scholarly journals Experimental Investigation of Acoustic Atomization in Liquid Loading Horizontal Gas Wells

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eiman Al Munif ◽  
Jennifer Miskimins
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Liquid Film ◽  
Test Section ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Water Injection ◽  
Acoustic Properties ◽  
Flow Loop ◽  
Gas Wells ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Artificial Lift

Abstract Enhancing the production in liquid-loaded horizontal natural gas wells using an acoustic liquid atomizer tool is proposed as a possible artificial lift method. The more liquid that is converted to droplets, the more available gas is able to carry the liquid to the surface, resulting in an increase in production. The acoustic atomizer was selected to be the atomization device as it can create very small droplets at certain frequencies leading to a mist flow. The contribution of this research includes obtaining experimental data using different laboratory procedures for horizontal and slightly inclined tubulars. Two-phase (gas and water) injection stream lines are joined to the test section to introduce gas and water at desired rates. An ultrasonic atomizer inside the test section is used to better understand the atomization mechanism as an artificial lift technique. Several experiments with varying factors influencing the acoustic properties are tested including varying liquid and gas rates, four different frequencies, two different flow pipe inclination angles, and two different acoustic device orientations. The results show that when using frequencies of 62 and 62.5 kHz, the outcomes were almost identical for horizontal and slightly inclined pipe. Both frequencies reduced liquid film accumulation by 1% at lower (0.001 m/s) and higher (0.0168 m/s) liquid velocities while gas velocity was kept at 14 m/s. The performance of the acoustic tool was highly dependent on the orientation of the tool inside the flow loop due to its atomizer geometry, shape and size. Sprayers facing up (0°, original case) helped the droplets to be carried by the gas since the gas occupies the top portion of the pipe and did not block the atomizer. The sprayers failed to work while facing the bottom of the pipe (180°) due to water accumulating around the sprayers, plugging the atomizer and hindering it from working. Using an orientation of 90° (sprayers facing sideways) provided better results and positive impact in reducing the liquid film level. The efficiency of the tool decreases in slightly inclined wells. As more liquid quantity accumulated in the well, the atomization technique seems to be slow in reducing the liquid film height. This research presents a set of diverse experimental data to suggest acoustic atomization might be used as a possible artificial lift technique in horizontal wells. The technique shows a 1-4% improvement which might be experimental error or in experimental control. Thus, the device used in the lab needs improvement to work as efficiently as other artificial lift techniques to possibly enhance production.

Water-assisted Flow of Heavy Oil in a Vertical Pipe: Pilot-scale Experiments

2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio C. Bannwart ◽  
Oscar M. H. Rodriguez ◽  
Jorge L. Biazussi ◽  
Fabio N. Martins ◽  
Marcelo F. Selli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Annular Flow ◽  
Water Injection ◽  
Pilot Scale ◽  
Heavy Oils ◽  
Monitoring And Control ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
The Core ◽  
Artificial Lift ◽  
The Individual

The use of the core-annular flow pattern, where a thin fluid surrounds a very viscous one, has been suggested as an attractive artificial-lift method for heavy oils in the current Brazilian ultra-deepwater production scenario. This paper reports the pressure drop measurements and the core-annular flow observed in a 2 7/8-inch and 300 meter deep pilot-scale well conveying a mixture of heavy crude oil (2000 mPa.s and 950 kg/m3 at 35 C) and water at several combinations of the individual flow rates. The two-phase pressure drop data are compared with those of single-phase oil flow to assess the gains due to water injection. Another issue is the handling of the core-annular flow once it has been established. High-frequency pressure-gradient signals were collected and a treatment based on the Gabor transform together with neural networks is proposed as a promising solution for monitoring and control. The preliminary results are encouraging. The pilot-scale tests, including long-term experiments, were conducted in order to investigate the applicability of using water to transport heavy oils in actual wells. It represents an important step towards the full scale application of the proposed artificial-lift technology. The registered improvements in terms of oil production rate and pressure drop reductions are remarkable.

scholarly journals Experimental and theoretical study of dryout in annular flow in small diameter channels

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dariusz Mikielewicz ◽  
Michał Gliński ◽  
Jan Wajs
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Liquid Film ◽  
Annular Flow ◽  
Theoretical Study ◽  
Small Diameter ◽  
Infrared Camera ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Internal Diameter ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Liquid Film Dryout

