Characteristics Of Gas-liquid Two-phase Flow Research Articles

Cyclic flow cut-off characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow in pipeline-riser system and prediction of its occurring condition

In offshore oil and gas fields, the prediction of gas-liquid two-phase flow pattern is of great importance for the design and operation of pipeline-riser systems. However, no special attention was put on the mechanism of periodic flow cut-off at the riser outlet, which is an inherent characteristic of certain flow patterns directly related to operation safety, in the study of flow pattern transition. In this study, differential pressure signals are used to explore the internal correlation between the flow cut-off of gas and/or liquid phase at the riser bottom and the riser outlet. The flow patterns are classified based on continuous flow or flow cut-off at the riser outlet. Then, the flow pattern transition mechanisms are studied from the view of the condition under which flow cut-off will appear. At high gas and low liquid velocities, the mechanism can be explained by a conventional theory; while at high gas and high liquid velocities, dissipation of hydrodynamic slugs becomes the major reason for flow pattern transition; and a unified model is introduced to predict the dissipation. At low gas and high liquid velocities, the condition for gas-liquid eruption can still describe the flow pattern transition, but it is modified by the slug dissipation model. At higher pressure, the lasting time of gas cut-off at the riser elbow becomes shorter, and a threshold can be set to decide whether it can be ignored. The predicted results are in good agreement with the flow pattern maps under different pipeline structures and fluid properties, and the reason why flow cut-off disappears in the experimental loop at high pressure of 10 MPa is successfully explained.

Two-group drift-flux model in tight lattice subchannel

Tight lattice rod bundles can increase equipment compactness and improve heat exchange efficiency, and they are widely adopted in heat exchange engineering. Understanding the flow characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow in tight lattice subchannels is essential for developing heat exchangers and fuel assemblies with these tight bundles. The drift-flux model (DFM) is a crucial two-phase flow model extensively used in subchannel analysis codes. Investigating the DFM in tight lattice subchannels benefits the advancement of these codes. For two-phase flow interfacial structures, significant two-group characteristics exist, with bubbles divided into small (group-one) and large (group-two) bubbles. The substantial differences in flow characteristics between these two groups provide a solid foundation for developing a two-group DFM. This study examined the two-group characteristics of two-phase flow in a tight lattice interior subchannel and developed a corresponding two-group DFM. The two-group correlations for the distribution parameters and drift velocities at the tight lattice interior subchannel level were proposed and verified using experimental data. The accuracy of the developed two-group DFM in predicting group-wise void fraction and gas velocity was also verified. The standard relative deviation between the model predictions and experimental data was 8.11 % and 13.1 % for group-one and group-two void fractions and 8.33 % and 11.7 % for group-one and group-two gas velocities, respectively. This indicates satisfactory accuracy for the newly developed two-group DFM in a tight lattice interior subchannel.

Characteristics of gas–liquid two-phase flow in a stirred tank with double-layer punched impeller

This study investigates the gas–liquid two-phase flow characteristics in a stirred tank equipped with a double-layer punched impeller. Numerical simulations are conducted to analyze flow dynamics, gas holdup, bubble sizes, and distributions under various operational conditions. The results show a high degree of agreement between experimental and simulated power values and gas holdup distributions, validating the reliability of the computational fluid dynamics–population balance model coupling approach. The combination of the punched four-inclined-blade up-pumping turbine and the punched Rushton impeller exhibits excellent bubble dispersion characteristics, with overall small bubble sizes. Increasing the rotational speed can enhance turbulence within the flow field and accelerate the liquid phase velocity, which facilitates gas diffusion and improves gas–liquid mixing efficiency. Additionally, higher rotational speed further intensifies the shear effect of the punched impeller, resulting in a reduction in average bubble size.

