Acoustic Forward Model for Guided Wave Propagation and Scattering in a Pipe Bend

The sections of pipe bends are hot spots for wall thinning due to accelerated corrosion by fluid flow. Conventionally, the thickness of a bend wall is evaluated by local point-by-point ultrasonic measurement, which is slow and costly. Guided wave tomography is an attractive method that enables the monitoring of a whole bend area by processing the waves excited and received by transducer arrays. The main challenge associated with the tomography of the bend is the development of an appropriate forward model, which should simply and efficiently handle the wave propagation in a complex bend model. In this study, we developed a two-dimensional (2D) acoustic forward model to replace the complex three-dimensional (3D) bend domain with a rectangular domain that is made artificially anisotropic by using Thomsen parameters. Thomsen parameters allow the consideration of the directional dependence of the velocity of the wave in the model. Good agreement was found between predictions and experiments performed on a 220 mm diameter (d) pipe with 1.5d bend radius, including the wave-field focusing effect and the steering effect of scattered wave-fields from defects.

CFD modeling of slurry flow erosion wear rate through mitre pipe bend

Erosive wear caused by particulates slurry is one of the major concerns in the pipe bend which may results in the failure of the pipe flow system. In the present work, erosion wear rate through mitre pipe bend caused by silica sand particulates slurry has been investigated using ANSYS Fluent code. The solid spherical particulates of size 125 µm and 250 µm having density of 2650 Kg/m3, were tracked to compute the erosion wear rate using Discrete Phase Method (DPM) model. The particulates were tracked using Eulerian-Lagrange approach along with k-ɛ turbulent model for continuous fluid phase. The silica particulates were injected at solid concentration of 5% and 10% (by weight) from the pipe inlet surface for wide range of velocities viz. 1–8 ms−1. The erosion wear rate was computed through four computational erosion models viz. Generic, Oka, Finnie and Mclaury. Furthermore, the outcomes obtained through Generic models are verified through existing experimental data in the literture. Moreover, the results of DPM concentration, turbulence intensity and particle tracking were predicted to analyze the secondary flow behaviour through the bend cross section. Finally, the effect of particulate size, solid concentration and flow velocity were discussed on erosion wear rate through bend cross section. The findings show that the locality of maximum erosive wear is positioned at the extrados of the bend outlet cross section. Additionally, it is found that Mclaury model offers higher erosion rate as compared to the other models and provides benchmark for designing the slurry pipeline system.

Evaluation of collapse moment of pressurized 30°–180° bend pipes subjected to out-of-plane bending moment

The present paper determines collapse moments of pressurized 30°–180° pipe bends incorporated with initial geometric imperfection under out-of-plane bending moment. Extensive finite element analyses are carried out considering material as well as geometric nonlinearity. The twice-elastic-slope method is used to determine collapse moment. The results show that initial imperfection produces significant change in collapse moment for unpressurized pipe bends and pipe bends applied to higher internal pressure. The application of internal pressure produces stiffening effect to pipe bends which increases collapse moment up to a certain limit and with further increase in pressure, collapse moment decreases. The bend angle effect on collapse moment reduces with the increase in internal pressure and bend radius. Based on finite element results, collapse moment equations are formed as a function of the pipe bend geometry parameters, initial geometric imperfection, bend angle, and internal pressure for elastic-perfectly plastic material models.

Production Enhancement in Intermittent Gas Lift Wells Using Sweeping Pipe Bend - Successful Case Histories from Various Onshore Fields in India

