Modeling Two-Phase Flow Inside an Electrical Submersible Pump Stage

2011 ◽  
Vol 133 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lissett Barrios ◽  
Mauricio Gargaglione Prado
Keyword(s):  
Drag Coefficient ◽  
Bubble Size ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Mechanistic Model ◽  
Force Balance ◽  
Submersible Pump ◽  
Bubble Behavior ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Operational Conditions ◽  
Electrical Submersible Pump

Dynamic multiphase flow behavior inside a mixed flow electrical submersible pump (ESP) has been studied experimentally and theoretically for the first time. The overall objectives of this study are to determine the flow patterns and bubble behavior inside the ESP and to predict the operational conditions that cause surging. The theoretical study includes a mechanistic model for the prediction of the flow behavior inside the pump. The model comprises a one-dimensional force balance to predict occurrence of the stagnant bubbles at the channel intake. This model depends on two important variables, namely the stagnant bubble size and the bubble drag coefficient. The bubble size has been measured and a physically based correlation is presented. A new correlation for the drag coefficient is proposed as a function of rotational speed and Reynolds number. The model enables the prediction of the operational envelope of the ESP, namely the transition to surging.

Modeling Two Phase Flow Inside an Electrical Submersible Pump Stage

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lissett Barrios ◽  
Mauricio Gargaglione Prado
Keyword(s):  
Drag Coefficient ◽  
Bubble Size ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Mechanistic Model ◽  
Force Balance ◽  
Submersible Pump ◽  
Bubble Behavior ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Operational Conditions ◽  
Electrical Submersible Pump

Dynamic multiphase flow behavior inside a mixed flow Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) has been studied experimentally and theoretically for the first time. The overall objectives of this study are to determine the flow patterns and bubble behavior inside the ESP and to predict the operational conditions that cause surging. The theoretical study includes a mechanistic model for the prediction of the flow behavior inside the pump. The model comprises a one-dimensional force balance to predict occurrence of the stagnant bubbles at the channel intake. This model depends on two important variables, namely the stagnant bubble size and the bubble drag coefficient. The bubble size has been measured and a physically based correlation is presented. A new correlation for the drag coefficient is proposed as a function of rotational speed and Reynolds number. The model enables the prediction of the operational envelope of the ESP, namely the transition to surging.

Experimental Visualization of Two Phase Flow Inside an Electrical Submersible Pump Stage

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lissett Barrios ◽  
Mauricio Gargaglione Prado
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Bubble Diameter ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Submersible Pump ◽  
Bubble Behavior ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Operational Conditions ◽  
Electrical Submersible Pump

Dynamic multiphase flow behavior inside a mixed flow Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) has been studied experimentally and theoretically for the first time. The overall objectives of this study are to determine the flow patterns and bubble behavior inside the ESP and to predict the operational conditions that cause surging. An experimental facility has been designed and constructed to enable flow pattern visualization inside the second stage of a real ESP. Special high speed instrumentation was selected to acquire visual flow dynamics and bubble size measurements inside the impeller channel. Experimental data was acquired utilizing two types of tests (surging test and bubble diameter measurement test) to completely evaluate the pump behavior at different operational conditions. A similarity analysis performed for single-phase flow inside the pump concluded that viscosity effects are negligible compared to the centrifugal field effects for rotational speeds higher than 600 rpm. Therefore, the two-phase flow tests were performed for rotational speeds of 600, 900, 1200, and 1500 rpm. Results showed formation of a large gas pocket at the pump intake during surging conditions.

Experimental Visualization of Two-Phase Flow Inside an Electrical Submersible Pump Stage

2011 ◽  
Vol 133 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lissett Barrios ◽  
Mauricio Gargaglione Prado
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Bubble Diameter ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Submersible Pump ◽  
Bubble Behavior ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Operational Conditions ◽  
Electrical Submersible Pump

Dynamic multiphase flow behavior inside a mixed flow electrical submersible pump (ESP) has been studied experimentally and theoretically for the first time. The overall objectives of this study are to determine the flow patterns and bubble behavior inside the ESP and to predict the operational conditions that cause surging. An experimental facility has been designed and constructed to enable flow pattern visualization inside the second stage of a real ESP. Special high-speed instrumentation was selected to acquire visual flow dynamics and bubble size measurements inside the impeller channel. Experimental data were acquired utilizing two types of tests (surging test and bubble diameter measurement test) to completely evaluate the pump behavior at different operational conditions. A similarity analysis performed for single-phase flow inside the pump concluded that viscosity effects are negligible compared to the centrifugal field effects for rotational speeds higher than 600 rpm. Therefore, the two-phase flow tests were performed for a rotational speeds of 600, 900, 1200, and 1500 rpm. Results showed formation of a large gas pocket at the pump intake during surging conditions.

