A Unified Model for Slug Flow in Upward Inclined Pipes

1995 ◽  
Vol 117 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Felizola ◽  
O. Shoham
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Slug Flow ◽  
Entire Range ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Unified Model ◽  
Liquid Holdup ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Inclination Angles ◽  
Inclined Pipes

The effect of pipe inclination on upward two-phase slug flow characteristics has been studied both experimentally and theoretically. Experimental data were acquired for the entire range of inclination angles, from horizontal to vertical. New correlations were developed for slug length and liquid holdup in the slug body as a function of inclination angle. A unified model has been developed for the prediction of slug flow behavior in upward inclined pipes. Reasonable agreement is observed between the pressure drop predicted by the model and the experimental data.

An Investigation of Slug Flow in Hilly Terrain Pipelines

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suat Bagci ◽  
Adel Al-Shareef
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Film ◽  
Slug Flow ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Source Model ◽  
Pipe Diameter ◽  
Liquid Holdup ◽  
Hilly Terrain ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Flow Interactions ◽  
Inclined Pipes

Abstract Two-phase flow in hilly terrain pipelines can cause significant practical operating problems. When slugs flow in a hilly terrain pipeline that contains sections of different inclinations they undergo a change of length and slug flow characteristics as the slug move from section to section. In addition, slugs can be generated at low elbows, dissipate at top elbows and shrink or grow in length as they travel along the pipe. A mathematical model and a computer program was developed to simulate these phenomena. The model was based on the sink/source concept at the pipeline connections. A connection between two pipeline sections of different slopes was conveniently called elbow. An elbow accumulates liquid as a sink, and releases liquid as a source. The sink/source has a characteristic capacity of its own. This capacity is positive if the liquid can indeed be accumulated at the elbow or negative if the liquid is actually drained away from the elbow. This type of treatment effectively isolates the flow upstream from an elbow from that downstream, while still allowing flow interactions between two detailed pipeline sections. The hydrodynamic flow model was also used to calculate the film liquid holdup in horizontal and inclined pipelines. The model can successfully predict the liquid film holdup if the liquid film height is assumed to be uniform through the gas pocket. Many other models were used to calculate all the needed parameters to perform the sink/source model. The overall effect of a hill or terrain on slug flow depends on the operating flow rates and pipeline configurations. For special case of near constant slug frequency corresponding to moderately high superficial liquid and gas velocities, this effect was found to be small. The changes in the film characteristics between two adjacent pipeline sections were found to be mostly responsible for the pseudo-slug generation, slug growth and dissipation in the downstream pipeline sections. The film liquid holdup decreased with increasing pipe diameter. The unit slug length increased at the upstream inclined pipes and decreased at the downstream inclined pipes with increasing pipe diameter. The possibility of pseudo-slug generation was increased at large pipe diameters even at high sink capacities. At low sink capacities, no pseudo-slugs were generated at high superficial velocities. The slug flow characteristics was more effected by low superficial gas and liquid velocities, large pipe diameters and shallow pipeline inclinations.

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Separator Pressure Fluctuation Effect on Terrain Slugging in a Hilly Terrain Two-Phase Flow Pipeline

2008 ◽  
Vol 130 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eissa Al-Safran ◽  
Leonidas Kappos ◽  
Cem Sarica
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Pressure Fluctuation ◽  
Slug Flow ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Pressure Fluctuations ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Pressure Increase ◽  
Hilly Terrain ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Industrial Operations

Two-phase slug flow in horizontal and near horizontal pipes is a common occurrence in many engineering applications and industrial operations. The objective of this study is to experimentally investigate the effects of separator pressure fluctuations on terrain slugging and slug flow characteristics along and downstream of a hilly terrain pipeline. A further objective is to numerically simulate the flow behavior using a transient multiphase flow simulator to match the simulation predictions with the experimental data. Experimental results revealed that during the separator pressure decline, slug initiation is promoted due to the increase in slip velocity, which enhances the slug initiation mechanisms at the lower elbow. On the other hand, during the separator pressure increase, the analyses show slug suppression. In terms of slug flow characteristics, the mean slug velocity, mean slug length, and maximum slug length increased during the separator pressure decline condition and decreased during the separator pressure increase condition. Furthermore, separator pressure has a significant decreasing effect on slug frequency, maximum slug length, and slug length variance downstream of the hilly terrain section. The statistical analysis shows mixed results of decreasing and increasing trends on mean slug lengths under the fluctuated separator pressure when compared with constant separator pressure conditions. The numerical simulation results showed a close match of liquid holdup downstream of the lower elbow and a fair match at the lower elbow. Furthermore, the model was successful in matching the pressure fluctuation at the lower elbow of the experimental data.

