Transient Response Analysis of Branched Pipe Systems toward a Reliable Skeletonization

In this paper, the transient behavior of a single-branch pipe system (Y-system) is analyzed by means of numerical experiments in which a wide range of branch characteristics (i.e., size, location, and operating conditions) is investigated. In the executed systematic analysis, focused on the role of minor branches, the pressure signals of the Y-system have been compared with the ones of a single pipe, assumed as a reference, by means of the values of the determination coefficient, R2. The provided explicit relationships between R2 and the characteristics of the branch clearly show that the actual role of the branch is determined by the combination of the characteristics more than by any single one. Such relationships are a reliable tool for the system skeletonization, i.e., they allow evaluating in which conditions a given branch can be neglected because it does not affect significantly the transient behavior of the system. The reliability and practical implications of the proposed methodology are discussed by considering a large supply system with 10 minor branches as a case study.