Question
How can surge forces acting on a check valve or valve component be calculated in Flownex? Specifically, how are the forces on the upstream and downstream sides of the valve determined, and where can these results be viewed?
Answer
Flownex calculates valve forces using the force equations described in Chapter 7 of the Flownex Theory Help Manual. The calculated force is available as a result on the valve component and can be reviewed after the simulation has been solved.
For valve components, the force calculation is based primarily on the pressure acting over the relevant flow area on the upstream and downstream sides of the valve. The specific equation used depends on the valve geometry and flow path configuration. Different formulations are applied depending on whether the flow path is unobstructed when the valve is fully open or whether the flow path remains obstructed when fully open. Flownex automatically applies the appropriate force calculation and reports the resulting forces as component results.