Flow characteristic of horizontal-vertical upward air-water with 45° elbow

Abstract

An experimental investigation of flow characteristics of horinsontal-vertical upward with 45° elbow has been conducted in a ¾ “ inner diameter pipe. The aims of this research are to determine the pattern of two-phase fluid flow (water-air) and pressure drop occurred in the flow. Data were obtained by varying flowrate of 1 – 3 lpm and volumetric proportion of gas (ß) of 25-50%. The results showed that a slug/plug flow was occurred at the 45° with various charateristics. The slug/plug flow indicated more bigger as the gas volume fraction (β) bigger and those are inversely to the supervisial air Reynolds (VSL). The size and the shape of the slug/plug flow were inversely with the pressure drop due to the mixing of two flow of air – water. The higher pressure drop theorically and experimentally occurred at 216.6 Pa and 107.4 Pa respectively on gas volume fraction (β) of 25%, superfisial air speed (vsG) of 0.076 m/s and superfisial water speed (vsL) of 0.227 m/s.