Determination of pressure losses in hydraulic pipeline systems by considering temperature and pressure

Abstract

Generally accepted methods for calculating pressure losses within flat pipelines as presented in literature and used in praxis, are based on the Reynolds number, which considers the viscosity and density of fluid, internal pipe friction coefficient, pipe geometry, and oil circulation velocity. Such an approach contains serious inconsequentiality. Namely, the only nominal values for viscosity and density are considered in the calculation, which differs substantially from real conditions. This often leads to inaccurate calculations of pressure losses. A numerical model has been developed in the work presented in the paper. It takes into account the actual changes in density and viscosity under the current oil pressure and temperature in order to overcome the above weaknesses of standard calculation procedures. Such an approach is novel and provides new capacity for an accurate pressure drop analysis of advanced hydraulic systems. © 2009 Journal of Mechanical Engineering.