A Study of Slug Characteristics for Two-Phase Horizontal Flow

Abstract

Abstract Understanding the behavior of multiphase flow in pipelines is an important factor in the safe and economical design and operation of multiphase systems. Slug flow is a common and very complex occurrence in these pipelines. Sixty-two slug-flow tests were conducted over varying combinations of gas and liquid flow rates. A total of 25,975 slugs were generated, ranging from 23 to 1145 slugs per test. The flow loop consisted of a 3.068-in diameter, 1378-ft long horizontal flowline, a two-stage air compressor, a centrifugal pump, and a data acquisition system utilizing LabVIEW™ with a Macintosh II ci computer. The primary data collected during the experimental tests consisted of continuous readings of pressures, temperatures, flow rates, and liquid holdup. Processing of this data yielded slug translational velocities, slug lengths, pressure drops, slug length distribution, and slug frequency. Analysis of the results showed that the slug length distribution followed a Lognormal pattern. New correlations were developed for slug liquid holdup, film liquid holdup, slug translational velocity, slug frequency, average slug length and design slug length. Using the data from this study, the new correlation for slug liquid holdup was compared with predictions from the correlations of Gregory et al.1 and Yang2. Similarly, the new correlation for slug frequency was compared with the correlation of Hill and Wood.