scholarly journals Downward Annular Flow of Air–Oil–Water Mixture in a Vertical Pipe

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Agata Brandt ◽  
Krystian Czernek ◽  
Małgorzata Płaczek ◽  
Stanisław Witczak
Keyword(s):  
Multiphase Flow ◽  
Void Fraction ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Water Mixture ◽  
Vertical Pipe ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Liquid Concentration ◽  
Three Phase ◽  
Oil Water

The paper presents the results of a study concerned with the hydrodynamics of an annular downward multiphase flow of gas and two mutually non-mixing liquids through a vertical pipe with a diameter of 12.5 mm. The air, oil and water were used as working media in this study with changes in superficial velocities in the ranges of jg = 0.34–52.5 m/s for air, jo = 0.000165–0.75 m/s for oil, and jw = 0.02–2.5 m/s for water, respectively. The oil density and viscosity were varied within the ranges of ρo = 859–881 kg/m3 and ηo = 29–2190 mPas, respectively. The research involved the identification of multiphase flow patterns and determination of the void fraction of the individual phases. New flow patterns have been identified and described for the gravitational flow conditions of a two-phase water–oil liquid and a three-phase air–water–oil flow. New flow regime maps and equations for the calculation of air, oil and water void fractions have been developed. A good conformity between the calculated and measured values of void fraction were obtained. The map for the oil–water–air three-phase flow is valid for the following conditions: j3P = 0.35–53.4 m/s (velocity of three-phase mixture) and oil in liquid concentration βo* = 0.48–94% (oil in liquid concentration). In the case of a downward annular oil–water two-phase flow, this map is valid for liquid mixture velocity jl = 0.052–2.14 m/s and βo* = 0.48–94%.

Characteristics of Pressure Gradient Fluctuation for Oil-Gas-Water Three-Phase Flow Based on Flow Pattern

2011 ◽  
Vol 66-68 ◽  
pp. 1187-1192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hai Qin Wang ◽  
Yong Wang ◽  
Lei Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Gradient ◽  
Flow Pattern ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Water Mixture ◽  
Three Phase ◽  
Test Loop ◽  
Three Phase Flow ◽  
Oil Water ◽  
Oil Gas

Experiments were conducted in a horizontal multiphase flow test loop (50mm inner diameter, 40m long) to study the flow patterns for oil-gas-water three-phase flow and the pressure gradient fluctuation based on flow patterns. Using new methods of definition, 12 types of flow patterns were obtained and phase distribution characteristics of each pattern were analyzed. A new flow pattern (SW║IN) was firstly found in this work. Characteristics of the pressure gradient based on 7 flow patterns were carefully discussed. It was found that the pressure gradient increased with the increase of gas superficial velocity and oil-water mixture velocity. However, characteristics of the pressure gradient became complex with the increase of input water cut. The influence of flow structure of oil-water two-phase should be fully considered.

Flow Characteristics of Adiabatic Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flow in a Horizontal Flat Rectangular Microchannel

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hideo Ide ◽  
Kentaro Satonaka ◽  
Tohru Fukano
Keyword(s):  
Void Fraction ◽  
Slug Flow ◽  
Annular Flow ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Similar Data ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
The Mean

Experiments were performed to obtain, analyze and clarify the mean void fraction, the mean liquid holdup, and the liquid slug velocity and the air-water two-phase flow patterns in horizontal rectangular microchannels, with the dimensions equal to 1.0 mm width × 0.1 mm depth, and 1.0 mm width × 0.2 mm depth, respectively. The flow patterns such as bubble flow, slug flow and annular flow were observed. The microchannel data showed similar data patterns compared to those in minichannels with the width of 1∼10mm and the depth of 1mm which we had previously reported on. However, in a 1.0 × 0.1 mm microchannel, the mean holdup and the base film thickness in annular flow showed larger values because the effects of liquid viscosity and surface tension on the holdup and void fraction dominate. The remarkable flow characteristics of rivulet flow and the flow with a partial dry out of the channel inner wall were observed in slug flow and annular flow patterns in the microchannel of 0.1 mm depth.

