Experimental and numerical modeling of sidewall orifices

The discharge coefficient of an orifice is important for the outflow through the orifice. While it cannot be quantified theoretically as the outflow through an orifice depends on a number of parameters such as the pipe pressure, the liquid velocity and the shape and the area of the orifice. In this study, experiments and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed to find out the factors influencing discharge coefficient and the corresponding mechanism. The CFD simulation is based on Navier-Stokes equations combined with RNG k - epsilon turbulence model. The results show that a negative exponential function could fit the relationship between orifice discharge coefficient, pipe pressure, and orifice area more accurately. The relationship between the discharge coefficient of the orifice and the velocity was linear. In general, the simulation results fit well with the experimental results, which indicates that CFD simulation could be used to study pipeline leakage.