Objectives In wells which are producing on intermittent gas lift (IGL), the injected gas cannot sweep the entire liquid volume to the surface from the bottom of the tubing as there is continuously some fluid falling back in the tubing. The fallback can be described as the difference between the volume of the slug at the start of the gas injection and the volume of the actual produced slug at the surface. This fallback of liquid happens due to the fact that the gas has a tendency to flow through the liquid slug and letting the liquid to fall. The intensity of the liquid fallback increases more when there is increase in back pressure at wellhead. In order to minimize this liquid falling back in wells on intermittent gas lift, the sweeping pipe bend technology has been used in the various onshore fields operated by ONGC which has resulted in substantial gains and has been brought out in the paper. Process Gas break through and fallback are affected by three factors including the development of the gas bubble, the velocity of the slug flowing upward in the tubing, and wellhead restrictions caused due to presence of many 90-degree bends. To prevent gas breakthrough and to optimize the liquid fallback to minimum 5-7 % per 1000 feet of lift, it is recommended to maintain 1000 feet/min of minimum velocity of slug. Slower is the velocity of the slug which is moving up in the tubing, the longer time it takes for the gas to break through the liquid. At 1000 feet/min velocity, the wellhead restrictions can result in fallback losses due to breakthrough of gas in the well. In general, the flow path through the Christmas tree into the flowline is rather tortuous, moving first through a tee to the wing valve, then through other 90-degree ells before finally reaching the flowline. These restrictions further result in slowdown of the velocity of the slug thus resulting in more liquid to fallback and subsequently in significant production losses. Results In order to overcome the aforementioned problem and to reduce fallback in an intermittent gas lift well, sweeping pipe bend technology was considered and in the first phase implemented in 5 identified wells of different fields of ONGC Assets. With the help of sweeping pipe bend, the flow pattern becomes streamlined and number of 90-degree bends reduces or eliminates resulting in substantial reduction in the back pressure thus reducing the fall back. The implementation of the technology has resulted in an average liquid gain of 20.3% per well. Various guidelines for successful application of sweeping pipe bend have also been brought out in the paper. Additive Information 650 candidate wells operating on intermittent gas lift have been identified for the implementation of Sweeping Pipe Bends. As per the analysis, the implementation of Sweeping Pipe Bend is likely to result in a liquid gain of about 1000 m3/day from these wells.

Induction brazing technology for pipeline connections of an automated gas metering unit

The article discusses the connection of pipelines of an automated gas metering installation. Welding is considered as the main method of connecting pipelines and an induction pack of heating methods as proposed by the authors. In the work, a threaded connection is calculated according to the method of Anuryev V.I. On the basis of the calculations carried out by the authors using formulas from the designer’s handbook, a schematic diagram of the pipe fastening in the process of induction soldering is developed. A schematic diagram of a pipe bend is also being developed. The approach proposed by the authors will repeat the connection of pipelines of oil and gas equipment using induction packs and increase the reliability of brazed structures.

Simulation of Deformation Transfer Coefficient of Pipe Bend Buried Based on Shaking Table Test and Goodman Contact Element

Due to the large difference of stiffness between pipe and soil, the movement of the two can not be coordinated under seismic. Therefore, the deformation transfer between pipe and soil is a very important research content in the study of pipe failure. At present, scholars have done less research on the pipe-soil deformation transfer of elbow. In this paper, the fitting formula of deformation transfer coefficient of buried elbow under seismic action was obtained by scale shaking table test of pipe bend and 3D finite element model based on Goodman contact element. Then, the test results are compared with the calculation results of the fitting formula and the simulation results of the finite element method to verify the rationality of the fitting formula and analyze the change law of the deformation transfer coefficient at the elbow of the pipe, including the influence of different pipe diameters, buried depth, wall thickness, soil properties, and elbow angles. It is confirmed that these factors have a great influence on the deformation transfer between the pipe and soil, which indicates that the fitting formula of the deformation transfer coefficient at the elbow is of huge significance to the earthquake resisting design of pipe.

Combined effect of shape distortion and bend angle on collapse load of pipe bends under in-plane closing bending moment and internal pressure

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to quantify the combined effect of shape distortion and bend angle on the collapse loads of pipe bends exposed to internal pressure and in-plane closing bending moment. Non-linear finite element analysis with large displacement theory was performed considering the pipe bend material to be elastic perfectly plastic. Design/methodology/approach One half of the pipe bend model was built in ABAQUS. Shape distortion, namely, ovality (Co) and thinning (Ct), were each varied from 0% to 20% in steps of 5% and bend angle was varied from 30° to 180° in steps of 30°. Findings The findings show that ovality has a significant impact on collapse load. The effect of ovality decreases with an increase in bend angle for small thickness. The opposite effect was observed for large thickness pipe bends. The influence of ovality was more for higher bend angles. Ovality impact was almost negligible at certain internal pressure denoted as nullifying point (NP). The latter increased with an increase in pipe bend thickness and decreased with increase in pipe bend radius. For small bend angles one NP was observed where ovality impact is negligible and beyond this point the ovality effect increased. Two NPs were observed for large bend angles and ovality effect was maximum between the two NPs. Thinning yielded a minimal effect on collapse load except for small bend angles and bend radii. The influence of internal pressure on thinning was also negligible. Originality/value Influence of shape distortions and bend angle on collapse load of pipe bend exposed to internal pressure and in-plane closing bending has been not revealed in existing literature.