Gas-liquid Two-phase Flow Research Articles

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.

Experimental investigation of a novel gas-liquid homogenizer methodology for ESP in high GVF flow applications

This paper presents a new homogenizer for Electric Submersible Pumps (ESP). Experiments were carried out using a two-stage radial-type pump with perforated vanes running at 3400 RPM. A test rig was designed to measure pressure and observe flow patterns. Results showed excellent performance for intake GVF ranging from 25 % to 89 %. Using the proposed homogenizer in the multistage ESP improves pump performance for gas-liquid mixtures. The study explored parameters to improve pump performance in high GVF conditions. The proposed homogenizer is more cost-effective and efficient by integrating into the existing pump stage and allowing customizable perforations. This design flexibility improves performance while avoiding the need for extra space or components. Moreover, numerical simulations with a helico-axial rotating multiphase pump and ANSYS-CFX software were conducted to prove the concept numerically. The focus was on gas-liquid two-phase flow and the effects of inlet GVFs. Modifications to the impeller blades, such as grooves, slits, or holes, were designed to enhance performance. The study found that CFD simulations accurately predict pump performance and that modified impellers improve performance in specific GVF ranges.

Investigation of Backpressure Wave Propagation Properties during Gas Kicks in Managed Pressure Drilling

Summary It is often essential to provide backpressure to the wellbore by changing the opening size of the choke valve when a gas kick is detected during managed pressure drilling (MPD), which maintains the pressure in the bottom of the hole. In this study, a mathematical model was developed to explain how backpressure waves spread and weaken in a wellbore during MPD when there is a gas-liquid two-phase flow. The model is founded on a two-phase flow model, which thoroughly accounts for the gravity, shear force, and interphase interactions between the gas and liquid phases. The small perturbation theory was used to compute the backpressure wave’s propagation speed and attenuation coefficient. The outcome showed satisfactory agreement with other scholars’ experimental results. The model was used to study the impacts of the following variables on the backpressure wave propagation properties: void fraction, temperature, pressure, interphase resistance, shear force, density, invading gas composition, displacement of the drilling fluid, rate of intrusion of gas, gas-liquid surface tension, and drilling fluid viscosity. By using an example well, the laws of pressure wave propagation speed, attenuation coefficient, and propagation time with well depth were analyzed. Through evaluative methods in the field of economic management, the principal control variables governing the propagation of backpressure waves were determined. The conclusion is that, in terms of operational feasibility, lower drilling fluid density and reduced drilling fluid displacement are advantageous for a faster propagation of backpressure waves to the bottom of the well.

Research on Control of Pump and Valve Testing Equipment

Abstract The complex flow state of the fluid makes it difficult for the pump valve to accurately control it. A study was conducted on the pressure flow control of a valve control device for gas-liquid two-phase flow, and experiments were conducted on the joint control of gas-liquid two-phase flow. The results showed that pressure has a significant impact on control, and it is necessary to ensure that pressure remains constant during the control process. The joint control of gas-liquid two-phase flow has consistency in changes, and precise control of gas-liquid two-phase flow can be achieved through studying consistency.

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.

Attachment detection on the inner wall of gas-liquid two phase flow pipe based on ultrasonic guided waves

Gas-liquid two-phase flow pipelines are commonly found in building thermal systems. However, the attachment on the inner wall of the pipeline brings great safety hazards to the system. At present, ultrasonic guided wave technology has been widely used for the structural inspection of pipelines. The boundary conditions significantly affect the propagation characteristics of ultrasonic guided waves and the detection accuracy. Therefore, this paper investigates the influence of the flow pattern on the propagation characteristics of guided waves using semi-analytical finite element method and proposes an excitation frequency selection method independent of the flow pattern to improve the accuracy of the detection of attachments in gas-liquid two-phase flow pipelines. The relationship between the attachment size and the reflection echo characteristics is analyzed. Numerical simulation and experimental results show that the flow pattern leads to the modal coupling phenomenon of the L(0,1) guided wave, and the modes vary with the spatial distribution of the gas plug. The attachment echo contains not only the attachment information but also the position of the gas plug in the fluid. Finally, the maximum error of the attachment position accuracy in two-phase flow pipes with different flow patterns is no more than 3 %. An innovative dispersive surface result reflecting the changes in the propagation characteristics of UGWs along a pipe with changing cross-section (plug flow) is established.

