While installing a trench box steam distribution system at Le Moyne College, engineers chose to stack Metraloops in manholes instead of using hard pipe loops, translating into significant savings.

President Jim Richter demonstrates how powerful the Neodymium rare earth magnets installed into Metraflex’s Magnetic Y Strainer, the LPD-Mag, are. Visit the LPD-Mag page for more info.

Metraflex VaneFlex Simulation

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Author: James C. Neville
Project Engineer, Engineering Services
Blue Ridge Numerics, Inc.

Project Summary:

The Metraflex VaneFlex flow conditioner was analyzed to determine its effect in reducing turbulence and straightening flow exiting a pump discharge. The simulation was conducted using CFdesign version 9.0 from Blue Ridge Numerics, Inc.

Project Methodology:

The CFdesign analysis setup is shown below in Figure 1. Additional pipe lengths were modeled upstream and downstream of the device to ensure fully developed flow at the VaneFlex and at the constant pressure outlet.

Simulation Assumptions:

Various assumptions were made for the simulation of the elbow and are listed below:

• Steady-state conditions
• Incompressible flow
• Water modeled at standard temperature and pressure
• Constant water properties
• Thermal effects negligible

Results:

The VaneFlex flow conditioner was analyzed to determine its ability to straighten and stabilize an incoming water stream of 5 ft/s, initially swirling at 500 rpm. Figures 2
and 3 below show fluid particle traces as they travel through the VaneFlex. Note the vastly more streamlined flow downstream of the device.

Pressure data collected from the analysis is shown below in Figure 4. A large pressure drop is evident as the fluid enters the device due to flow restriction. As the
flow exits the VaneFlex and the cross sectional area increases to its previous upstream value, the pressure rises initially before falling due to pipe losses. The pressure drop across the VaneFlex was found to be approximately 0.05 psig.

The VaneFlex wall corrugation appears to have a much smaller effect than the four conditioning vanes on the overall velocity and pressure profiles. While the corrugation does tend to cause wall flow separation through the device, the change in fluid pressure is much more related to the abrupt change in flow direction caused by the vanes. Figure 5 shows a close-up view of the corrugation and the corresponding wall flow separation.

Pressure results on the solid surfaces of the device are shown in Figures 6 and 7 below. Each vane exhibits a high and low pressure side due to the incoming fluid swirl.

Conslusions:

After reviewing the simulation results, it is clear that the VaneFlex device is very effective at stabilizing incoming swirling flow from a pump discharge. At the expense of a slight increase in back-pressure, the device was shown to remove nearly all of the rotational velocity in the incoming fluid stream.

See how the globe-style check valve has lower pressure drops and smoother flow as compared to a wafer-style check valve.

check valve instead of a wafer style. You can save enough energy over the life of the system to pay for the globe style check valve many times over.

Try the new, easy-to-use calculator on the Metraflex web site. Simply input flow rate, pipe size and pump efficiency and see the savings in horsepower.

You can also watch the video showing a side by side comparison of flow rates. So whether you are a left brained or right brained, we have numbers and video to help you see how much better a globe style check valve is for the pump, and how much energy it saves.

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