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.

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.

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).

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.

Effects of Curved Section on Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flow in Milli-Channel

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuki Takeda ◽  
Shinpei Okamoto ◽  
Kenji Yoshida ◽  
Isao Kataoka
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Loss ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Narrow Channel ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Straight Section ◽  
Industrial Products ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Curved Section

In recent years, we can easily find the gas-liquid two-phase flow in narrow channel which has straight section and curved section in many industrial products. In order to improve the performance of these industrial products, it is important to clarify the effects of curved section on gas-liquid two-phase flow behavior in narrow channel. In this study, we have measured the pressure loss precisely on straight section and curved section in milli-channel respectively. From the measured pressure loss, we evaluated the mean pressure loss and its intensity. Flow visualization by using high-speed video camera was additionally performed to make clear the relation between modification of pressure loss and flow pattern in curved section. As a result, effects of curved section on gas-liquid two-phase flow in narrow channel were evaluated.

Development of Prediction Technology of Two-Phase Flow Dynamics Under Earthquake Acceleration: (11) Bubble Motion Under the Flow Vibration

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryotaro Yokoyama ◽  
Jun-ichi Takano ◽  
Hideaki Monji ◽  
Akiko Kaneko ◽  
Yutaka Abe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Flow Rate ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Bubbly Flow ◽  
Plug Flow ◽  
Flow Simulation ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Bubble Behavior ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Rate Fluctuation

Earthquake is one of the most serious phenomena for safety of a nuclear power plant. Therefore, nuclear reactors were contracted considering structural safety for a big earthquake. In a nuclear reactor, the gas-liquid two-phase flow is the one of primary factor of the property and bubbly or plug flow behavior is important issue to evaluate of safety. However, the influence of an earthquake vibration on the gas-liquid two-phase flow inside the nuclear power plant is not understood enough. For example, the bubbly flow behavior under the flow rate fluctuation caused by the earthquake acceleration is not clear. It is necessary to clear the two-phase flow behavior under the earthquake conditions. To develop the prediction technology of two-phase flow dynamics under the earthquake acceleration, the detailed two-phase flow simulation code with an advanced interface tracking method, TPFIT was expanded to the two-phase flow simulation under earthquake accelerating conditions. In the present study, the objective is to clarify the behavior of the gas-liquid two-phase flow under the earthquake conditions. Especially, the bubble behavior in the two-phase flow, a diameter, shape and velocity of bubbles which are expected to be influenced by the oscillation of the earthquake is investigated. In this experiment, the flow was bubbly flow and/or plug flow in a horizontal circular pipe. The working fluids were water and nitrogen gas. The nitrogen gas from gas cylinder was injected into the water through a nozzle and bubbly flow was generated at a mixer. The water was driven by a pump and the flow rate fluctuation was given by a reciprocating piston attached to the main flow loop. Main frequency of earthquakes is generally between 0.5Hz and 10Hz. Thus the frequency of the flow rate fluctuation in the experiment also was taken between 0.5Hz and 10Hz. The behavior of horizontal gas-liquid two-phase flow under the flow rate fluctuation was investigated by image processing using a high-speed video camera and PIV at test section. The pressure sensors were installed at the inlet of the mixer and the outlet of the test section. As the result, the bubble behavior mechanism under the flow rate fluctuation was obtained. In addition, the acceleration of a bubble and the pressure gradient in the pipe was synchronized under all frequency conditions. The prediction results by TPFIT were compared with the experimental results. They show good agreement on the flow field around a bubble and the bubble behavior.

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