Experimental Investigation on Flow Patterns and Frictional Pressure Drop of Downward Air-Water Two-Phase Flow in Vertical Pipes

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuqing Xue ◽  
Huixiong Li ◽  
Tianyou Sheng ◽  
Changjiang Liao
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Flow Pattern ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Vertical Pipe ◽  
Two Phase Flows ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Frictional Pressure Drop

A large amount of air need be transported into the reservoir in the deep stratum to supply oxygen to some microbes in Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR). Air-water two-phase flows downward along vertical pipeline during the air transportation. Base on the experiment data described in this paper, the characteristics of air-water two phase flow patterns were investigated. The flow pattern map of air-water two phase flows in the pipe with inner diameter of 65 mm was drawn, criterions of flow pattern transition were discussed, and the dynamic signals of the pressure and the differential pressure of the two phase flow were recorded to characterize the three basic flow regimes indirectly. The frictional pressure drop of downward flow in vertical pipe must not be disregarded contrast with upward two phase flow in the vertical pipe because the buoyancy must be overcame when the gas flows downward along pipe, and there would be a maximum value of frictional when the flow pattern translated from slug flow to churn flow.

Void fraction measurement in modeled two-phase flow inside a vertical pipe by using polyethylene phantoms

2015 ◽  
Vol 40 (44) ◽  
pp. 15206-15212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza Faghihi ◽  
Mohammadreza Nematollahi ◽  
Ali Erfaninia ◽  
Mahtab Adineh
Keyword(s):  
Void Fraction ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Vertical Pipe ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Fraction Measurement

Evaluation of Void Fraction Correlations for the Statistical and Numerical Analysis of Two-Phase Flows Inside Producing Geothermal Wells

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A´lvarez del Castillo ◽  
E. Santoyo ◽  
O. Garci´a-Valladares ◽  
P. Sa´nchez-Upton
Keyword(s):  
Void Fraction ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Temperature Gradients ◽  
Production Performance ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Precise Knowledge ◽  
Geothermal Wells ◽  
Gas Void Fraction

The modeling of heat and fluid flow inside two-phase geothermal wells is a vital task required for the study of the production performance. Gas void fraction is one of the crucial parameters required for a better prediction of pressure and temperature gradients in two-phase geothermal wells. This parameter affects the correct matching between simulated and measured data. Modeling of two-phase flow inside wells is complex because two phases exist concurrently (exhibiting various flow patterns that depend on their relative concentrations, the pipe geometry, and the mass flowrate). A reliable modeling requires the precise knowledge of the two-phase flow patterns (including their transitions and some flow parameters). In this work, ten empirical correlations were used to estimate the gas void fraction in vertical-inclined pipes, and to evaluate their effect on the prediction of two-phase flow characteristics of some Mexican geothermal wells. High quality downhole pressure/ temperature logs collected from four producing geothermal wells were studied [Los Azufres, Mich. (Az-18); Los Humeros, Pue. (H-1), and Cerro Prieto, B.C. (M-90 and M-201)]. The pressure/ temperature gradients were simulated using an improved version of the wellbore simulator GEOPOZO, and the gas void fraction correlations. The simulated results were statistically compared with measured field data.

scholarly journals Flow Patterns Transition Law of Oil-Water Two-Phase Flow under a Wide Range of Oil Phase Viscosity Condition

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Wang ◽  
Wei Cheng ◽  
Kai Li ◽  
Chen Lou ◽  
Jing Gong
Keyword(s):  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Stratified Flow ◽  
High Viscosity ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Intermittent Flow ◽  
Neutral Stability ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Oil Water

A systematic work on the prediction of flow patterns transition of the oil-water two-phase flows is carried out under a wide range of oil phase viscosities, where four main flow regimes are considered including stratified, dispersed, core-annular, and intermittent flow. For oil with a relatively low viscosity, VKH criterion is considered for the stability of stratified flow, and critical drop size model is distinguished for the transition of o/w and w/o dispersed flow. For oil with a high viscousity, boundaries of core-annular flow are based on criteria proposed by Bannwart and Strazza et al. and neutral stability law ignoring that the velocity of the viscous phase is introduced for stratified flow. Comparisons between predictions and quantities of available data in both low and high viscosity oil-water flow from literatures show a good agreement. The framework provides extensive information about flow patterns transition of oil-water two-phase flow for industrial application.

