CFD EXPERIMENTAL VALIDATION OF PRESSURE LOSSES IN A ONE METER LONG HORIZONTAL CYLINDRICAL PIPELINE

Efficient fuel transport from ships to land facilities is crucial for sustaining the energy demands of industrial hubs like São Luis - MA. The accurate prediction of pressure drop within the transport pipeline is essential for optimizing operational efficiency and ensuring the safe and timely delivery of fuel. In this context, the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations emerge as an important tool for drop pressure prediction and alternative pipeline design. In this work, the accuracy and limitation in estimating pressure drop phenomena in tube flow by the CFD model was assessed. Comparisons with experimental data and Darcy-Weisbach model were performed. The results of the present study were initial, but hold significant implications for enhancing the reliability and cost-effectiveness of fuel transportation systems, thereby advancing the sustainable energy infrastructure of São Luis and beyond in future work.