Finite element analysis of laminar flow in the entrance region of ducts

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents a generally applicable approach to developing laminar flow problems in straight ducts of arbitrary shape. A three‐level central alogrithm which does not require iterations is used to march ahead with the solution in the axial direction. The calculation procedure can be implemented by utilizing, with minor modifications, any standard finite element code for linear heat conduction. Several illustrative examples demonstrate accuracy and versatility of the proposed technique.