Numerical Analysis of Spray Evaporation Process in Desuperheater

Abstract The cooling water is sprayed into the desuperheater to regulate the temperature of the superheated steam. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was applied to investigate the spray evaporation process in the desuperheater. Discrete phase model (DPM) was applied to describe the gas-liquid two-phase flow characteristics based on the Eulerian-Lagrangian approach. The Rosin-Rammler distribution and TAB model were used for the description of the primary and secondary droplet breakup, respectively. The coupling effect of gas-liquid two-phase, influence of temperature on latent heat, the stochastic collision and coalescence of droplets were considered in the CFD model. The numerical results show good agreement with the plant data. The hydrodynamics and temperature distribution characteristics were analysed. The influence of water mass flow rate and orifice dimensions on temperature distribution and temperature non-uniformity was further investigated. The results indicate that increasing the water flow rate can improve the desuperheating ability, but it will make the temperature uniformity worse. Under the same operating conditions, smaller orifice diameters are beneficial for production of droplets with smaller size, leading to better desuperheating ability.

Investigation on the multi-scale interactions in gas–liquid jet bubbling reactor

Due to the unreliability of the mechanical seal of the mechanical stirring reactor in traditional carbonyl synthesis reactions, a gas–liquid jet bubbling reactor has been developed that is a new type of hydraulic stirring. A cold model device was constructed to address the complex flow field characteristics of a gas–liquid jet bubbling reactor, and a gas–liquid phase testing method was established to obtain the gas–liquid phase flow parameters in the cold model device. A mathematical model of a cold model device was established based on computational fluid dynamics. The reliability and accuracy of the calculation model were verified by combining experimental data of the cold model device, and the gas–liquid two-phase flow characteristics of an industrial grade reactor were obtained. The multiscale characteristics of gas–liquid two-phase signals in industrial reactors and the multiscale gas–liquid two-phase interactions were analyzed by combining wavelet analysis, power spectrum analysis, and fractal analysis. Based on the multiscale gas–liquid interaction mechanism model of gas–liquid interaction, the liquid phase interaction in d1-d6 inside the reactor was increased. The gas–liquid mass transfer process was enhanced, and the liquid level fluctuation and temperature difference of industrial grade reactors were significantly reduced.

Numerical investigation on slip velocity characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow in a multiphase pump under different blade tip clearance

Abstract It is significant to explore the slip velocity characteristics of two-phase in blade tip clearance (BTC) of multiphase pump for improving semi-open mixed-flow pump performance. On the ground of the Euler-Euler inhomogeneous model, a gas-liquid mixed-flow pump was taken as the research object. Using CFX software to simulate the flow field in the multiphase pump with conditions of the inlet gas void fraction (IGVF) are 10%, 20% and 30%. The slip velocity characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase in mixed-flow multiphase pump with different blade tip clearance sizes (BTCS) were analyzed. The results show that there is obvious slip velocity on blade leading edge (L.E.), trailing edge (T.E.) and pressure side (PS) of BTC of mixed-flow pump impeller. When BTCS is small, the slip velocity on the tip pressure side has little change along flow direction, but with the increase of BTCS, slip velocity on the tip pressure side will gradually increase. There is a positive correlation between slip velocity and the pressure gradient. The research results can provide significant guidance for optimization design of semi-open mixed-flow multiphase pump.

Investigation of the minimum filling amount of ionic liquid in the multi-stage ionic liquid compressor

Ionic liquid compressors are the ideal solution for hydrogen refueling stations, and multi-stage compression is an inevitable choice for achieving high-pressure refueling, such as 90 MPa level. However, the initial filling amount of the ionic liquid in the compression chamber is lacking basis as the characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow during the reciprocating movement of the liquid piston are not understood. This study numerically investigates the variation characteristics of the gas-liquid interface in the compression chambers under different structural and operating parameters of a five-stage ionic liquid compressor. Based on the fluctuation feature of the phase interface, the minimum liquid piston heights in each stage that ensure effective sealing for the compression chamber with different stroke-to-diameter ratios (r) are determined. Finally, the mathematical relationship for calculating the minimum ionic liquid filling amount related to structural parameter r and suction pressure is established, which provides guidance for the design of the ionic liquid compressor.

