Abstract

This paper provides a new unified formula for Newtonian fluids valid for all pipe flow regimes from laminar to fully rough turbulent flow.This includes laminar flow; the unstable sharp jump from laminar to turbulent flow; and all types of turbulent regimes, including the smooth turbulent regime, the partial non-fully developed turbulent regime, and the fully developed rough turbulent regime. The new unified formula follows the inflectional form of curves suggested in Nikuradse’s experiment rather than the monotonic shape proposed by Colebrook and White. The composition of the proposed unified formula uses switching functions and interchangeable formulas for the laminar, smooth turbulent, and fully rough turbulent flow regimes. Thus, the formulation presented below represents a coherent hydraulic model suitable for engineering use. This new flow friction model is more flexible than existing literature models and provides smooth and computationally cheap transitions between hydraulic regimes.

Abstract

This paper presents evolutionary optimization of explicit approximations of the empirical Colebrook’s equation that is used for the calculation of the turbulent friction factor (λ), i.e., for the calculation of turbulent hydraulic resistance in hydraulically smooth and rough pipes including the transient zone between them. The empirical Colebrook’s equation relates the unknown flow friction factor (λ) with the known Reynolds number (R) and the known relative roughness of the inner pipe surface (ε/D). It is implicit in the unknown friction factor (λ). The implicit Colebrook’s equation cannot be rearranged to derive the friction factor (λ) directly, and therefore, it can be solved only iteratively [λ = f(λ, R, ε/D)] or using its explicit approximations [λ≈f(R, ε/D)], which introduce certain error compared with the iterative solution. The optimization of explicit approximations of Colebrook’s equation is performed with the aim to improve their accuracy, and the proposed optimization strategy is demonstrated on a large number of explicit approximations published up to date where numerical values of the parameters in various existing approximations are changed (optimized) using genetic algorithms to reduce maximal relative error. After that improvement, the computational burden stays unchanged while the accuracy of approximations increases in some of the cases very significantly.

Abstract

This study provides novel and accurate symbolic regression-based solutions for the calculation of pipe diameter when flow rate and pressure drop (head loss) are known, together with the length of the pipe, absolute inner roughness of the pipe, and kinematic viscosity of the fluid. PySR and Eureqa, free and open-source symbolic regression tools, are used for discovering simple and accurate approximate formulas. Three approaches are used: (1) brute force of computing power, which provides results based on raw input data; (2) an improved method where input parameters are transformed through the Lambert W-function; (3) a method where the results are based on inputs and the Colebrook equation transformed through new suitable dimensionless groups. The discovered models were simplified by the WolframAlpha simplify tool and/or the equivalent Matlab Symbolic toolbox. Novel models make iterative calculus redundant; they are simple for computer coding while the relative error remains lower compared with the solution through nomograms. The symbolic-regression solutions discovered by brute force computing power discard the kinematic viscosity of the fluid as an input parameter, implying that it has the least influence.