Development of an Empirically Based Volumetric Flow Rate Transfer Function for Ports Using Airflow Measurements

Deficiencies in understanding port flow have created an elongated design process involving computer automated engineering tools and empirical results. Analytical flow models could solve the problem however the error in existing algorithms often exceed ten percent. These discrepancies come from the fact that the flow direction relative to the outflow area has not been properly treated. The current paper describes how Design For Six Sigma was used to develop a new transfer function based upon a finite set of empirical results and the port geometry. The error between the volumetric flow rate transfer function and the observed result is less than ten percent. This accuracy is high enough to bypass the computer automated engineering process and its associated week-long delays.