Gas-liquid flow and mass transfer characteristics in improved heart-shaped structure microreactor

The gas-liquid two-phase flow and mass transfer characteristics in heart-shaped structure microreactor were visually investigated in an Advanced Flow Reactor (AFR). Three various flow patterns were observed in the experiment: Taylor-bubble flow, Taylor-flow, and unstable broken flow. The experiment observed that the bubbles only broke steadily under the action of the first heart-shaped unit obstacle; while in the latter heart-shaped units, the larger bubbles would break resulting in the unstable broken flow. The efficiency of CO2 absorption increases as the gas-liquid two-phase flow rate ratio decreases and the solution concentration rises. The volume mass transfer coefficient increases with the increase of the gas-liquid two-phase flow rate ratio and the solution concentration. The absorption efficiency and mass transfer coefficient in channel 2 with two rows of heart-shaped units is greater than channel 1 with one row of heart-shaped units. Additionally, there exists an optimal performance ratio for reactor under the appropriate gas-liquid flow rate ratio.

Optimal design and performance analysis of anode flow channels in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers

In proton exchange membrane water electrolysis, the water/oxygen distribution characteristics in the anode channel significantly affect the electrolyzer performance. In this paper, a three-dimensional two-phase non-isothermal numerical model of the electrolyzer is established, in which the reaction kinetics equation is modified theoretically and is validated experimentally. Two novel anode channel structures (Straight-through turbulent flow channel and Mesh-like structured flow channel) are designed and their multiphysical field distribution characteristics are compared with the traditional straight-through flow channel. Results show that, for Straight-through flow channel structure, the liquid water saturation and temperature gradient between the under-channel and under-rib areas are large, resulting in bubble accumulation under the ribs, deterioration of heat and mass transfer, and harming the electrolyzer reaction rate. The two novel structures both have velocity component perpendicular to the channel flow direction, promoting the expulsion of oxygen accumulated in the anode porous electrode, contributing to more uniform distribution characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow and current density. At 2.5 V, the current density of Straight-through flow channel, Straight-through turbulent flow channel, and Mesh-like structured flow channel are 4.12, 4.14, and 4.53 A/cm2, respectively. The excellent heat and mass transfer characteristics enable the Mesh-like structured flow channel to have the best electrochemical performance.

Research on test method of multi-channel ultrasonic wave detection for gas well injection volume

In the early stage of natural gas extraction, the fracturing and blowout process is often used to obtain stable production. However, during the fracturing process, natural gas combustion is frequently directly released, which causes significant pollution to the environment and a waste of resources. In order to measure the flow rate of the gas-liquid mixture in the process of gas well blowout, a multi-channel velocity measurement model is established. The multi-channel sensor structure is designed based on an analysis of the gas well blowout process and fluid configuration simulations. The influence of pipe diameter on the flow characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow was analyzed by FLUENT software. The simulation results show that the distribution of flow velocity in a gas-liquid two-phase flow tube is not uniform, the flow velocity of different flow layers is different, and the stratification phenomenon is more obvious with the increase of pipe diameter, highlighting the necessity of multi-channel measurements. Therefore, we developed a gas-liquid two-phase flow velocity measuring device. The experimental results demonstrate that accurately describing velocity in the tube can be achieved by measuring velocities in different channels using the gas-liquid two-phase flow velocity measurement device.

Fluid dynamics and energy efficiency of submerged combustion process for treating wastewater with high salinity and COD concentration

Focusing on submerged combustion technology for the treatment of high salinity and high chemical oxygen demand (COD) wastewater, this study explores the characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow and heat transfer during the submerged combustion process, employing both experimental and numerical simulation methods.Consequently, the impact of essential parameters on the efficacy of submerged combustion in treating wastewater was analyzed. The experimental results show that increasing the fuel flow rate and immersion depth is beneficial to improve the temperature rise rate and shorten the evaporation time. With the increase of the organic solution flow rate and the initial COD value of the organic solution, the COD removal rate decreased, and the effect of the organic solution flow rate on the COD removal efficiency was more obvious. The use of a flat orifice plate or tapered orifice plate immersed tube structure can improve the thermal efficiency by over 10%. However, it is not conducive to the stability of the pressure in the combustor, increasing the fluctuation of the liquid level. Compared with that of traditional single-effect evaporation crystallization, the energy consumption of the submerged combustion device is decreased, and the total operation cost is reduced by 22.5%.

