Influence of Gas-Liquid Multiphase-Flow on Acoustic Behavior and Performance of Side Channel Pumps

Author(s):  
Sebastian Fleder ◽  
Frank Hassert ◽  
Martin Böhle ◽  
Beate Zientek-Strietz

Side-channel pumps (SCP) are a niche product, able to deliver relatively high heads at low flow rates, which corresponds in a low specific speed. They are closing the gap between classical radial centrifugal pumps and positive displacement pumps, combining the advantages of both without having all the negative effects. The hydraulic efficiency of SCP seems low at first sight. But classical centrifugal pumps are often working under part load conditions, when working at this volume flow and specific speed range, which means they are not able to perform at their BEP. This reduces the efficiency of centrifugal pumps and creates a major benefit of SCP, which are able to work in their BEP. The acoustic behavior and the characteristic pulsations and vibrations of a side channel pump are measured with various measurement methods, such as vibrometry, sound level measurement and sound cartography using an acoustic camera. The characteristic vibrations are shown and compared to the characteristic pressure-pulsations of the working fluid. The two-phase liquid-gas flow has, beside the effects on the characteristic curves such as head drop and efficiency reduction, many side effects on the behavior of the pump. This could be acoustical and vibrational effects. When gas is present in the working fluid, the emitted noise from the pump reduces significantly. This effect is shown by sound intensity measurements as well as measurements with an acoustic camera and laser vibrometry and compared to the results for single-phase flow. The maximum amount of gas for the test pump is measured at different rotational speeds. Some theories to improve the maximum amount of gas in the working fluid are presented and the modifications are tested on a test rig. These modifications consist of the idea that a pump without NPSH-impeller could process higher amounts of gas in multiphase-flow conditions. An additional gas outlet hole is added to the pump to allow a phase separation and therefore a better two-phase flow handling of the pump. The effect of these changes on the maximum amount of gas are presented and evaluated.

Processes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 1317
Author(s):  
Biaobiao Wang ◽  
Haoyang Zhang ◽  
Fanjie Deng ◽  
Chenguang Wang ◽  
Qiaorui Si

In order to study the internal flow characteristics of centrifugal pumps with a split impeller under gas-liquid mixed transportation conditions, this paper conducted a steady calculation of the flow field in the centrifugal pump under the conditions of different inlet gas volume fractions based on the Eulerian-Eulerian heterogeneous flow model, using air and water as the working media and the Schiller Nauman model for the interphase resistance. This paper takes a low specific speed centrifugal pump as the research object, through the controlling variables, using the same pump body structure and pump body geometric parameters and setting three different arrangements of long and short blades (each plan uses the same long and short blades) to explore the influence of the short blade arrangement on the low specific speed centrifugal pump performance under a gas-liquid two-phase flow. The research results show that, under pure water conditions, the reasonable arrangement of the short blade circumferential position can eliminate the hump of the centrifugal pump under low-flow conditions, can make the flow velocity in the impeller more uniform, and can optimize the performance of the pump. Under the design conditions and the gas-liquid two-phase inflow conditions, when the circumferential position of the short blades is close to the suction surface of the long blades, some of the bubbles on the suction surface of the long blade can be broken under the work of the pressure surface of the short blade and flow out of the impeller with the liquid, which improves the flow state of the flow field in the impeller.


Author(s):  
Fan Zhang ◽  
Martin Böhle ◽  
Shouqi Yuan

Side channel pump is a kind of small volume vane pump with low flow rate but high head and most side channel pumps can transport gas–liquid two-phase flow. In order to investigate the performance of this type of pump depending on the blade suction angle under gas–liquid two-phase flow operating condition, an experimental study has been carried out. The head and efficiency curves, and the influence of blade suction angle changes on these curves for different inlet gas volume fraction states are analyzed in detail. Moreover, the gas transporting capability of the impeller with three different blade suction angles (10°, 20°, 30°) are also compared. The results show that the head and efficiency performances of the three impellers decrease a large value when the side channel pump operates with a little gas inside, and the operating range narrows as well. With the increasing of inlet gas volume fraction, the performance of the side channel pump worsens. The head and efficiency performances in the single-phase state improve by increasing the blade suction angle, but decrease by increasing the blade suction angle in the gas–liquid two-phase flow state. The maximum gas transporting capability of the impeller with a small blade suction angle is better than a large blade suction angle. Analysis on the measured data allows a better understanding of the effect of inlet gas quantity on the performance of the side channel pump with different blade suction angles, and it could supply the design reference for two-phase flow side channel pumps.


