Experimental Study on Gas–Liquid Two-Phase Flow Upstream and Downstream of U-Bends

Abstract

In this study, the influence of U-bends on the flow and pressure propagation characteristics of a gas–liquid two-phase flow in upstream and downstream straight pipes was investigated experimentally. The superficial velocities of the gas and liquid are 0.18–25.11 m/s and 0.20–1.98 m/s, respectively, covering plug flow, slug flow, and annular flow. The experiments were conducted in U-tubes with inner diameters of 9 mm and 12 mm and with a curvature ratio of 8.33. The U-tube was C-shaped. The pressure fluctuations at the axial measurement points of the straight tubes were measured. Flow images of the distal straight tubes and U-bends were obtained. The disturbance from U-bends in the two-phase flow in the vicinity of the bend is very obvious. The perturbation from U-bends in the fluid in the adjacent straight tubes is highly related to the incoming flow pattern. The slug flow has the most significant influence, whereas the effects of the plug and annular flows are small. Fundamentally, it mainly depends on the weight relationship between the gravity, centrifugal force, and inertial force of the gas–liquid two-phase fluid. The pressure fluctuation propagates in the form of a wave with the same dominant frequency in the straight pipes of the U-tube. The pressure pulsation energy in the straight tubes strengthens with decreasing distance from the 180° return bend. In addition, the pressure fluctuation energy downstream of the U-bend is greater than that upstream of the return bend.