Stability and nonlinear vibrations of a flexible pipe parametrically excited by an internal varying flow density

Pipes are often used to transport multiphase flows in many engineering applications. The total fluid flow density inside a pipe may vary with time and space. In this paper, a simply supported pipe conveying a variable density flow is modeled theoretically, and its stability and nonlinear vibrations are investigated in detail. The variation of the flow density is simulated using a mathematical function. The equation governing the vibration of the pipe is derived according to Euler–Bernoulli beam theory. When the internal flow density varies with time, the pipe is excited parametrically. The stability of the pipe is determined by Floquet theory. Some simple parametric and combination resonances are determined. For a higher mass ratio (mean flow mass/pipe structural mass), higher flow velocity, or smaller end axial tension, the pipe becomes unstable more easily due to wider parametric resonance regions. In the subcritical flow velocity regime, the vibrations of the pipe are periodic and quasiperiodic for simple and combination resonances, respectively. However, in the supercritical regime, the vibrations of the pipe exhibit much richer dynamics including periodic, multiperiodic, quasiperiodic, and chaotic behaviors.