Three-dimensional nonlinear vortex-induced vibrations of risers under internal gas-liquid and external shear flows

A novel three-dimensional (3D) dynamic model is proposed to explore the nonlinear vortex-induced vibration (VIV) characteristics of top-tension risers under the combined action of internal gas-liquid two-phase flow and external shear flow. The van der Pol equation is used to evaluate the interaction between the riser and the external shear flow. The nonlinear governing equations are established through Hamilton's principle, and they are discretized by the Galerkin method and solved via the Runge-Kutta method. The VIV responses calculated by the proposed nonlinear dynamic model are compared with the previously experimental and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results, demonstrating the effectiveness and accuracy of the present theoretical method. The influences of the internal flow effect, the tension and the shear parameter of the external flow on the VIV responses of the riser are analyzed. The results show that when the internal flow effect is not considered, the transition of the external flow from uniform flow to shear flow leads to an increase in excited modes and a decrease in resonance responses of the riser in the cross-flow (CF) direction. Furthermore, with the increase of the external shear flow velocity, resonances at different positions of the riser are not synchronized, which is different from that of the riser in uniform flow. In the case of the riser conveying gas-liquid two-phase flow and being subjected to external uniform or shear flow, the increase in the velocity of the liquid phase leads to an increase in the maximum response amplitudes of the riser in the in-line (IL) and axial directions. When the internal flow changes from single-phase to gas-liquid two-phase, the maximum VIV responses of the riser in the IL and axial directions tend to decrease regardless of whether the riser is in uniform flow or shear flow.

Numerical Investigation on Two-Phase Flow Pressure Drop in Cathode Channels of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

As liquid water is produced by electrochemical reactions in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell, liquid–gas two-phase flow forms within the porous structure of the electrodes and gas channels (GCs), resulting in complex gas pressure drop within GCs. This study investigates the two-phase flow pressure drop in a GC connected with a fibrous gas diffusion layer (GDL) using volume of fluid simulations. Fibrous GDLs are stochastically reconstructed to give a rather realistic liquid water breakthrough, and the effect of GDL straight and curved carbon fibers is studied. The results show that droplet breakthrough position and breakthrough size are dependent on the carbon fiber shape, resulting in further distinct pressure drop in GCs. It is also found that the two-phase flow pressure drop has no close correlation with the water content within the GC but a strong relationship with the liquid flow types. Specifically, the cross-section liquid area variation along the gas flow direction is found to be proportional to the pressure drop variation. This study aims to provide the information required for an accurate two-phase flow pressure drop prediction model.

Efficient cooling strategies for liquid hydrogen pipelines: A comparative analysis

Liquid hydrogen (LH2) stands out for its high energy density, efficient transportation, and safe low-pressure storage. However, the challenge lies in achieving rapid cooling of LH2 pipelines while minimizing hydrogen loss. This paper introduces a robust three-dimensional model for simulating the unsteady-state heat transfer and the gas-liquid two-phase flow within LH2 pipelines. Throughout the cooling cycle, the pipe undergoes transitions in flow patterns, including stratified smooth flow, wavy flow, and intermittent flow, in which wavy flow dominates due to the extremely low liquid-to-gas density ratio of hydrogen. A comprehensive comparative analysis is conducted for three cooling modes: constant flow, variable flow, and pulsing flow. Finally, an evaluative framework for distinct pipeline cooling modes has been proposed. A reasonable variable flow cooling mode exhibits certain advantages in both cooling time and liquid hydrogen consumption when compared with the constant flow cooling mode, and the pulse flow cooling method adeptly capitalizes on the performance benefits derived from intermittent flow. Specifically, within the cooling range of 40 K–20 K, it substantially economizes liquid hydrogen consumption (15%–20 %), albeit concomitant with an extended total cooling time (40%–60 %). This study can offer theoretical insights to guide the high-efficiency cooling of liquid hydrogen pipelines.

Prediction of inlet gas volume fraction of rotary vane pump under variable operational conditions with 1DCNN-TL model utilizing vibration signals

The Rotary vane pump (RVP) exhibits promising potential in the lubricating oil system of aircraft engines. The entrainment of air into the lubricating oil flowing through the pump affects the suction and discharge flow rates of the RVP. Therefore, understanding the inlet gas volume fraction (IGVF) of the RVP is crucial to assess its capability to deliver sufficient lubricating oil for ensuring the safe operation of aircraft engines. This study presents a one-dimensional convolutional neural networks (1DCNN)-based transfer learning (TL) (1DCNN-TL) prediction model to predict IGVF for the RVP using experimental data from gas-liquid two-phase flow in the RVP. The model is pre-trained using the vibration signals under a specific differential pressure between the pump inlet and outlet to enable predictions of the IGVF under varying differential pressures. The 1DCNN serves as pre-trained model for analyzing the outcomes of different transfer tasks. The effect of different frozen layer numbers on training time and prediction accuracy of the neural network is explored. Subsequently, the influence of varied source domain data on prediction accuracy is investigated, revealing that for optimal TL results, stable condition data at 200 kPa should be preferred as the source domain. Then the 1DCNN-TL prediction model of IGVF of RVP under variable operational conditions is determined. The results indicate varying iteration convergence rates of the pre-trained model under a differential pressure of 200 kPa across different transfer tasks, with a final goodness of fit exceeding 0.958 after fine-tuning the model. The model demonstrates the high prediction accuracy and applicability, which can contribute to improving the reliability and safety of aircraft engines.

