scholarly journals A New Method of Selecting the Airlift Pump Optimum Efficiency at Low Submergence Ratios with the Use of Image Analysis

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grzegorz Ligus ◽  
Daniel Zając ◽  
Maciej Masiukiewicz ◽  
Stanisław Anweiler
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
New Method ◽  
Optimum Operating ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Gas Flux ◽  
Riser Pipe ◽  
Airlift Pump

This paper presents experimental studies on the optimization of two-phase fluid flow in an airlift pump. Airlift pumps, also known as mammoth pumps, are devices applied for vertical transport of liquids with the use of gas. Their operating principle involves the existence of a density gradient. This paper reports the results of experimental studies into the hydrodynamic effects of the airlift pump. The studies involved optical imaging of two-phase gas-liquid flow in a riser pipe. The visualization was performed with high-speed visualization techniques. The studies used a transparent model of airlift pump with a rectangular cross-section of the riser. The assessment of the airlift pump operation is based on the image grey-level analysis to provide the identification of two-phase flow regimes. The scope of the study also involved the determination of void fraction and pressure drops. The tests were carried out in a channel with dimensions 35 × 20 × 2045 mm with the gas flux range 0.2–15.0 m3/h. For the assessment of the two-phase flow pattern Probability Density Function (PDF) was applied. On the basis of the obtained results, a new method for selecting the optimum operating regime of airlift pump was derived. This method provides the finding of stability and efficiency of liquid transport. It can also be applied to determine the correlation between the total lifting efficiency and the required gas flux for proper operation of the airlift pump.

Simulation of Two Phase Flow Dynamics in Flexible Riser Exit Geometries for Oil and Gas Applications

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Ikpe E. Aniekan ◽  
Owunna Ikechukwu ◽  
Satope Paul
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Computational Cost ◽  
Maximum Velocity ◽  
Oil Well ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
The Third ◽  
Riser Pipe

Four different riser pipe exit configurations were modelled and the flow across them analysed using STAR CCM+ CFD codes. The analysis was limited to exit configurations because of the length to diameter ratio of riser pipes and the limitations of CFD codes available. Two phase flow analysis of the flow through each of the exit configurations was attempted. The various parameters required for detailed study of the flow were computed. The maximum velocity within the pipe in a two phase flow were determined to 3.42 m/s for an 8 (eight) inch riser pipe. After thorough analysis of the two phase flow regime in each of the individual exit configurations, the third and the fourth exit configurations were seen to have flow properties that ensures easy flow within the production system as well as ensure lower computational cost. Convergence (Iterations), total pressure, static pressure, velocity and pressure drop were used as criteria matrix for selecting ideal riser exit geometry, and the third exit geometry was adjudged the ideal exit geometry of all the geometries. The flow in the third riser exit configuration was modelled as a two phase flow. From the results of the two phase flow analysis, it was concluded that the third riser configuration be used in industrial applications to ensure free flow of crude oil and gas from the oil well during oil production.

scholarly journals Experimental Investigation and Prediction on Pressure Drop during Flow Boiling in Horizontal Microchannels

Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 510
Author(s):  
Yan Huang ◽  
Bifen Shu ◽  
Shengnan Zhou ◽  
Qi Shi
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Flow Model ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Boiling ◽  
Separated Flow ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Vapor Quality ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Gas Flux

In this paper, two-phase pressure drop data were obtained for boiling in horizontal rectangular microchannels with a hydraulic diameter of 0.55 mm for R-134a over mass velocities from 790 to 1122, heat fluxes from 0 to 31.08 kW/m2 and vapor qualities from 0 to 0.25. The experimental results show that the Chisholm parameter in the separated flow model relies heavily on the vapor quality, especially in the low vapor quality region (from 0 to 0.1), where the two-phase flow pattern is mainly bubbly and slug flow. Then, the measured pressure drop data are compared with those from six separated flow models. Based on the comparison result, the superficial gas flux is introduced in this paper to consider the comprehensive influence of mass velocity and vapor quality on two-phase flow pressure drop, and a new equation for the Chisholm parameter in the separated flow model is proposed as a function of the superficial gas flux . The mean absolute error (MAE ) of the new flow correlation is 16.82%, which is significantly lower than the other correlations. Moreover, the applicability of the new expression has been verified by the experimental data in other literatures.

scholarly journals Two-Phase Flow Mass Transfer Analysis of Airlift Pump for Aquaculture Applications

Fluids ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 226
Author(s):  
Rashal Abed ◽  
Mohamed M. Hussein ◽  
Wael H. Ahmed ◽  
Sherif Abdou
Keyword(s):  
Mass Transfer ◽  
Oxygen Transfer ◽  
Transfer Rate ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Oxygen Transfer Rate ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Oxygen Mass Transfer ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Airlift Pump

Airlift pumps can be used in the aquaculture industry to provide aeration while concurrently moving water utilizing the dynamics of two-phase flow in the pump riser. The oxygen mass transfer that occurs from the injected compressed air to the water in the aquaculture systems can be experimentally investigated to determine the pump aeration capabilities. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of various airflow rates as well as the injection methods on the oxygen transfer rate within a dual injector airlift pump system. Experiments were conducted using an airlift pump connected to a vertical pump riser within a recirculating system. Both two-phase flow patterns and the void fraction measurements were used to evaluate the dissolved oxygen mass transfer mechanism through the airlift pump. A dissolved oxygen (DO) sensor was used to determine the DO levels within the airlift pumping system at different operating conditions required by the pump. Flow visualization imaging and particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements were performed in order to better understand the effects of the two-phase flow patterns on the aeration performance. It was found that the radial injection method reached the saturation point faster at lower airflow rates, whereas the axial method performed better as the airflow rates were increased. The standard oxygen transfer rate (SOTR) and standard aeration efficiency (SAE) were calculated and were found to strongly depend on the injection method as well as the two-phase flow patterns in the pump riser.