Experimental and theoretical study of dryout in annular flow in small diameter channels In the paper the experimental analysis of dryout in small diameter channels is presented. The investigations were carried out in vertical pipes of internal diameter equal to 1.15 mm and 2.3 mm. Low-boiling point fluids such as SES36 and R123 were examined. The modern experimental techniques were applied to record liquid film dryout on the wall, among the others the infrared camera. On the basis of experimental data an empirical correlation for predictions of critical heat flux was proposed. It shows a good agreement with experimental data within the error band of 30%. Additionally, a unique approach to liquid film dryout modeling in annular flow was presented. It led to the development of the three-equation model based on consideration of liquid mass balance in the film, a two-phase mixture in the core and gas. The results of experimental validation of the model exhibit improvement in comparison to other models from literature.

Turbulence Structures in Horizontal Two-Phase Flows Under Counter-Current Conditions

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas D. Sta¨bler ◽  
Leonhard Meyer ◽  
Thomas Schulenberg ◽  
Eckart Laurien
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Film ◽  
Test Section ◽  
Gas Flow ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Two Phase Flows ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Local Measurements ◽  
Counter Current ◽  
Film Flows

In order to improve the multi-dimensional numerical simulation of horizontal two-phase flows, the knowledge of local turbulent quantities is of great importance. In horizontal stratified flows, the denser (first) phase flows as a film beneath the other (second) phase. Under counter-current conditions, the second phase flows into the opposite direction of the first phase. In the present investigations a liquid film flows counter-currently to a gas flow. According to the flow rates of both phases, different flow regimes set in. In supercritical flows (Fr>1), the height of the liquid film increases in flow direction, while it decreases in subcritical flows (Fr<1). For sufficiently high gas flow rates the upper part of the liquid film flows into direction of the gas flow, while the lower part still flows into its initial direction opposite to the gas flow. Only a reduced amount of water reaches the end of the test section. This flow regime is referred to as partially reversed flow. The presented local measurements provide not only the mean and rms-velocities of the liquid film, but also the corresponding Reynolds stresses. Local measurements are carried out at two different positions along the test section for various boundary conditions. Furthermore, the liquid injection height has been varied. The kinematic and turbulent structures of the different flow patterns are presented and compared.

Void Fraction Measurements for Air-Water Pipe Flows Using Quick-Closing Valves and Wire-Mesh Sensors

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Étienne Lessard ◽  
Jun Yang
Keyword(s):  
Void Fraction ◽  
Test Section ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Measurement Techniques ◽  
Wire Mesh ◽  
Axial Distance ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Flow Loop ◽  
Two Phase

In support of a header/feeder phenomena study, an adiabatic, near-atmospheric, air-water flow loop was commissioned simulating a single feeder of a Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor’s primary heat transport system under a postulated Loss of Coolant Accident scenario. An extensive database in representative two-phase flow conditions was collected, 750 tests in total, in order to create a two-phase flow map to be used in the more complex geometries such as header/feeder systems. The flow loop consists of two vertical test sections, for upwards and downwards flow, and one horizontal test section, each with an inner diameter of 32 mm and at least 120 diameters in length. Superficial velocities extended up to 6 m/s for the water and 10 m/s for the air. Void fraction was measured by means of quick-closing valves and a pair of wire-mesh sensors (WMS) in each test section. Two-phase repeatability tests showed that the liquid and gas superficial velocities varied by 1.1% and 0.6% at reference conditions of 2.0 and 2.8 m/s, respectively. The corresponding void fraction measurements varied for the quick-closing valves by at most 6.8%, which indicates a low sensitivity to the closure time of the valves and an appropriate axial distance between them, and 2.3% for the WMS. For both measurement techniques, the largest variations occurred in the vertical downwards test section. For the formal two-phase tests, over 600 distinct flow conditions were performed. The results showed that the two measurement techniques agreed within 5% at high void fractions and low liquid flow rates in vertical flow. For all other cases corresponding to the transitional or dispersed bubbly flow regime, the WMS over-estimated the void fraction by a consistent bias. An empirical correction is proposed, with a root-mean-square error of 6.6% across all tests. The void fraction map resulting from this database provides validation for the WMS measurements, a quantitative assessment of its uncertainty and range of applicability, and will be used as a reference in future tests under similar scale and flow conditions.

