Simulation Analysis on Flow Field of Aircraft Hydraulics Bent Pipe with Guide Vane

Aircraft hydraulics pipelines is one of the most important components in aircraft hydraulics system. As a structure used for oil steering, the bent pipes are the most numerous components in the aircraft hydraulics pipelines. However, the local resistance of bent pipe is large, resulting in lower energy utilization. In order to reduce the local resistance of aircraft hydraulics bent pipes, this research proposes the design of guide vanes inside the aircraft hydraulic bent pipes. The velocity field and pressure field of bent pipes with guide vane are simulated and analyzed by COMSOL. The effects of the number, size, and position of the guide vanes on the local resistance are investigated. The simulation results show that two guide vanes can effectively reduce the local resistance of the bent pipe (diameter of 6-30 mm). For the bent pipe of common size (diameter of 10 mm), the position of the guide vane is presented to minimize the local resistance. The local resistance of bent pipes decreases as the thickness of the guide vane decreases. In addition, through the analysis of the pressure field of the hydraulic oil in bent pipes with guide vane, it is found that the guide vane effectively reduces the pressure gradient of the hydraulic oil at the bent pipe outlet. This research will effectively reduce the energy loss of hydraulic oil during transmission, and provide a reference for the design of aircraft hydraulics bent pipes.