Optimum Pressure Loss and Flow Distribution at Pipe Trifurcation: An Experimental Approach

In the flow distribution of plumbing pipes and penstocks, friction losses at pipe trifurcation and branching are significant. It is necessary to construct the design of an effective trifurcation with the correct flow distribution and minimal hydraulic loss. An experimental approach is selected to evaluate the losses at the junction of the pipe trifurcation ’ K = P ’. The split flow ratio and pipe junction geometry with the least pressure loss at the trifurcation The research focuses on calculating pressure losses and flow distribution in pipe trifurcations under varied flow rates and pressures using experimental and numerical methodologies. Near high Reynolds numbers, the complexity of the pressure decrease at the trifurcation is extremely considerable. The pressure loss during pipe trifurcations has been experimentally studied using three distinct trifurcation angles (20 , 25 , and 30 ). The pipe line pressure is varied between 50KPa to 200KPa. The experimental data and analysis for 25.40 mm main and 19.60 mm trifurcated pipes show the correlation between pressure loss coefficient (K) with a split flow ratios , , . It is discovered that the major causes of losses and flow separation are turbulence at the pipe trifurcation junction, angle of the trifurcation, and diameter ratio. The overall trifurcation loss coefficient (K) and individual branch loss coefficients (K12, K13, K14) have been computed and correlation between pressure ratio, split flow ratio and loss coefficients have been developed. For various flow ratios, the optimum value of overall pressure loss coefficients is obtained. The experimental results also suggest that when flow rates in branched pipes are nearly equal, the head loss at the trifurcation junction will be minimal. New connections have been discovered. Experiments at various pipeline pressures show that the overall trifurcation loss coefficient (K) is high for higher line pressures.