Pressure Drop Study and Correlation Development for Two-Phase Flow of R134a in Annular Helicoidal Pipe

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. L. Mo ◽  
R. Prattipati ◽  
C. X. Lin
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Vapor Phase ◽  
Test Section ◽  
Circular Tube ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Annular Section ◽  
Phase Pressure

Pressure drop characteristics of R134a in annular helicoidal pipe was investigated experimentally with R134a flowing in the annular section. The experimental results revealed that when more R134a vapor was condensed, the liquid phase pressure drop increased largely while the vapor phase pressure drop decreased slightly. By comparing with the experimental data obtained from the same test section with R134a flowing in the inner circular tube of the helicoidal pipe, it was observed that the pressure drop for refrigerant in the annular section was always larger. It was also observed that the helicoidal pipe orientation showed little effect on the pressure drop variations. A pressure drop correlation was developed from the experimental data in terms of pressure drop multiplier with respect to Lockhart-Martinelli parameter.

scholarly journals CFD Modeling of Wall Steam Condensation: Two-Phase Flow Approach versus Homogeneous Flow Approach

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Mimouni ◽  
N. Mechitoua ◽  
A. Foissac ◽  
M. Hassanaly ◽  
M. Ouraou
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Liquid Film ◽  
Dominant Role ◽  
Droplet Diameter ◽  
Homogeneous Model ◽  
Surface Tension Force ◽  
Vapor Condensation ◽  
Cfd Modeling ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Gravitational Forces

The present work is focused on the condensation heat transfer that plays a dominant role in many accident scenarios postulated to occur in the containment of nuclear reactors. The study compares a general multiphase approach implemented in NEPTUNE_CFD with a homogeneous model, of widespread use for engineering studies, implemented inCode_Saturne. The model implemented in NEPTUNE_CFD assumes that liquid droplets form along the wall within nucleation sites. Vapor condensation on droplets makes them grow. Once the droplet diameter reaches a critical value, gravitational forces compensate surface tension force and then droplets slide over the wall and form a liquid film. This approach allows taking into account simultaneously the mechanical drift between the droplet and the gas, the heat and mass transfer on droplets in the core of the flow and the condensation/evaporation phenomena on the walls. As concern the homogeneous approach, the motion of the liquid film due to the gravitational forces is neglected, as well as the volume occupied by the liquid. Both condensation models and compressible procedures are validated and compared to experimental data provided by the TOSQAN ISP47 experiment (IRSN Saclay). Computational results compare favorably with experimental data, particularly for the Helium and steam volume fractions.

Influence of a Flow Obstacle on Boiling Two-Phase Flow

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takeyuki Ami ◽  
Hisashi Umekawa ◽  
Mamoru Ozawa
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Film ◽  
Test Section ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Axial Position ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Convective Boiling ◽  
Water Reactor ◽  
Calculation Results ◽  
Liquid Film Flow

The spacer of Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) becomes the flow obstacle. Moreover the clearance between fuel rods of the innovative Water Reactor for Flexible fuel cycle (FLWR) becomes very narrow. Thus understanding of the thermal-fluid characteristics in the boiling channel equipped with the flow obstacle becomes more important. In this study, to clarify the flow obstacle effect, the experimental investigation was conducted with the forced convective boiling system. The test section was 8 mm in inner diameter, and the rod-type flow obstacle, which had 3.6 mm in diameter and 20 mm in length, was installed. The blockage ratio β = 20.3% which was the similar value of the present BWR reactor. The heating length LT was taken three different lengths, LT = 810, 840 and 900 mm. As the experimental results, the CHF was increased by the installing of the flow obstacle, and it was strongly influenced by the axial position of the flow obstacle. In the most of the case, the liquid film dryout was detected at the exit of the test section, while the CHF was observed at the upstream of the flow obstacle in the case of the LT = 810 mm. The calculation results of the liquid film flow model have shown a good agreement with these experimental results by using the presented influence length of the flow obstacle.

