A Mechanistic Model for Predicting Pressure Drop in Vertical Upward Two-Phase Flow

Abstract

A comprehensive mechanistic model is formulated to predict flow patterns, pressure drop, and liquid holdup in vertical upward two-phase flow. The model identifies five flow patterns: bubble, dispersed bubble, slug, churn, and annular. The flow pattern prediction models are the Ansari et al. (1994) model for dispersed bubble and annular flows, the Chokshi (1994) model for bubbly flow, and a new model for churn flow. Separate hydrodynamic models for each flow pattern are proposed. A new hydrodynamic model for churn flow has been developed, while Chokshi’s slug flow model has been modified. The Chokshi and Ansari et al. models have been adopted for bubbly and annular flows, respectively. The model is evaluated using the expanded Tulsa University Fluid Flow Projects (TUFFP) well data bank of 2052 well cases covering a wide range of field data. The model is also compared with the Ansari et al., (1994), Chokshi (1994), Hasan and Kabir (1994), Aziz et al. (1972), and Hagedorn and Brown (1964) methods. The comparison results show that the proposed model performs the best and agrees well with the data.