2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 1763-1795 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khaled Saleh

This article is the first of two in which we develop a relaxation finite volume scheme for the convective part of the multiphase flow models introduced in the series of papers (Hérard, C.R. Math. 354 (2016) 954–959; Hérard, Math. Comput. Modell. 45 (2007) 732–755; Boukili and Hérard, ESAIM: M2AN 53 (2019) 1031–1059). In the present article we focus on barotropic flows where in each phase the pressure is a given function of the density. The case of general equations of state will be the purpose of the second article. We show how it is possible to extend the relaxation scheme designed in Coquel et al. (ESAIM: M2AN 48 (2013) 165–206) for the barotropic Baer–Nunziato two phase flow model to the multiphase flow model with N – where N is arbitrarily large – phases. The obtained scheme inherits the main properties of the relaxation scheme designed for the Baer–Nunziato two phase flow model. It applies to general barotropic equations of state. It is able to cope with arbitrarily small values of the statistical phase fractions. The approximated phase fractions and phase densities are proven to remain positive and a fully discrete energy inequality is also proven under a classical CFL condition. For N = 3, the relaxation scheme is compared with Rusanov’s scheme, which is the only numerical scheme presently available for the three phase flow model (see Boukili and Hérard, ESAIM: M2AN 53 (2019) 1031–1059). For the same level of refinement, the relaxation scheme is shown to be much more accurate than Rusanov’s scheme, and for a given level of approximation error, the relaxation scheme is shown to perform much better in terms of computational cost than Rusanov’s scheme. Moreover, contrary to Rusanov’s scheme which develops strong oscillations when approximating vanishing phase solutions, the numerical results show that the relaxation scheme remains stable in such regimes.


1978 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 395-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaroslaw Mikielewicz ◽  
David Gordon Wilson ◽  
Tak-Chee Chan ◽  
Albert L. Goldfinch

The semiempirical method described combines the ideal performance of a centrifugal pump with experimental data for single and two-phase flow to produce a so-called “head-loss ratio,” which is the apparent loss of head in two-phase flow divided by the loss of head in single-phase flow. This head-loss ratio is shown to be primarily a function of void fraction. It is demonstrated that the measured characteristics of a centrifugal pump operating in two-phase flow in normal rotation and normal and reversed flow directions (first and second -quadrant operation) and in reversed rotation and reversed flow direction (third-quadrant operation) can be reproduced with acceptable accuracy.


Author(s):  
Lissett Barrios ◽  
Stuart Scott ◽  
Charles Deuel

The paper reports on developmental research on the effects of viscosity and two phases, liquid–gas fluids on ESPs which are multi stage centrifugal pumps for deep bore holes. Multiphase viscous performance in a full-scale Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) system at Shell’s Gasmer facility has been studied experimentally and theoretically. The main objectives is to predict the operational conditions that cause degradations for high viscosity fluids when operating in high Gas Liquid Radio (GLR) wells to support operation in Shell major Projects. The system studied was a 1025 series tandem WJE 1000. The test was performed using this configuration with ten or more pump stages moving fluids with viscosity from 2 to 200 cP at various speed, intake pressure and Gas Void Fractions (GVF). For safety considerations the injected gas was restricted to nitrogen or air. The ESP system is a central artificial lift method commonly used for medium to high flow rate wells. Multiphase flow and viscous fluids causes problems in pump applications. Viscous fluids and free gas inside an ESP can cause head degradation and gas locking. Substantial attempts have been made to model centrifugal pump performance under gas-liquid viscous applications, however due to the complexity this is still a uncertain problem. The determination of the two-phase flow performance in these harmful conditions in the ESP is fundamental aspects in the surveillance operation. The testing at Shell’s Gasmer facility revealed that the ESP system performed as theoretical over the range of single flowrates and light viscosity oils up to Gas Volume Fractions (GVF) around 25%. The developed correlations predict GVF at the pump intake based on the operational parameters. ESP performance degrades at viscosity higher than 100cp as compared to light oil applications, gas lock condition is observed at gas fraction higher than 45%. Pump flowrate can be obtained from electrical current and boost for all range of GVF and speed. The main technical contributions are the analysis of pump head degradation under two important variables, high viscosity and two-phase flow inside the ESP.


1993 ◽  
Vol 115 (4) ◽  
pp. 781-783 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiyoshi Minemura ◽  
Tomomi Uchiyama

This paper is concerned with the determination of the performance change in centrifugal pumps operating under two-phase flow conditions using the velocities and void fractions calculated under the assumption of an inviscid bubbly flow with slippage between the two phases. The estimated changes in the theoretical head are confirmed with experiments within the range of bubbly flow regime.


Author(s):  
Mubbashar Nazeer ◽  
Farooq Hussain ◽  
Laiba Shabbir ◽  
Adila Saleem ◽  
M. Ijaz Khan ◽  
...  

In this paper, the two-phase flow of non-Newtonian fluid is investigated. The main source of the flow is metachronal waves which are caused by the back and forth motion of cilia attached to the opposite walls of the channel. Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) of Casson fluid experience the effects of transverse magnetic fields incorporated with the slippery walls of the channel. Thermal effects are examined by taking Roseland’s approximation and application of thermal radiation into account. The heat transfer through the multiphase flow of non-Newtonian fluid is further, compared with Newtonian bi-phase flow. Since the main objective of the current study is to analyze heat transfer through an MHD multiphase flow of Casson fluid. The two-phase heated flow of non-Newtonian fluid is driven by cilia motion results in nonlinear and coupled differential equations which are transformed and subsequently, integrated subject to slip boundary conditions. A closed-form solution is eventually obtained form that effectively describes the flow dynamics of multiphase flow. A comprehensive parametric study is carried out which highlights the significant contribution of pertinent parameters of the heat transfer of Casson multiphase flow. It is inferred that lubricated walls and magnetic fields hamper the movement of multiphase flow. It is noted that a sufficient amount of additional thermal energy moves into the system, due to the Eckert number and Prandtl number. While thermal radiation acts differently by expunging the heat transfer. Moreover, Casson multiphase flow is a more suitable source of heat transfer than Newtonian multiphase flow.