Two-Phase Flow-Induced Forces on Piping in Vertical Upward Flow: Excitation Mechanisms and Correlation Models

2013 ◽  
Vol 135 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Giraudeau ◽  
N. W. Mureithi ◽  
M. J. Pettigrew
Keyword(s):  
Void Fraction ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Large Momentum ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Upward Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Correlation Models ◽  
Wide Range

Momentum variation in two-phase flow generates significant low frequency forces, capable of producing unwanted and destructive vibrations in nuclear or petroleum industries. Two-phase flow-induced forces in piping were previously studied over a range of diameters from 6 mm to 70 mm in different piping element geometries, such as elbows, U-bends, and tees. Dimensionless models were then developed to estimate the rms forces and generate vibration excitation force spectra. It was found that slug flow generates the largest forces due to the large momentum variation between Taylor bubbles and slugs. The present study was conducted with a 52 mm diameter U-bend tube carrying a vertical upward flow. Two-phase flow-induced forces were measured. In addition, two-phase flow parameters, such as the local void fraction, bubble size and velocity, and slug frequency were studied to understand the relationship between the force spectra and the two-phase flow patterns. A new two-phase flow pattern map, based on existing transition models and validated using our own local void fraction measurements and force spectra, is proposed. This paper also presents a comparison of the present dimensionless forces with those of previous studies, thus covers a wide range of geometries and Weber numbers. Finally, a dimensionless spectrum is proposed to correlate forces with large momentum variations observed for certain flow patterns.

Hydrodynamic Modeling of Three-Phase Flow in Production and Gathering Pipelines

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Zaghloul ◽  
Michael Adewumi ◽  
M. Thaddeus Ityokumbul
Keyword(s):  
Water Flow ◽  
Fluid Model ◽  
Hydrate Formation ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Gas Oil ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Flow Reduction ◽  
Three Phase ◽  
Three Phase Flow ◽  
Oil Water

The transport of unprocessed gas streams in production and gathering pipelines is becoming more attractive for new developments, particularly those is less friendly enviroments such as deep offshore locations. Transporting gas, oil, and water together from wells in satellite fields to existing processing facilities reduces the investments required for expanding production. However, engineers often face several problems when designing these systems. These problems include reduced flow capacity, corrosion, emulsion, asphaltene or wax deposition, and hydrate formation. Engineers need a tool to understand how the fluids travel together, quantify the flow reduction in the pipe, and determine where, how much, and the type of liquid that would from in a pipe. The present work provides a fundamental understanding of the thermodynamics and hydrodynamic mechanisms of this type of flow. We present a model that couples complex hydrodynamic and thermodynamic models for describing the behavior of fluids traveling in near-horizontal pipes. The model incorporates: • A hydrodynamic formulation for three-phase flow in pipes. • A thermodynamic model capable of performing two-phase and three-phase flow calculations in an accurate, fast and reliable manner. • A new theoretical approach for determining flow pattern transitions in three-phase (gas-oil-water) flow, and closure models that effectively handle different three-phase flow patterns and their transitions. The unified two-fluid model developed herein is demonstrated to be capable of handling systems exhibiting two-phase (gas-water and gas-oil) and three-phase (gas-oil-water) flow. Model predictions were compared against field and experimental data with excellent matches. The hydrodynamic model allows: 1) the determination of flow reduction due to the condensation of liquid(s) in the pipe, 2) assessment of the potential for forming substances that might affect the integrity of the pipe, and 3) evaluation of the possible measures for improving the deliverability of the pipeline.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document