Unified Model for Gas-Liquid Pipe Flow Via Slug Dynamics: Part 2 — Model Validation

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong-Quan Zhang ◽  
Qian Wang ◽  
Cem Sarica ◽  
James P. Brill
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Liquid Flow ◽  
Pipe Flow ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Inclination Angles ◽  
Gas Liquid Flow ◽  
Extensive Experimental Data ◽  
Good Agreement

In Zhang et al. [1], a unified hydrodynamic model is developed for prediction of gas-liquid pipe flow behavior based on slug dynamics. In this study, the new model is validated with extensive experimental data acquired with different pipe diameters, inclination angles, fluid physical properties, gas-liquid flow rates and flow patterns. Good agreement is observed in every aspect of the two-phase pipe flow.

Separation of a Two-Phase Slug Flow in Branched 90 deg Elbows

2010 ◽  
Vol 132 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Sanchez-Silva ◽  
V. Hernandez-Perez ◽  
I. Carvajal-Mariscal ◽  
J. G. Barbosa-Saldaña ◽  
J. A. Cruz-Maya
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Phase Separation ◽  
Slug Flow ◽  
Static Pressure ◽  
Radius Of Curvature ◽  
Inlet Section ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Phase Separations ◽  
Pressure Transducers ◽  
Inclination Angles

Novel experimental data for phase separation of air-water mixtures in horizontal 90 deg branched elbows are presented in this work. The branched elbows were formed by attaching a pipe to a 90 deg elbow on the side of maximum radius of curvature, and halfway between the inlet and outlet sections of the elbow. All three arms coming from the junction were in the horizontal plane. Both the branch orientation and branch diameter were varied. Three different branch/elbow diameter ratios were tested, as well as three different branch inclination angles. In addition, the static pressure was monitored at different points along the ramified elbow using a set of pressure transducers in order to analyze and associate the pressure drop with the phase separation. At the inlet section of the elbow, the two-phase flow pattern was mainly slug flow. Based on the experimental data, a correlation for the liquid phase separation is proposed. Finally, the volume-weighted phase separation in the branched elbow was compared with the phase separations on the T-junction, and it was found that in some cases the branched elbows have a similar performance to that of the T-junctions.

Unified Model for Gas-Liquid Pipe Flow via Slug Dynamics—Part 2: Model Validation

2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (4) ◽  
pp. 274-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong-Quan Zhang ◽  
Qian Wang ◽  
Cem Sarica ◽  
James P. Brill
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Liquid Flow ◽  
Pipe Flow ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Inclination Angles ◽  
Gas Liquid Flow ◽  
Extensive Experimental Data ◽  
Good Agreement

In Zhang et al. [1], a unified hydrodynamic model is developed for prediction of gas-liquid (co-current) pipe flow behavior based on slug dynamics. In this study, the new model is validated with extensive experimental data acquired with different pipe diameters, inclination angles, fluid physical properties, gas-liquid flow rates and flow patterns. Good agreement is observed in every aspect of the two-phase pipe flow.

scholarly journals Experimental data for the slug two-phase flow characteristics in horizontal pipeline

Data in Brief ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 527-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdalellah O. Mohmmed ◽  
Mohammad S. Nasif ◽  
Hussain H. Al-Kayiem
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase

Study of the 90° Elbows Performance as Phase Separators in an Air-Water Two-Phase Flow

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valente Herna´ndez P. ◽  
Florencio Sa´nchez S. ◽  
Miguel Toledo V. ◽  
Georgiy Polupan
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Slug Flow ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Pressure Gradients ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Branch Diameter ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
Inclination Angles ◽  
Phase Separator

