Problem
How do you troubleshoot unexpected flow behaviour or high pressures losses in plant equipment? This example demonstrates steam flow through a standard T-section where pressure losses are substantially higher than those specified in the datasheet or when determined by hand calculations.

Solution
A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to understand steam flow in the duct and visualise how flow from one section or component would affect downstream components.

Result
CFD modelling provided a root-cause explanation for the high pressure losses. The results showed how high swirl angles and flow separation reduce the effective cross-sectional area of the duct. Modifications to the ducting reduced flow swirl angles, enabling a one third reduction in pressure losses.