CFD prediction of the effects of the upstream elbow fittings on the performance of cone flowmeters

This paper describes the numerical studies to establish the effect of upstream elbow fittings on the performance of the cone flowmeter. Different combinations of elbows were installed upstream of the cone at a distance of 4D to study their effect on the discharge coefficient of the cone flowmeter. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations have been conducted with an RNG k–εk–ε turbulence model for three equivalent diameter ratios of the cone flowmeter over a wide range of Reynolds numbers. The elbow fittings have a marginal effect on the discharge coefficients (CdCd) of the cone flowmeters even at very high Reynolds numbers (Re∼O(106)). The variation in the discharge coefficients is small (±2%). In addition, the variation in the predicted values of the CdCd over a wide range of Reynolds numbers is also very small (<1%). The distorted velocity profile due to the elbow fitting at the upstream of the cone is slightly improved in the presence of the cone. The intensity of secondary flows also reduces due to the imposed backflow pressure by the cone. The pressure drop coefficient of the cone flowmeter reduces as 1/β41/β4, and it is independent of the Reynolds number at higher values.