Investigation of laminar flow in a helical pipe filled with a fluid saturated porous medium

Laminar flow in a helical pipe filled with a fluid saturated porous medium is investigated numerically. The analysis is based on a full momentum equation for the flow in porous media that accounts for the Brinkman and Forchheimer extensions of the Darcy law as well as for the flow inertia. Accounting for the flow inertia is shown to be important for predicting secondary flow in a helical pipe. The effects of the Darcy number, the Forchheimer coefficient as well as the curvature and torsion of the helical pipe on the axial flow velocity and secondary flow are investigated numerically.