Using CFD in the Design Process of a Toilet Bowl

Abstract

In this work, a water flow analysis study is performed, leading to a toilet bowl satisfying, simultaneously, functionality, design and present standard requirements. An existing toilet bowl is used as the starting point, which is experimentally tested for discharge analysis and flow visualization. The numerical simulation of the water discharge in the existing bowl is conducted using the software package ANSYS-CFX, and the results are compared with the experimental data. This workflow allowed to tune the parameters and options to be considered in the numerical simulations. Comparisons and validation include mainly the gravity induced water mass flow rate, the water flow spreading and action over the toilet bowl inner surface, and the non-spreading of the discharged water out of the top of the toilet bowl. Once confident with the numerical simulation results, different designs of the toilet bowl and different discharge conditions can be tested in what concerns the aforementioned requisites – this a much easier, less expensive, and quick process than a trial-and-error approach using prototype toilet bowl pieces and experimental analysis.