Abstract

In this paper the stationary flow through the pipe–hydraulic resistance–pipe element system have been investigated to determine how the liquid flow rate depends on the differential pressure applied to the system and the system geometry. The Navier–Stokes equations are solved numerically in axially symmetric geometry by the finite element method at irregular computational grid. It was found that the area of the non-linear pressure drop in the element system is localized at length of three inlet radii which allowed to build a model of arbitrary length of the system with a fixed length of hydraulic resistance. The pipe equivalent for the element system with hydraulic resistance have been constructed. A method for constructing a computer model for the element system, which later will enable to make calculations of whole technical device work in real time, have been proposed. This study is particularly relevant for the hydraulic elements of microelectromechanical systems, since it allows to optimize the geometry of the element system to obtain the necessary operating parameters of the technical device.