Modeling of incompressible flow in short pipes with leaks

• A transient mathematical model, for incompressible flow through pipes with leaks, is presented.
• The effect of the convective term in the momentum equation, over the pressure profile, was studied.
• Experiments on leaks from short pipes were carried out.

This paper shows a transient mathematical model for an incompressible flow through pipes with leaks. The model is formed by mass and momentum equations. The model was resolved by using the finite differences technique. The effect of the convective term in the momentum equation, over the pressure profile was studied. Experiments on leaks from short pipes also were carried out. The predicted pressure profile was compared against experimental data with a good fitting. It was found that for short pipes (1) pressure increases at the leak location, for leak flow rates bigger than 6% of nominal flow and (2) when convective terms are taken into account in the momentum equation, the predicted pressure profile is improved.