Abstract
This paper analyzes the applicability of finite-element analysis to solving the Navier-Stokes equations for problems involving internal turbulent flows at high Reynolds numbers on an example of a fully developed turbulent flow in a pipe. Unacceptable inaccuracies in the solution obtained using the finite-element analysis technique for a fully developed flow in a pipe are explicitly shown. A highly accurate method is developed for the solution of the governing equation for a fully developed flow. The velocity distribution obtained using this method and based on the Nikuradse-Van Driest mixing length is very close to an experimentally obtained velocity distribution (Nikuradse [2]). The accurate soution is compared with the solution obtained using the finite-element technique and the reasons for the inaccuracies in the latter are determined.