Experimental study on leakage characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow in a horizontal pipe

Oil and gas pipeline leakage accidents caused by aging and third-party damage have increased, resulting in polluting the ecological environment and jeopardizing life and property safety. A detailed and systematic investigation on the leak characteristics of oil and gas two-phase pipelines is significantly urgent. The leak experiments were performed on a horizontal tube with a diameter of 32 mm. There was a 3 mm round leakage hole at the bottom of the tube. The distance of the leakage hole from the pipe inlet was 4.8 m. Three inlet flow patterns, including stratified flow, slug flow, and annular flow via adjusting the gas superficial velocity (1.73 m/s ≤ USG ≤ 24.19 m/s) and liquid superficial velocity (0.017 m/s ≤ USL ≤ 0.415 m/s), were obtained. The conclusions point out that the type of leakage, whether it is mainly liquid or both gas and liquid, depends on the USG. The degree of phase separation in stratified flow is the greatest among the three inlet flow patterns, with a maximal phase separation efficiency (η) of 0.403. Slug flow has the least phase separation degree. Interestingly, the η is directly proportional to the inlet mass fraction only for slug flow. The harmonic frequency that appeared in the power spectral density curves for the pressure difference of leakage hole in slug flow, indicates that leakage is not a standard periodic event. The liquid velocity loss is primarily related to the gas leakage mechanism. These findings can provide new insights into two-phase pipeline leak detection and accident consequence prediction.

Study of gas-liquid two-phase flow characteristics in hydrate-bearing sediments

The characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow in hydrate-bearing sediments (HBS) are critical for natural gas hydrate production. This study experimentally investigates the flow patterns in the presence of hydrates and employs the phase field method for accurate simulations. Additionally, flow pressure differences in a capillary model were analyzed, and the impacts of occurrence patterns, saturation, and wettability of hydrates were investigated by numerical simulation. The results show that flow patterns are predominantly influenced by flow velocity. At high flow rates (Reynolds number >10), different gas-liquid ratios result in a variety of flow patterns, including annular, Taylor, and bubble flow. However, at lower flow rates (Reynolds number <10), the flow pattern consistently manifests as Taylor flow, regardless of gas-liquid ratio variations. Notably, the Jamin effect (a significant pressure differential caused by hydrates within the flow) was observed, which intensifies with increasing hydrate saturation and decreasing contact angle. Pore-filling hydrate patterns, in contrast to grain-coating, exhibit a greater number of gas-liquid interfaces, leading to larger pressure differences and a more evident Jamin effect. These findings aid in understanding the fluid migration in HBS and help estimate the natural gas production capacity.

Investigation on gas-liquid two-phase frictional pressure drop in pipeline riser

The pressure drop characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow in pipeline-risers are important to the design optimization of marine risers lifting oil and gas. In this study, experimental investigation on single-phase and air-water two-phase flow pressure drop characteristics in vertical and S-shaped risers have been carried out in a long-distance pipeline with the gas superficial velocities ranging from 0.03 to 6.2 m/s and the liquid superficial velocities from 0.02 to 1.3 m/s. The test loop with 50 mm i. d. Consists of a horizontal pipeline with 114 m in length, followed by a 16 m downward inclined section, and ended at a riser. The downward section is adjustable in inclination with various angle of −2°, −3°, −4° and −5° with respect to horizontal. A vertical riser and an S-shaped flexible riser were used in the experiment. The effects of flow and geometry parameters on two-phase frictional pressure drop multiplier are studied. For flow parameters, the two-phase frictional pressure drop multiplier increases with increasing the inlet gas and liquid superficial velocity. For geometric parameters, the two-phase frictional pressure drop multiplier in S-shaped riser is larger compared to that in straight vertical riser. The existing correlations reported in the literature are evaluated. A single-phase friction factor correlation and a two-phase frictional pressure drop multiplier correlation for pipeline-riser system are developed. Comparison of the predicted value and the measured results shows good agreements.

