Fluid-mechanic interactions between a pipe flow having circumferential pressure variations and a piezometer ring

Purpose This paper aims to investigate and understand the fluid mechanics of piezometer rings, a device frequently encountered in engineering practice. Design/methodology/approach The investigation, implemented by numerical simulation, is based on turbulent flow in a pipe with a 90-degree bend. The pipe Reynolds numbers ranged from approximately 50,000 to 200,000. Two rings, with different dimensions, were investigated. Each ring consisted of four radially deployed straight segments of tubing which connect the pipe to a surrounding circular ring. The interconnections between the pipe and the ring were situated at 90-degree intervals around the circumference of the pipe. Findings The focus was directed to optimal circumferential locations of the radial connections, the optimal circumferential locations for accurate pressure measurements and the pressure drop penalty incurred by the use of a piezometer ring. For both of the investigated piezometer ring configurations, it was found that measurement locations situated just beyond the points of intermediate circumferential pressure variations were suitable for determining accurate values. The pressure drop was seen to increase because of the presence of the ring. For the smaller ring configuration, the increase in relative pressure drop was on the order 15 per cent, whereas the larger ring configuration lead to a 10 per cent increase. Originality/value This is the first attempt known to the authors to investigate and understand the fluid mechanics of piezometer rings.