CFD Modeling Inside an Electrical Submersible Pump in Two-Phase Flow Condition

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lissett Barrios ◽  
Mauricio Gargaglione Prado ◽  
Frank Kenyery
Keyword(s):  
Drag Coefficient ◽  
Bubble Size ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Cfd Modeling ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Submersible Pump ◽  
Cfd Simulations ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Electrical Submersible Pump

Dynamic multiphase flow behavior inside a mixed flow Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) has been studied theoretically for the first time. The main goal is to model two-phase flow behavior in an ESP. A three-dimensional CFD model has been developed to describe the operational envelope of the ESP, namely the onset of surging. The theoretical study includes CFD simulations for the prediction of the flow behavior inside the pump. The CFD modeling depends on two important variables, namely the bubble size and the bubble drag coefficient. The bubble size has been measured and a physically based correlation presented in Barrios (2007) is used. A new correlation for the drag coefficient is used (Barrios 2007) as a function of rotational speed and Reynolds number. Single-phase and two-phase flow CFD simulations were carried out to investigate liquid flow field. Results from the CFD simulations are consistent with the experimental data (Barrios 2007).

Experimental Analysis on the Velocity of Oil Drops in Oil–Water Two-Phase Flows in Electrical Submersible Pump Impellers

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodolfo Marcilli Perissinotto ◽  
William Monte Verde ◽  
Jorge Luiz Biazussi ◽  
Marcelo Souza de Castro ◽  
Antonio Carlos Bannwart
Keyword(s):  
Water Flow ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Water Flow Rate ◽  
Submersible Pump ◽  
Complex Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Water Dispersion ◽  
Operational Conditions ◽  
Oil In Water ◽  
Electrical Submersible Pump

The objective of this research is to investigate the velocity of oil drops within the impeller of an electrical submersible pump (ESP) working with oil-in-water dispersion flows at different operational conditions. An experimental study was conducted using an ESP prototype with a transparent shell designed to enable flow visualization within the impeller channels. The tests were performed at three rotational speeds, 600, 900, and 1200 rpm, for three water flow rates, 80%, 100%, and 120% of the best efficiency point (BEP). A high-speed camera (HSC) with a lighting set captured images of the oil-in-water dispersion at 1000 frames per second. The images observation suggests the presence of a turbulent flow in the impeller. The turbulence, associated with high rotation Reynolds numbers, causes the oil drops to become smaller as the impeller rotational speed and the water flow rate increase. Despite this rotating environment, the oil drops generally have a spherical shape. Regarding the kinematics, the images processing reveals that the velocity of oil drops has a magnitude around a unit of m/s. The velocity depends on the oil drop position in the channel: oil drops that stay close to a suction blade (SB) have significantly higher velocities than oil drops that stay close to a pressure blade (PB). Considering a complex flow with water velocity profiles and pressure gradients, the analysis of oil velocity curves indicates the occurrence of accelerations that may be caused by drag and pressure forces acting on the oil drops.

Prediction of High Viscosity Liquid/Gas Two-Phase Slug Length in Horizontal and Slightly Inclined Pipelines

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar Shaaban ◽  
Eissa Al-Safran
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Optimization ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Mechanistic Model ◽  
High Viscosity ◽  
Oil Well ◽  
Liquid Slug ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Flow Closure

Abstract The production and transportation of high viscosity liquid/gas two-phase along petroleum production system is a challenging operation due to the lack of understanding the flow behavior and characteristics. In particular, accurate prediction of two-phase slug length in pipes is crucial to efficiently operate and safely design oil well and separation facilities. The objective of this study is to develop a mechanistic model to predict high viscosity liquid slug length in pipelines and to optimize the proper set of closure relationships required to ensure high accuracy prediction. A large high viscosity liquid slug length database is collected and presented in this study, against which the proposed model is validated and compared with other models. A mechanistic slug length model is derived based on the first principles of mass and momentum balances over a two-phase slug unit, which requires a set of closure relationships of other slug characteristics. To select the proper set of closure relationships, a numerical optimization is carried out using a large slug length dataset to minimize the prediction error. Thousands of combinations of various slug flow closure relationships were evaluated to identify the most appropriate relationships for the proposed slug length model under high viscosity slug length condition. Results show that the proposed slug length mechanistic model is applicable for a wide range of liquid viscosities and is sensitive to the selected closure relationships. Results revealed that the optimum closure relationships combination is Archibong-Eso et al. (2018) for slug frequency, Malnes (1983) for slug liquid holdup, Jeyachandra et al. (2012) for drift velocity, and Nicklin et al. (1962) for the distribution coefficient. Using the above set of closure relationships, model validation yields 37.8% absolute average percent error, outperforming all existing slug length models.

