Create a blockage in a pipe and simulate in Simulink

I need help on how to create a blockage in a pipe and simulate it in simulink. I want to be able to create a total blockage in a particular point on the pipeline.

Thanks

[Jon]

Are you using Simscape or just Simulink? What is flowing through the pipeline, liquid, gas? Compressible, incompressible? What Reynolds number and relative roughness? Is the flow laminar or turbulent?

Please show your basic simulation of how you are modeling the pipeline flow without blockage. This would be a good starting point for how to simulate an event when the pipe got blocked.

[Adeyemi Taylor]

Thanks Jon, I am using Simulink. I have liquid flowing and the flow is laminar. I want the blockage to be where I marked X. Thanks

[Jon]

Actually, from your diagram it looks like you are using Simscape. I'm sorry but I don't have this product on my computer and am not familiar with how to use it.

[Kwabena]

Anyone who can help me generate a CODE for a pipe with blockage . thank you

Answer 1

[Yifeng Tang]

HI Adeyemi,

The easiest thing to do is to use a Variable Local Restriction and closes it when you want the blockage to occur. You can use a time-varying signal (like a step) to generate a sudden closure of the restriction, i.e. blockage.

You'll probably notice that this is not TOTAL blockage as the restriction has a minimum leakage area. This minimum area is both realistic and numerically necessary. No blockage has absolutely zero leakage. And to totally break the connect at a point means a different set of equations for your system. This requires Simscape to recompile all the equations and solve a different set of equations, which cannot be done within one single simulation. So, just make the leakage area reasonable small (not crazy small) so that the leakage flow doesn't make any practical difference.