Visualization of the flow in a helical pipe

Abstract

The secondary flow structure in a helical pipe with large torsion is investigated by using a numerical calculation of a fluid particle trajectory and an experiment using a smoke visualization technique. Good agreement is obtained between the experiment and the numerical calculation. The secondary flow in a cross-section is transformed from a two counter-rotating vortices structure to a one-recirculation structure with increase of the torsion of the pipe at a constant Dean number. The line dividing two vortices varies its direction from horizontal to vertical as the torsion increases.