A numerical investigation on flow characteristics in helical pipes using lattice Boltzmann method

Helical pipes have been extensively adopted in industries and engineering, especially in nuclear power plants as steam generators. Compared with straight ones, helical pipes gain the advantage of improved heat transfer efficiency but face the challenge of adverse pressure resistance. In this paper we utilized the innovative Lattice Boltzmann Method to investigate the flow characteristics in helical pipes. The results proved in good accordance with previous experiments and could provide assistance for the design and optimization of helical pipes. (author)