Measurement of film fluctuations and aerated characteristics during gas-liquid slug-churn flow transition by wire-mesh sensor

Abstract

Vertical upward gas-liquid slug flows are frequently encountered in chemical processes and petroleum industries. The measurement of the film fluctuations and the aerated characteristics is of great significance for uncovering the mechanism of slug-churn flow pattern transitions. In this study, a conductance wire-mesh sensor (WMS) measurement system is designed based on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) to visualize the structures of vertical gas-liquid flows. Liquid film flooding is a significant factor prompting the transition from slug to churn flow. Based on the WMS data, the 3D film structures are derived to indicate film instability during the flow pattern transition. Three types of film fluctuations in stable slug flow, unstable slug flow, and churn flow are presented. Liquid slug aeration is another important factor contributing to the slug-churn flow transition. The spatial distribution and the diameters of the gas bubbles in the liquid slug are detected by the WMS. The coalescence behavior of the bubbles is uncovered. Finally, mechanistic models based on the film flooding and slug aeration are constructed to predict the boundary of the flow pattern transition. The performance of the film flooding model and slug aeration model in predicting the onset of churn flow is evaluated.