Vertical flow retarder

[corrosionman]

Hello All. We have a vertical discharge waste water pipe 24 inch dia and 200 feet drop (Ten lengths of 20 feet each.) To slow down the flow each length is packed with bundles of 4 inch dia plastic pipes,each bundle is built from 14 pipes 3 feet long. Each bundle is out of line with the next one so the flow down one 4 inch pipe then splits on entering the next pipe etc etc The 24 inch dia by 20 feet lengths have a spacer flange between them which is only 18 inches inside dia (like an orifice plate).
My question is :- I think I partly understand the idea behind this arrangement but does it have a name - - what is it called and where can I read up on the theory of it.
Thanks in advance.
Corrosionman

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Friction, turbulence, vanes, baffles ??

 

[DaiG]

Hi. In most flow measurement engineering handbooks these are refered to as flow conditioners. The one you've described is a tube bundle flow conditioner. There usually used to prevent swirl and restore flow profiles. In your case it seems you've implemented them as a crude multi-stage orifice plate assembly. Good idea all in all.

 

[corrosionman]

Gents, thanks for comments - you answered my query - -a flow Conditioner- - -I had tried flow retarder,flow brake, reducer,diminisher,controller, plus lots more but yes, a flow conditioner it is !! The pipe contains a heavy mineral slurry which is held back to a modest speed and which must not do a vortex spin. My search on Flow conditioner has "filled in the corners"Thank you.
Corrosionman

 

[racookpe1978]

Too bad you "cannot" take that much "waste" water flow and pipe it into t a modern Pelton water wheel and turbo-generator: Even the off-grid enviro's can get a good useable power from a ten-twenty foot drop into a micro-turbine using creek water.

An (existing) 200 foot drop with an (existing) 24 inch diameter penstock even operating part-time is a lot of money. (Er, free energy).