Modeling Pressure Drop Across a In Duct Air filter
 

Hi All,

I'm going to simulate the pressure drop across a pleated air filter, which is install in a duct using fluent. I will conduct a full scale experiment where the air filter in install in a duct.

Since there are many repeated pleats in the air filter, I wonder is it possible for me to do a partial model CFD simulation, instead of the full scale simulation? for example, only simulate 4 pleats out of 64 pleats.

If I do a partial model CFD simulation, how do I consider the duct wall effect on the air flow? say if I'm using symmetry boundary.

Appreciate on the help. thanks

Unfortunately I think you can't. If the filter is large enough, you may assume that in the middle the effect of the wall is negligible, so probably a cfd run with symmetry BC is fine. However this is not true for those parts near to the wall.

Yes, initially I was thinking to do a full scale model, but it took a lot of memory and computational power. After doing some research, notice that there are some published paper, simulate a partial model to get the result, and I wonder if there is an alternative way to do so.

No, I don't think there's a way to model the effect of the wall, either you include it in the model or you do not include it. As I said, if the filter is relatively large compared to the BL thickness on the wall, you may get away with a symmetry CFD run which is reasonably accurate.