air pocket. The investigations of variation in the internal energy of the air pocket using the 1D–3D model demonstrate that the internal energy reduces in the slow compression process due to greater energy fluctuations and more rapid energy transfer between air and water, especially at the front of the air–water interface directly impacted by the incident wave. This explains why the existing 1D model underestimates the pressure damping.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 52209084, 51679066, and51839008), China Scholar Council (File No. 202206710101), Graduate Research Innovation Program in Jiangsu Province (Grant No. KYCX22_0643), and Excellent Doctoral Training Program in the College of Water Conservancy and Hydropower Engineering at Hohai University. Additionally, the authors would like to express their gratitude to Dr. Shuen Law from the University of Canterbury for his invaluable assistance in elucidating certain phenomena in this study.
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Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 150 • Issue 6 • November 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 7, 2023
Accepted: May 24, 2024
Published online: Jul 27, 2024
Published in print: Nov 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Dec 27, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Continuum mechanics
- Coupling
- Dynamic models
- Dynamics (solid mechanics)
- Energy engineering
- Energy sources (by type)
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering mechanics
- Flow (fluid dynamics)
- Fluid dynamics
- Fluid mechanics
- Hydraulic engineering
- Hydraulic models
- Hydraulic transients
- Hydro power
- Hydrologic engineering
- Models (by type)
- Renewable energy
- Solid mechanics
- Structural engineering
- Structural members
- Structural systems
- Three-dimensional models
- Transient response
- Water and water resources
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