Numerical and Experimental Studies of Pipe Vibration Generated by Elongated Orifice

Hydraulic tests for elongated orifice-induced wall pressure fluctuations and vibration in pipeline have been carried out. The regulating modes of test system consist of maintaining outlet pressure to increase flow rate and maintaining flow rate to decrease outlet pressure. Both regulating modes would increase the possibility of cavitation within elongated orifice, which has been confirmed by numerical simulation in present study. Statistical characteristics of the fluctuating pressure and structure vibration response have been studied. The standard deviation analyses indicate that the amplitude of fluctuating pressure is mainly determined by flow rate. The power spectral density analyses show that the energy of the fluctuating pressure behind elongated orifice is concentrated in lower frequency range and it can be divided into two parts in this test: the pressure pulsation excited by plunger pump and the random fluctuating pressure produced by elongated orifice’s disturbance. The power spectral density of pipe vibration response shows that the lower frequency of pipe vibration response can be ascribed to the fluctuating pressure behind elongated orifice and the characteristic frequencies corresponding to cavitation within elongated orifice are in the higher frequency range.