Effect of Obstacle Shape on the Deposition Rate in Annular Two-Phase Flow

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takayuki Fujita ◽  
Jun Minamitani ◽  
Tomio Okawa ◽  
Isao Kataoka
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Film ◽  
Deposition Rate ◽  
Test Section ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Droplet Deposition ◽  
Round Tube ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Obstacle Effect ◽  
Obstacle Geometry

In annular two-phase flow, it is known that the deposition rate of droplets markedly increases if an obstacle is placed in a flow channel. In most of the available models to evaluate the obstacle effect on deposition rate, turbulence augmentation at the downstream of obstacle is considered as the key mechanism of the deposition enhancement. In this study, it was examined where the increase of droplet deposition occurred around the obstacle to reveal the primary cause of deposition enhancement. The test section was a round tube of 5 mm in inside diameter and air and water were used as test fluids; the double film extraction technique was adopted to measure the deposition rate. To specify the position where the deposition enhancement occurred, the liquid film was extracted at the upstream, middle and downstream of the flow obstacle. As a result, it was indicated that the significant amount of droplets was deposited not only at the downstream of flow obstacle but also at the upstream of obstacle. Using five tubular obstacles of different inside and outside diameters, the influence of obstacle geometry on the deposition rate was investigated. It was shown that the position of deposition enhancement was influenced significantly by the obstacle geometry.

scholarly journals MODELLING AIR AND WATER TWO-PHASE ANNULAR FLOW IN A SMALL HORIZONTAL PIPE

2016 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 1660158 ◽  
Author(s):  
JUN YAO ◽  
YUFENG YAO ◽  
ANTONINO ARINI ◽  
STUART MCIIWAIN ◽  
TIMOTHY GORDON
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Film Thickness ◽  
Liquid Film ◽  
Annular Flow ◽  
Cfd Simulation ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Liquid Film Thickness ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Horizontal Pipe

Numerical simulation using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been carried out to study air and water two-phase flow in a small horizontal pipe of an inner diameter of 8.8mm, in order to investigate unsteady flow pattern transition behaviours and underlying physical mechanisms. The surface liquid film thickness distributions, determined by either wavy or full annular flow regime, are shown in reasonable good agreement with available experimental data. It was demonstrated that CFD simulation was able to predict wavy flow structures accurately using two-phase flow sub-models embedded in ANSYS-Fluent solver of Eulerian–Eulerian framework, together with a user defined function subroutine ANWAVER-UDF. The flow transient behaviours from bubbly to annular flow patterns and the liquid film distributions revealed the presence of gas/liquid interferences between air and water film interface. An increase of upper wall liquid film thickness along the pipe was observed for both wavy annular and full annular scenarios. It was found that the liquid wavy front can be further broken down to form the water moisture with liquid droplets penetrating upwards. There are discrepancies between CFD predictions and experimental data on the liquid film thickness determined at the bottom and the upper wall surfaces, and the obtained modelling information can be used to assist further 3D user defined function subroutine development, especially when CFD simulation becomes much more expense to model full 3D two-phase flow transient performance from a wavy annular to a fully developed annular type.

scholarly journals Numerical Investigation Into the Influence on Hydrofoil Vibrations of Water Tunnel Test Section Acoustic Modes

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Wang ◽  
Lingjiu Zhou ◽  
Zhengwei Wang ◽  
Xavier Escaler ◽  
Oscar De La Torre
Keyword(s):  
Speed Of Sound ◽  
Test Section ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Acoustic Mode ◽  
Acoustic Properties ◽  
Mode Shapes ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Acoustic Frequency ◽  
Fluid Medium ◽  
Fluid Structure

High-speed water tunnels are typically used to investigate the single-phase and two-phase flows around hydrofoils for hydraulic machinery applications but their dynamic behavior is not usually evaluated. The modal analysis of an NACA0009 hydrofoil inside the test section was calculated with a coupled acoustic fluid–structure model, which shows a good agreement with the experimental results. This numerical model has been used to study the influence on the hydrofoil modes of vibration of the acoustic properties of the surrounding fluid and of the tunnel test section dimensions. It has been found that the natural frequencies of the acoustic domain are inversely proportional to the test section dimensions. Moreover, these acoustic frequencies decrease linearly with the reduction of the speed of sound in the fluid medium. However, the hydrofoil frequencies are not affected by the change of the speed of sound except when they match an acoustic frequency. If both mode shapes are similar, a strong coupling occurs and the hydrofoil vibration follows the linear reduction of natural frequency induced by the acoustic mode. If both mode shapes are dissimilar, a new mode appears whose frequency decreases linearly with speed of sound while keeping the acoustic mode of vibration. This new fluid–structure mode of vibration appears in between two hydrofoil structure modes and its evolution with sound speed reduction has been called “mode transition.” Overall, these findings reinforce the idea that fluid–structure interaction effects must be taken into account when studying the induced vibrations on hydrofoils inside water tunnels.

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