scholarly journals Multiphase gas-flow model of an electrical submersible pump

2018 ◽  
Vol 73 ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Diana Marcela Martinez Ricardo ◽  
German Efrain Castañeda Jiménez ◽  
Janito Vaqueiro Ferreira ◽  
Pablo Siqueira Meirelles
Keyword(s):  
Gas Flow ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Learning Algorithm ◽  
Estimation Error ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
System Response ◽  
Submersible Pump ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Electrical Submersible Pump

Various artificial lifting systems are used in the oil and gas industry. An example is the Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP). When the gas flow is high, ESPs usually fail prematurely because of a lack of information about the two-phase flow during pumping operations. Here, we develop models to estimate the gas flow in a two-phase mixture being pumped through an ESP. Using these models and experimental system response data, the pump operating point can be controlled. The models are based on nonparametric identification using a support vector machine learning algorithm. The learning machine’s hidden parameters are determined with a genetic algorithm. The results obtained with each model are validated and compared in terms of estimation error. The models are able to successfully identify the gas flow in the liquid-gas mixture transported by an ESP.

scholarly journals New correlations for predicting two-phase electrical submersible pump performance under downhole conditions using field data

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thuy Chu ◽  
Tan C. Nguyen ◽  
Jihoon Wang ◽  
Duc Vuong
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Field Data ◽  
Laboratory Data ◽  
Performance Curve ◽  
Submersible Pump ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Pump Performance ◽  
Free Gas ◽  
Electrical Submersible Pump

AbstractElectrical Submersible Pump (ESP) is one of the major Artificial Lift methods that is reliable and effective for pumping high volume of fluids from wellbores. However, ESP is not recommended for applications with high gas liquid ratio. The presence of free gas inside the pump causes pump performance degradation which may lead to problems or even failure during operations. Thus, it is important to investigate effect of free gas on ESP performance under downhole conditions. At present, existing models or correlations are based on/verified with experimental data. This study is one of the first attempts to develop correlations for predicting two-phase gas–liquid pump performance under downhole conditions by using field data and laboratory data. Field data from three oil producing wells provided by Strata Production Company and Perdure Petroleum LLC. as well as experimental data obtained from experimental facility at Production and Drilling Research Project—New Mexico Tech were used in this study. Actual two-phase pump differential pressure per stage is obtained from experiments or estimated from field data and was normalized using pump performance curve. The values are compared to pump performance curve to study the relationships between pump performance and free gas percentage at pump intake. Correlations to predict ESP performance in two-phase flow under downhole and experimental conditions was derived from the results using regression technique. The correlation developed from field data presented in this study can be used to predict two-phase ESP performance under downhole conditions and under high gas fraction. The results from the experimental data confirm the reliability of the developed correlation using field data to predict two-phase ESP performance under downhole conditions. The developed correlation using the laboratory data predicts quite well the two-phase pump performance at the gas fraction of less than 15% while it is no longer reliable when free gas fraction is more than 15%. The findings from this study will help operating companies as well as ESP manufacturers to operate ESPs within the recommended range under downhole conditions. However, it is recommended to use the proposed correlation on reservoirs with conditions similar to those of the three presented wells.

Study of the pressure drop in dust scrubber affected by liquid flowability

2019 ◽  
Vol 233 (5) ◽  
pp. 1066-1073 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaochuan Li ◽  
Tao Wei ◽  
Xinhao Xu ◽  
Reyna M Knight ◽  
Jiahang Li
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Drag Coefficient ◽  
Linear Relationship ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Force Balance ◽  
Liquid Level ◽  
Gas Velocity ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Total Drag ◽  
Quadratic Curve

The complexity of the gas-liquid two-phase flow results in equally complicated pressure drop characteristics for self-excited wet dust scrubbers. In this paper, the pressure drop of the dust scrubber was studied by measuring the total pressure drop R and the differential liquid level Δ H versus the gas velocity v at different initial liquid level b0 values, combined with the liquid flowability. The results showed that the dust scrubber varied its total drag coefficient by changing the differential liquid level Δ H of the liquid-phase and then adjusting the gas-liquid two-phase force balance ahead of and behind the choke. Under the influence of liquid flowability, the throttling strength α exhibited a linear relationship with the gas velocity of the dust scrubber when b0 ≤ 0 mm. The Δ H-v and R- v characteristics of the dust scrubber varied with different values of b0 and v. When b0 > 0, the Δ H-v curve and R- v curve exhibited an explicit quadratic curve relationship. When b0 ≤ 0 mm, the Δ H-v curve and R- v curve exhibited an explicit linear relationship, where the Δ H-v curves can be expressed by a linear equation Δ H = khv+Δ H0, and the gas-phase pressure drop R can be approximately calculated using the differential liquid level Δ H. The liquid flowability can change the choke-sectional to change the total drag coefficient, which reduced in multiple folds with an increase in the gas velocity.

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