Surveillance Models of Large-Scale ESP With High Viscosity Fluids and Gas

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lissett Barrios ◽  
Stuart Scott ◽  
Charles Deuel
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Electrical Current ◽  
High Viscosity ◽  
Viscous Fluids ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Centrifugal Pumps ◽  
Operational Parameters ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Operational Conditions

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.

A Method for Correlating the Characteristics of Centrifugal Pumps in Two-Phase Flow

1978 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 395-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaroslaw Mikielewicz ◽  
David Gordon Wilson ◽  
Tak-Chee Chan ◽  
Albert L. Goldfinch
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Pump ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Direction ◽  
Semiempirical Method ◽  
Head Loss ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Loss Ratio ◽  
Centrifugal Pumps ◽  
Reversed Flow ◽  
Two Phase

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.

Prediction of Pump Performance Under Air-Water Two-Phase Flow Based on a Bubbly Flow Model

1993 ◽  
Vol 115 (4) ◽  
pp. 781-783 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiyoshi Minemura ◽  
Tomomi Uchiyama
Keyword(s):  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Bubbly Flow ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Centrifugal Pumps ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Performance Change ◽  
Void Fractions ◽  
Two Phases

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.

High Viscosity Flashing Two-Phase Flow

2010 ◽  
pp. 289-312
Author(s):  
Albert R. Muller ◽  
Harry S. Forrest ◽  
Harold G. Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
High Viscosity ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase

scholarly journals Pressure Signal Analysis for the Characterization of High-Viscosity Two-Phase Flows in Horizontal Pipes

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 1000
Author(s):  
Lizeth Torres ◽  
José Noguera ◽  
José Enrique Guzmán-Vázquez ◽  
Jonathan Hernández ◽  
Marco Sanjuan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Flow ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
High Viscosity ◽  
Flow Rate Ratio ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Local Flow ◽  
Horizontal Pipes ◽  
Pressure Time ◽  
Mass Flow Rates

We study a high-viscosity two-phase flow through an analysis of the corresponding pressure signals. In particular, we investigate the flow of a glycerin–air mixture moving through a horizontal pipeline with a U-section installed midway along the pipe. Different combinations of liquid and air mass flow rates are experimentally tested. Then, we examine the moments of the statistical distributions obtained from the resulting pressure time series, in order to highlight the significant dynamical traits of the flow. Finally, we propose a novel correlation with two dimensionless parameters: the Euler number and a mass-flow-rate ratio to predict the pressure gradient in high-viscosity two-phase flow. Distinctive variations of the pressure gradients are observed in each section of the pipeline, which suggest that the local flow dynamics must not be disregarded in favor of global considerations.

scholarly journals Numerical Simulation of Gas–Liquid Two-Phase Flow Characteristics of Centrifugal Pump Based on the CFD–PBM

Mathematics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fan Zhang ◽  
Lufeng Zhu ◽  
Ke Chen ◽  
Weicheng Yan ◽  
Desmond Appiah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Centrifugal Pump ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Average Diameter ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Centrifugal Pumps ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Coalescence Rate ◽  
Breakage Rate

This work seeks to apply the computational fluid dynamics–population balance model (CFD–PBM) to investigate the gas distribution and flow mechanism in the gas–liquid two-phase flow of a centrifugal pump. The findings show that the numerical simulation accurately captures the bubble distribution characteristics in the process of coalescence and breakage evolution. In addition, comparing the CFD–PBM with the Double Euler, the hydraulic head of the pump are similar, but the efficiency using the Double Euler is much higher—even close to single-phase. This is in contrast to previous experimental research. Then, the unsteady flow usually led to the formation of bubbles with larger diameters especially where vortices existed. In addition, the rotor–stator interaction was a main reason for bubble formation. Generally, it was observed that the coalescence rate was greater than the breakage rate; thus, the coalescence rate decreased until it equaled the breakage rate. Thereafter, the average diameter of the bubble in each part tended to be stable during the process of bubble evolution. Finally, the average diameter of bubbles seemed to increase from inlet to outlet. The results of this study may not only enhance the gas–liquid two-phase internal flow theory of centrifugal pumps, but also can serve as a benchmark for optimizations of reliable operation of hydraulic pumps under gas–liquid two-phase flow conditions.

A Large-Scale Numerical Simulation on Bubbly and Liquid Film Flows in Narrow Fuel Channels

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Takase ◽  
H. Yoshida ◽  
Y. Ose ◽  
H. Akimoto
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Reactor Core ◽  
Light Water Reactor ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Light Water ◽  
Water Reactor ◽  
Fuel Bundle

In order to predict the water-vapor two-phase flow structure in a fuel bundle of an advanced light-water reactor, large-scale numerical simulations were carried out using a newly developed two-phase flow analysis method and a highly parallel-vector supercomputer. Conventional analysis methods such as subchannel codes need composition equations based on many experimental data. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain highly prediction accuracy on the thermal design of the advanced light-water reactor core if the experimental data are insufficient. Then, a new analysis method using the large-scale direct numerical simulation of water-vapor two-phase flow was proposed. The coalescence and fragmentation of small bubbles were investigated numerically and the bubbly flow dynamics in narrow fuel channels were clarified. Moreover, the liquid film flow inside a tight-lattice fuel bundle which is used to the advanced light-water reactor core was analyzed and the water and vapor distributions around fuel rods and a spacer were estimated quantitatively.

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