CFD simulations of hydrodynamic characteristics in a gas–liquid vertical upward slug flow

Abstract

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are conducted using the volume-of-fluid (VOF) method to investigate the hydrodynamic characteristics of slug flow and the mechanism of slug flow induced CO 2 corrosion. The hydrodynamic characteristics are significantly affected by the viscous, interfacial, and inertial forces. In inertia dominated flows, the velocity of fully developed falling liquid film is increased with increased Taylor bubble rising velocity. The developing falling liquid film is formed at about the length of 0.5 diameter from the Taylor bubble nose, the fully developed falling liquid film is reached at about the length of 1.5–2.1 diameter from the Taylor bubble nose. The average mass transfer coefficient in the falling liquid film is always higher than that in the Taylor bubble wake zone. The iron ion near wall mass transfer coefficient is higher than that of hydrogen ion. The wall shear stress is increased with increased Taylor bubble rising velocity in fully developed falling liquid film zone, and the wall shear stress has a large fluctuation due to the chaotic and turbulent vortexes in Taylor bubble wake zone. The formation and the damage mechanism of the corrosion product scale are proposed for the gas–liquid two-phase vertical upward slug flow induced CO 2 corrosion. It is found that the wall shear stress of upward gas–liquid slug flow is alternate with high frequency, which is the key factor resulting in the corrosion product scale fatigue cracking. The CFD simulation results are in satisfactory agreement with previous experimental data and models available in literature.