A Study About Critical Flow Characteristics and the Pipeline Network Modeling of a Pressure Regulator (I) - The Influence of a Pressure Ratio -

The suitable pressure regulator modeling at each opening ratio and pressure ratio is very important to obtain reliable results, especially in small scale pipeline network analysis such as a pressure regulator system. And it is needed to confirm both whether temperature recovery is achieved after passing by the pressure regulator`s narrow neck and how much amount of low temperature area that can cause condensate accumulation is distributed by various PCV models and driving conditions. In this research, the numerical model resembling P company pressure regulator that is used widely for high pressure range in commercial, is adopted as the base model of CFD analysis to investigate pressure regulator`s flow characteristics at each pressure ratio and opening ratio. And it is also introduced to examine pressure regulator`s critical flow characteristics and possibility of condensation or freezing at each pressure ratio and opening ratio. Additionally, the comparison between the results of CFD analysis and the results of analytic solution obtained by compressible fluid-dynamics theory is attempted to validate the results of CFD modeling in this study and to estimate the accuracy of theoretical approach at each pressure ratio and opening ratio too.