Velocity field in isothermal turbulent bubbly gas-liquid flow through a pipe

Abstract

Velocity field was measured by laser Doppler velocimetry in isothermal, turbulent bubbly gas-liquid flow through a 26.6 mm inner diameter vertical pipe. The measurements were made about 33 diameters downstream from the pipe entrance, gas injection being just upstream of the entrance. The gas phase radial distribution at the measurement plane exhibited influence of the injection device in that higher gas fraction existed in the central region of the pipe. For comparison, velocity field was also measured in isothermal, turbulent single-phase liquid flow through the same pipe at the same axial plane. Measured were the radial distributions of liquid mean axial and radial velocities, axial and radial turbulent intensities, and axial Reynolds shear stress. The radial distributions of gas bubble mean axial velocity and axial velocity fluctuation intensity were also measured by LDV. A dualsensor fiberoptic probe was used at the same time to measure the radial distributions of gas fraction, bubble mean axial velocity and size slightly downstream of the LDV measurement plane.