Numerical Simulation Study on Flow Characteristics of Multistage Centrifugal Pumps under Different Inlet Gas Void Fractions

The flow characteristics of multistage centrifugal pumps in transporting gas–liquid mixed media are highly complex; particularly, the unstable flow of the passage at high gas contents exacerbates energy losses, leading to a decrease in pump efficiency and stability. The excess energy loss in the pump is not conducive to the concept of sustainable development. In this study, a numerical simulation of multistage centrifugal pumps was conducted based on the Euler–Euler heterogeneous two-fluid model. This research revealed that gas primarily accumulates on the suction side of each impeller stage, and the gas distribution decreases progressively with each stage. As the interstage gas volume fraction (IGVF) increases, the gas accumulation within the pump becomes more pronounced. The gas volume fraction of each component is negatively correlated with the flow rate, and the change is more obvious in the impeller. The turbulent kinetic energy distribution inside the impeller is positively correlated with the gas distribution. There is a large fluctuation at 0.6Q and 0.8Q, and the distribution of the impeller vortex is asymmetric. However, the impeller has a lower turbulent kinetic energy near 1.2Q, which indicates that the emergence of gas in the medium increases the high-efficiency area of the multistage pump to a certain extent. This paper reveals how the gas phase is distributed, how energy is lost in the multistage pump, and the gas–liquid two-phase flow characteristics in the pump, which have certain guiding significance for the design and working-condition adjustments of the gas–liquid mixed pump.

Experimental study on ultrasonic wave propagation characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow in riser annulus

Deepwater drilling projects face challenges such as delays in gas kick monitoring and a high risk of well control failure. How to monitor gas kicks as early and accurately as possible is one of the keys to preventing significant accidents such as well blowouts. Monitoring gas kicks at risers is a promising method for early monitoring of gas kicks in deepwater drilling. In this paper, by constructing an experimental device for ultrasonic gas kicks monitoring of the riser, the response law of the ultrasonic signal to the gas-liquid two-phase flow was tested under different air intake, drill pipe rotation speeds, and liquid flow rates. This was done by constructing an experimental riser ultrasonic gas kick monitoring device. The signal-to-noise ratio and the root-mean-square error are used as measurement standards, and the wavelet threshold noise reduction method is used to reduce noise-containing signals. The ultrasonic sensitivity characteristics of the gas-liquid two-phase flow are demonstrated by analyzing the signal in the time domain and frequency domain: peak amplitude, attenuation coefficient, wave velocity, and fundamental frequency. A non-linear relationship exists between peak amplitude, fundamental frequency, and air intake, whereas an approximately linear relationship is evident between the attenuation coefficient and wave velocity with air intake. A quantitative characterization relationship between ultrasonic characteristic parameters and air intake was obtained by conducting a multiple regression analysis using the least-squares method on the attenuation coefficient, wave velocity, fundamental frequency, and air intake. Experiments demonstrate that the relative error between the actual air intake of 86.4 % of the test data group and the theoretical air intake determined based on the quantitative characterization relationship is less than 10 %.

Effect of Blade Twist on The Flow Characteristics of Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flow in a Spiral Axial Flow Pump

The mixing of oil and gas forms the foundation of deep-sea oil and gas extraction and transportation. However, traditional conveying equipment has low efficiency and high failure rates. In this study, a spiral axial flow gas and liquid multiphase pump was used as the base model. The Eulerian multiphase flow model and RNG turbulence model were used for numerical simulations to analyze the internal flow field of the multiphase pump. A modification scheme was proposed to twist the airfoil shape and create a twisted vane. The twisted blade with the center of the hub-side flange chord length as the twisting center was twisted in the counterclockwise direction to help reduce the relative volume of gas in the flow channel. When the twisted vane with the hub-side airfoil type trailing edge point as the twisting center was twisted in the suction side direction, it helped to accelerate the movement of the gas-liquid mixture at the trailing edge of the back of the vane and further reduced the low velocity zone at the back of the vane. When the twist center is located at the hub side wing type trailing edge point of the twist vane, the twist degree is 0.214. This results in the maximum head and efficiency of the pump, improves gas phase aggregation phenomenon, and enhances the performance of the multiphase pump.

