Modelling the Effect of Plenum-Runner Interface Geometry on the Flow Through an Inlet System

The steady flow through a plenum-runner system within an inlet manifold has been measured experimentally and also predicted with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). This paper reviews the experiment and computation before presenting the results of simulations that assess the effect of various geometries at the plenum-runner interface. It has been found that careful experiments are needed to produce reliable experimental data and that CFD can be used to produce accurate predictions. In terms of the losses due to various interfaces, the sharp-edged simple interface is the worst case, with a protrusion giving a slight reduction in loss and various forms of rounding significantly reducing the losses.