2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R. Pearson ◽  
Jamal Seyed-Yagoobi

Heat pipes are well known as simple and effective heat transport devices, utilizing two-phase flow and the capillary phenomenon to remove heat. However, the generation of capillary pressure requires a wicking structure and the overall heat transport capacity of the heat pipe is generally limited by the amount of capillary pressure generation that the wicking structure can achieve. Therefore, to increase the heat transport capacity, the capillary phenomenon must be either augmented or replaced by some other pumping technique. Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) conduction pumping can be readily used to pump a thin film of a dielectric liquid along a surface, using electrodes that are embedded into the surface. In this study, two two-phase heat transport devices are created. The first device transports the heat in a linear direction. The second device transports the heat in a radial direction from a central heat source. The radial pumping configuration provides several advantages. Most notably, the heat source is wetted with fresh liquid from all directions, thereby reducing the amount of distance that must be travelled by the working fluid. The power required to operate the EHD conduction pumps is a trivial amount relative to the heat that is transported.


2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. T. Lacerda ◽  
A. T. Prata ◽  
F. Fagotti

Abstract Several phenomena occurring inside refrigerating systems depend on the interaction between the refrigeration oil and the refrigerant working fluid. Regarding the refrigeration cycle, good miscibility of oil and refrigerant assure easy return of circulating oil to the compressor through the reduction of the oil viscosity. Inside the compressor the lubricant is mainly used for leakage sealing, cooling of hot elements and lubrication of sliding parts. In the compressor bearing systems the presence of refrigerant dissolved in the oil greatly influences the performance and reliability of the compressor due to the outgassing experienced by sudden changes in temperature and pressure resulting in a two-phase mixture with density and viscosity strongly affecting the lubricant characteristics. A general understanding of the oil-refrigerant mixture flow is crucial in developing lubrication models to be used in analysis and simulation of fluid mechanics problems inside the compressor. In the present investigation the refrigeration oil flow with refrigerant outgassing is explored experimentally. A mixture of oil saturated with refrigerant is forced to flow in two straight horizontal tubes of constant diameter. One tube is used for flow visualization and the other is instrumented for pressure and temperature measurements. At the tubes inlet liquid state prevails and as flow proceeds the pressure drop reduces the gas solubility in the oil and outgassing occurs. Initially small bubbles are observed and eventually the bubble population reaches a stage where foaming flow is observed. The flow visualization allowed identification of the two-phase flow regimes experienced by the mixture. Pressure and temperature distributions are measured along the flow and from that mixture quality and void fraction were estimated.


Author(s):  
Sujin Yeom ◽  
Seung S. Lee ◽  
Sang Yong Lee

This paper presents a micro-fluidic device which generates micro-bubbles, ranging from 70μm to 160μm in diameter, and two-phase flow characteristics in the device were tested. The device is composed of three sub-channels: a centered gas channel (10μm×50μm) and two liquid channels (both with 85μm×50μm) on each side of the gas channel. Micro-bubbles are generated by co-flow of gas and liquid at the exit of the gas channel when the drag force becomes larger than the surface tension force as bubbles grow. Methanol and a gas mixture of CO2 and N2 were used as the working fluid. Since the flow rate of gas was very small, the gas momentum effect was considered negligible. Thus, in the present case, the controlling parameters were the liquid superficial velocity and the inlet pressure of the gas. A high speed camera was used to record two-phase flow patterns and micro-bubbles of the device. To confine the ranges of the micro-bubbles generation, two-phase flow patterns in the device is observed at first. Four different flow patterns were observed: annular, annular-slug, slug, and bubbly flow. In bubbly flows, uniform-sized micro-bubbles were generated, and the operating ranges of the liquid superficial velocity and the gas pressure were below 0.132 m/s and 0.7 bar, respectively. Diameters of the micro-bubbles appeared smaller with the higher superficial liquid velocity and/or with a lower gas pressure. Experimental results showed that, with the gas pressure lower than a certain level, the sizes of micro-bubbles were almost insensitive to the gas pressure. In such a ranges, the micro-bubble diameters could be estimated from a drag coefficient correlation, CDw = 31330/Re3, which is different from the correlations for macro-channels due to a larger wall effect with the micro-channels. In the latter part of the paper, as a potential of application of the micro-bubble generator to gas analysis, dissolution behavior of the gas components into the liquid flow was examined. The result shows that the micro-bubble generator can be adopted as a component of miniaturized gas analyzers if a proper improvement could be made in controlling the bubble sizes effectively.


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