Slug flow in small diameter pipes and T-junctions

Abstract

To date, the majority of all experiments investigating phase split at T-junctions have been conducted using air–water at near atmospheric pressures in pipes greater than about 10 mm in diameter. The research reported here has studied the split of air–water flows using a 0.005 m T-junction with all pipes in the horizontal plane. Analysis of the phase split has been confined to the slug flow regime for four gas superficial velocities, 1.14, 1.82, 2.28, 4.56 m/s, and three liquid superficial velocities, 0.093, 0.166, 0.313 m/s. For each experimental run the pressure at the T-junction was maintained at 148 kPa. This compliments previous research conducted on the same rig when the flow pattern was annular or stratified. Qualitative and quantitative results of the slug flow under the differing gas and liquid inlet superficial velocities were obtained using a high-speed video. Footage was recorded of both the fully developed slug flow and how this flow divided at the T-junction. Measured properties of the slug flow were compared with previously published methods for predicting slug flow variables.