Flow Patterns of Oil/Water Two-Phase Upflows in a Small Vertical Tube

Abstract:

The flow patterns of oil/water two-phase upward flows in a small vertical tube with an internal diameter of 0.010 m were investigated by high speed video system. Using stainless steel tube as test section, transparent plastic tube as observing section and deionized water and kerosene (density of 796kg/m3) as working fluids, 5 flow patterns, i.e., annular, churn, slug, bubble and dispersed droplets, were observed under the experimental conditions. The transition boundaries of these flow patterns were compared with the literature and theoretical models of Taitel et al [1] for gas-liquid upward flows. There are some differences of the transition boundaries between the present study and the literature of either gas-liquid or liquid-liquid systems. The theoretical models of Taitel et al can well predict the transition boundaries from annular to churn and from churn to bubble.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 396-398)
• Pages: 274-278
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.396-398.274
• Online since: November 2011
• Authors: Zhen Ying Zhao, Jia Hao Wang, Hai Yan Min, Li Min Yang, Ji He Yang
• Keywords: Flow Pattern, Flow Pattern Maps, Model, Oil-Water Flow, Upward Flow

References

[1] Y. Taitel, D. Barnea and A. E. Dukler, " Modelling flow pattern transitions for steady upward gas-liquid flow in vertical tubes," AIChE J., 26(3):345-354, 1980.

DOI: 10.1002/aic.690260304

[2] J. Mandhane and K. Aziz, "Flow pattern map for gas-liquid flow in horizontal pipe," Int. J. Multiphase Flow, 1(4):537-553, 1974.

DOI: 10.1016/0301-9322(74)90006-8

[3] G.F. Hewitt and N. S. Hall-Taylor, Annular Two-Phase Flow, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1970.

[4] Y. Taitel and A. E. Dukler, " A model for predictiong flow regime transitions in hrizontal and near-horizontal gas-liquid flow," AIChE J., 22:47-55, 1976.

DOI: 10.1002/aic.690220105

[5] J. L. Trallero, C. Sarica and J. P. Brill, " A study of oil-water flow patterns in horizontal pipes," SPE Production and facilities, 1997, pp.165-172.

DOI: 10.2118/36609-pa

[6] A. K. Jana, G. Das and P. K. Das, " Flow regime identification of two-phase liquid-liquid upflow through vertical pipe," Chem. Eng. Sci., 61:1500-1515, 2006.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2005.09.001

[7] L. Liu, O. K. Matar, C. J. Lawrence and G. F. Hewitt, " Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) studies of liquid-liquid flows. Part I: Flow structures and phase inversion," Chem. Eng. Sci. 61:4007-4021, 2006.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2005.11.047

[8] Barnea, D., Luninski, Y. and Taitel, Y., 1983, Flow pattern in horizontal and vertical two phase flow in small diameter pipes, Can. J. Chem. Eng., V.61, pp.617-620.

DOI: 10.1002/cjce.5450610501

[9] Dukler, A.E., Fabre, J.A., McQuillen, J.B. and Vernon, R., 1988, Gas-liquid flow at microgravity conditions: flow patterns and their transitions, Int. J. Multiphase Flow, V. 14, pp.389-400.

DOI: 10.1016/0301-9322(88)90017-1