Experimental investigation on interface characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow in a kilometer-scale pipeline

It is greatly essential for the construction of multiphase flow models and the flow assurance of oil and gas pipelines to study the fully developed interface characteristics at different flow patterns in the industrial-grade long-distance pipelines. In this paper, the phase interface structures of dispersed bubble flow and three slug sub-flow patterns are captured by visualization method in a 46 mm ID, 1657 m long pipeline. It is found that the interface characteristics between elongated bubbles and liquid film can effectively distinguish different slug sub-flow patterns, and a quantitative division criterion between different slug sub-flow patterns is proposed. The transition boundary prediction model for dispersed bubble flow and slug flow in long pipeline is established, and the flow pattern map at high liquid velocities and low gas velocities is plotted. With the increase of two-phase mixture velocity, the radial position of elongated bubble head approaches the middle of the pipeline, and the liquid film thickness is stably distributed around 0.37 D. The correlations that predict the radial position of elongated bubble head, liquid film thickness, and elongated bubble velocity for long pipeline are established, with maximum error less than 15 %.

Influence of vibration on transient flow characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow in inclined pipes

As an advanced method of transportation globally, pipelines play a significant role in the energy sector of many nations. Given the rapid development of offshore oil and gas engineering, it is critical for researchers to focus on the dynamics of pipelines and the flow characteristics of internal fluids under oceanic conditions. In this paper, a gas-liquid two-phase flow numerical model was developed to simulate transient flow characteristics in an inclined pipe at different vibration conditions based on CFD dynamic mesh technology. The CFD model was verified against experimental data, showing that the numerical simulation predicts average pressure drop within 10 % of experimental data. Parametric studies were conducted based on the CFD analysis, including vibration direction (horizontal, vertical, and inclined), vibration amplitude (0.5D∼1.5D) and flow velocities (jsg=0.5∼1.0m/s, jsl=0.1∼1.0m/s). Meanwhile, the downhill and uphill sections of the pipeline were considered. The results indicated that inclined vibration had the most substantial impact on flow, followed by horizontal vibration and vertical vibration. The changes of average liquid holdup were closely related to flow pattern under vibration conditions. These vibration conditions significantly effected pressure fluctuations and secondary flow. The impact of vibration on transient flow heightened with increased vibration amplitude. In addition, transient flow behaviors showed periodicity, and the evolution period was consistent with the vibration period. These findings are helpful to understand the transient flow behaviors in inclined pipe under vibration conditions.

Numerical study of transient flow characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow in inclined upward tube under periodic vibration

The transient flow characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow in inclined upward tubes exhibit a high degree of complexity. The tube vibration caused by multiple uncertain factors, such as seawater impacts or subsea earthquakes, poses more significant challenges for flow safety assurance. Thus, it becomes increasingly crucial to explore the transient flow characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow in inclined upward tubes under various vibration conditions. In this paper, the transient flow characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow in an inclined upward tube under different vibration conditions are numerically studied based on CFD dynamic mesh technique. In the current study, the studied parameters include vibration direction (heaving, transverse and coupling), vibration amplitudes (0.5D, 1.0D and 1.5D), and inlet velocity (jsg=0.5∼1.0m/s; jsl=0.1∼1.0m/s). The transient flow structure, cross-sectional void fraction and pressure drop are analyzed. The findings indicate that the transient flow structure of the slug flow demonstrates periodic variation characteristics under transverse and coupling vibrations, and the cross-sectional void fraction increase. For transition flow, the cross-sectional void fraction increases under transverse and coupling vibrations, while displays an increase initially and subsequently a decrease significant with an increase in the heaving vibration amplitude. Additionally, all considered vibration conditions intensify the pressure drop of the transition flow and decrease the cross-sectional void fraction of the turbulent flow.