Numerical Analysis of Thermal Plasma Flow in a Pipe

Numerical calculations were carried out to investigate the behavior of the thermal plasma flow in a water-cooled pipe, assuming three states: thermal equilibrium, frozen and approximately real state. From these results, it was found that the velocity and energy profiles are different from an ordinary pipe flow and vary characteristically depending on the state in a pipe and the initial condition. For example, center-line velocity increases and then decreases, bulk temperature and total enthalpy do not change in a similar manner, and the pressure decreases and then increases. With regard to heat flux to the pipe wall, the Nusselt number, Nu, was calculated according to the ordinary method and this result is discussed.