In order to observe the 90° elbows performance as phase separators in an air-water two-phase flow, experimental results for the phase split which occurs at a 90° branched elbow are presented. The branched elbow geometry was varied in order to have three (branch diameter / elbow diameter) ratios and three branch inclination angles. Also the pressure was monitored at different points of the elbow with ramification in order to examine the pressure drop effect. The flow pattern upstream was mainly slug flow. First, the analysis of the main independent variables effect, (superficial velocities, branch inclination angle, ratio of diameters and pressure gradients) was carried out, then a correlation for the phase split was developed and, finally a comparison was made with data of phase separation in T junctions obtained by Azzopardi [1] and Soliman [2], as a result, a better behavior as phase separator was found for the elbow.

Flow Characteristics of Adiabatic Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flow in a Horizontal Flat Rectangular Microchannel

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hideo Ide ◽  
Kentaro Satonaka ◽  
Tohru Fukano
Keyword(s):  
Void Fraction ◽  
Slug Flow ◽  
Annular Flow ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Similar Data ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
The Mean

Experiments were performed to obtain, analyze and clarify the mean void fraction, the mean liquid holdup, and the liquid slug velocity and the air-water two-phase flow patterns in horizontal rectangular microchannels, with the dimensions equal to 1.0 mm width × 0.1 mm depth, and 1.0 mm width × 0.2 mm depth, respectively. The flow patterns such as bubble flow, slug flow and annular flow were observed. The microchannel data showed similar data patterns compared to those in minichannels with the width of 1∼10mm and the depth of 1mm which we had previously reported on. However, in a 1.0 × 0.1 mm microchannel, the mean holdup and the base film thickness in annular flow showed larger values because the effects of liquid viscosity and surface tension on the holdup and void fraction dominate. The remarkable flow characteristics of rivulet flow and the flow with a partial dry out of the channel inner wall were observed in slug flow and annular flow patterns in the microchannel of 0.1 mm depth.

Unified Model for Gas-Liquid Pipe Flow Via Slug Dynamics: Part 1 — Model Development

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong-Quan Zhang ◽  
Qian Wang ◽  
Cem Sarica ◽  
James P. Brill
Keyword(s):  
Flow Pattern ◽  
Pipe Flow ◽  
Slug Flow ◽  
Control Volume ◽  
Model Development ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Hydrodynamic Characteristics ◽  
Momentum Exchange ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Inclination Angles

A unified hydrodynamic model is developed for predictions of flow pattern transitions, pressure gradient, liquid holdup and slug characteristics in gas-liquid pipe flow at different inclination angles from −90 to 90 deg. The model is based on the dynamics of slug flow, which shares transition boundaries with all the other flow patterns. By use of the entire film zone as the control volume, the momentum exchange between the slug body and the film zone is introduced into the momentum equations for slug flow. The equations of slug flow are used not only to calculate the slug characteristics, but also to predict transitions from slug flow to other flow patterns. Significant effort has been made to eliminate discontinuities among the closure relationships through careful selection and generalization. The flow pattern classification is also simplified according to the hydrodynamic characteristics of two-phase flow.

The Study of Dynamic Slug Flow Characteristics Using Digital Image Analysis—Part I: Flow Visualization

1998 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Gopal ◽  
W. P. Jepson
Keyword(s):  
Image Analysis ◽  
Digital Image ◽  
Slug Flow ◽  
Digital Image Analysis ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Liquid Mixtures ◽  
Pipeline System ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Analysis Techniques ◽  
Image Analysis Techniques

This paper reports the application of novel, digital image analysis techniques in the study of slug flow characteristics, under dynamic conditions in two-phase gas-liquid mixtures. Water and an oil of viscosity 18 cP were used for the liquid phase and carbon dioxide was used for the gas phase. Flow in a 75-mm i.d., 10-m long acrylic pipeline system was studied. Images of slugs were recorded on video by S-VHS cameras, using an audio-visual mixer. Each image was then digitized frame-by-frame and analyzed on a SGI™ workstation. Detailed slug characteristics, including liquid film heights, slug translational velocity, mixing length, and, slug length, were obtained.

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