# Return to axi-symmetry for pipe flows generated after a fractal orifice

## TL;DR

This study experimentally investigates how different fractal-shaped orifices influence the re-establishment of axi-symmetric pipe flows, identifying optimal fractal levels and key parameters for flowmetering applications.

## Contribution

It introduces a comparative analysis of fractal orifices, defines new parameters for their characterization, and establishes benchmarks for future research and numerical modeling.

## Key findings

- Optimal fractal iteration level exists for flow improvement.
- Fractal orifices can effectively regenerate axi-symmetric flows.
- Key parameters include connexity, symmetry angle, and wall gap.

## Abstract

We present experimental results obtained from pipe flows generated by fractal shaped orifices or openings. We compare different fractal orifices and their efficiencies to re-generate axi-symmetric flows and to return to the standard flow generated by a perforated plate or a circular orifice plate. We consider two families of fractal openings: mono-orifice and complex-orifice and emphasize the differences between the two fractal families. For the Reynolds number we use, we found that there is an optimum iteration for the fractal level above which no improvement for practical application such as flowmetering is to be expected. The main parameters we propose for the characterisation of the fractal orifice are the connexity parameter, the symmetry angle and the gap to the wall $\delta^*_g$. The results presented here are among the firsts for flows forced through fractal openings and will serve as reference for future studies and bench marks for numerical applications.