scholarly journals Clustering-Based Component Fraction Estimation in Solid–Liquid Two-Phase Flow in Dredging Engineering

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (19) ◽  
pp. 5697
Author(s):  
Chang Sun ◽  
Shihong Yue ◽  
Qi Li ◽  
Huaxiang Wang
Keyword(s):  
Clustering Algorithm ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
New Method ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Reference Distribution ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Solid Liquid

Component fraction (CF) is one of the most important parameters in multiple-phase flow. Due to the complexity of the solid–liquid two-phase flow, the CF estimation remains unsolved both in scientific research and industrial application for a long time. Electrical resistance tomography (ERT) is an advanced type of conductivity detection technique due to its low-cost, fast-response, non-invasive, and non-radiation characteristics. However, when the existing ERT method is used to measure the CF value in solid–liquid two-phase flow in dredging engineering, there are at least three problems: (1) the dependence of reference distribution whose CF value is zero; (2) the size of the detected objects may be too small to be found by ERT; and (3) there is no efficient way to estimate the effect of artifacts in ERT. In this paper, we proposed a method based on the clustering technique, where a fast-fuzzy clustering algorithm is used to partition the ERT image to three clusters that respond to liquid, solid phases, and their mixtures and artifacts, respectively. The clustering algorithm does not need any reference distribution in the CF estimation. In the case of small solid objects or artifacts, the CF value remains effectively computed by prior information. To validate the new method, a group of typical CF estimations in dredging engineering were implemented. Results show that the new method can effectively overcome the limitations of the existing method, and can provide a practical and more accurate way for CF estimation.

High Speed Imaging and Two-Phase Flow Patterns During Flow Boiling in a Single Microchannel

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Barber ◽  
Khellil Sefiane ◽  
David Brutin ◽  
Lounes Tadrist
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Boiling ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Bubble Nucleation ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Vapour Bubble ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Over Time

Boiling in microchannels remains elusive due to the lack of full understanding of the mechanisms involved. A powerful tool in achieving better comprehension of the mechanisms is detailed imaging and analysis of the two phase flow at a fundamental level. We induced boiling in a single microchannel geometry (hydraulic diameter 727 μm), using a refrigerant FC-72, to investigate several flow patterns. A transparent, metallic, conductive deposit has been developed on the exterior of rectangular microchannels, allowing simultaneous uniform heating and visualisation to be conducted. The data presented in this paper is for a particular case with a uniform heat flux of 4.26 kW/m2 applied to the microchannel and inlet liquid mass flowrate, held constant at 1.33×10−5 kg/s. In conjunction with obtaining high-speed images and videos, sensitive pressure sensors are used to record the pressure drop profiles across the microchannel over time. Bubble nucleation, growth and coalescence, as well as periodic slug flow, are observed in the test section. Phenomena are noted, such as the aspect ratio and Reynolds number of a vapour bubble, which are in turn correlated to the associated pressure drops over time. From analysis of our results, images and video sequences with the corresponding physical data obtained, it is possible to follow visually the nucleation and subsequent both ‘free’ and ‘confined’ growth of a vapour bubble over time.

Analysis of Transient Two-Phase Flow in Pressure Safety Valve Outlet Headers

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maral Taghva ◽  
Lars Damkilde
Keyword(s):  
Steady State ◽  
Shock Waves ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Safety Valve ◽  
Strong Shock ◽  
Flow Property ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Transient Pressure ◽  
Two Phase

To protect a pressurized system from overpressure, one of the most established strategies is to install a Pressure Safety Valve (PSV). Therefore, the excess pressure of the system is relieved through a vent pipe when PSV opens. The vent pipe is also called “PSV Outlet Header”. After the process starts, a transient two-phase flow is formed inside the outlet header consisting of high speed pressurized gas interacting with existing static air. The high-speed jet compresses the static air towards the end tail of the pipe until it is discharged to the ambiance and eventually, the steady state is achieved. Here, this transient process is investigated both analytically and numerically using the method of characteristics. Riemann’s solvers and Godunov’s method are utilized to establish the solution. Propagation of shock waves and flow property alterations are clearly demonstrated throughout the simulations. The results show strong shock waves as well as high transient pressure take place inside the outlet header. This is particularly important since it indicates the significance of accounting for shock waves and transient pressure, in contrast to commonly accepted steady state calculations. More precisely, shock waves and transient pressure could lead to failure, if the pipe thickness is chosen only based on conventional steady state calculations.

Visual technique for detection of gas–liquid two-phase flow regime in the airlift pump

2011 ◽  
Vol 75 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 327-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedram Hanafizadeh ◽  
Soheil Ghanbarzadeh ◽  
Mohammad Hassan Saidi
Keyword(s):  
Flow Regime ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Visual Technique ◽  
Airlift Pump
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