Flow and heat transfer in multi-cavity pistons with oscillating cooling

Under high temperature and pressure conditions, pistons play a crucial role in managing thermal stress within combustion chambers. To analyze of the heat transfer characteristics of piston cooling systems in low-speed engines, this study developed and validated an oscillating cooling model featuring a composite piston with multiple cooling cavities. Using numerical simulation methods combined with dynamic mesh technology, the model replicates the long-stroke behavior of actual diesel engines and is validated against preliminary experimental data. The results demonstrates that during reciprocating motion, oil flowing through the telescopic sleeve interacts with gas from breather holes, forming a gas–liquid two-phase flow that significantly alters the liquid film coverage ratio (LFC) on wall surfaces, influencing heat transfer efficiency. As the filling rate increases from 28 % to 71 %, the average liquid film coverage (ALFC) rises by 0.27, and LFC fluctuation frequency decreases, with amplitude increasing by 0.08. Notably, the average Nusselt number (Nuavg) shows significant increases for top surface of inner cavity (TSIC) and side surface of inner cavity (SSIC) between filling rates of 52 % and 64 %, while the maximum increase for top surface of outer cavity (TSOC) and side surface of outer cavity (SSOC) occurs between 37 % and 52 %. Temperature drops at points A and B in the filling rate range of 28 % to 52 % were 1.37 K (4.09 K), which is notably higher than the 0.35 K (0.86 K) drop in the 52 % to 71 % range. Analyzing these changes indicates that the optimal filling rate for enhanced heat transfer performance is approximately 52 %. Furthermore, as engine speed increases from 135.2 to 202.8 rpm, the piston head filling rate decreases from 0.60 to 0.46, reducing both the contact area and the surface heat transfer coefficient. This study provides profound insights of the multiple cooling cavities under reciprocating motion and presents new strategies for optimizing piston cooling systems designed for low-speed engines.

Analysis of unstable combustion caused by the Gas–Liquid two-phase flow in small hypergolic propellant engines

Hypergolic bipropellant engines are extensively used in spacecraft operations. In these engines, the combustion reaction is initiated by the impinging jets of the oxidizer and fuel in the liquid phase. The most commonly used hypergolic fuels, hydrazine and monomethylhydrazine, as well as the oxidizer, nitrogen tetroxide, are all in liquid state under room temperature and atmospheric pressure conditions. However, as these engines are operated in a space vacuum, a portion of the propellant inevitably evaporates because of low-pressure boiling immediately after engine start-up. The mixing of gas with liquid propellant results in unstable combustion, and minimizing this effect is critical for the engine design. Particularly, preventing high-frequency combustion instability is essential as it can be detrimental to the engine. This paper presents a mechanism that activates high-frequency combustion instability, realized by analyzing the pressure within the combustion chamber during artificially induced unstable combustion. Furthermore, the methodology for establishing operational constraints based on the proposed mechanism is clarified, along with the method for collecting test data. The study findings provide important indicators for the design criteria of bipropellant engines, contributing to the diversification and complexity of space development programs.

Phase fraction measurement of gas-liquid flow based on cyclonic capacitive sensor (CCS) and inverse drift flux method

Abstract As the demand for clean energy sources like natural gas increases, the need for methods to measure the phase fraction of gas-liquid two-phase flows, which have complex and variable flow patterns, becomes more pronounced. This study introduces a phase fraction measurement method based on a cyclonic capacitive sensor. An effective phase fraction prediction model for the gas-liquid flow measurement section is established based on the capacitive signals. Using the drift flux principle, the dimensionless drift velocity of the spiral annular flow is analyzed, and a volume gas fraction (GVF) prediction model based on the ‘inverse drift flux method’ is established. Experimental results show that this method is suitable for a wide range of phase fraction measurements and is highly accurate. When the liquid volume fraction (LVF) is less than 10%, the average relative error of the predicted GVF is 0.3%; for the LVF from 10% to 30%, the average relative error is 1.4%.

Study on gas–liquid sulfonation reaction under annular flow pattern in micro-reactor: Mechanism, model and process optimization

Micro-sulfonation is a new sulfonation method with great development potential. The gas–liquid micro-sulfonation are safe, efficient and low-cost, however, limited by the research progress and application scope of micro-reactors, the development of gas–liquid micro-sulfonation technique is far from enough. The gas–liquid sulfonation reaction process under annular flow pattern in micro-reactor is experimentally studied in this paper. The maximum MESA (fatty acid methyl ester sulfonic acid) yield under the experimental conditions in this study achieves 89.771 %, which is obviously higher than that (64.1 % for gas–liquid sulfonation and 76.82 % for liquid–liquid sulfonation) in conventional reactors and should be higher if the micro-reactor structure or operating conditions being further optimized. Based on the analyses of experimental results, the effect mechanisms of mass transfer and reaction on the gas–liquid micro-sulfonation efficiency are explored, and the sulfonation efficiency models and pressure drop model of four micro-reactors are established by dimensional analysis method. On account of both the mass transfer characteristics of gas–liquid two-phase flow and the high-viscosity of sulfonation products, enhancing the local disturbance of liquid phase can significantly improve the reaction efficiency. Finally, the operating conditions of two-phase flow rates and reaction time are optimized to ensure the high sulfonation product yield meanwhile reduce the fluid pressure drop or energy consumption of sulfonation process using the improved NSGA-II algorithm.

Description of phase separation motion in gas‒liquid two-phase flow

Understanding the physics of phase separation between gas and liquid phases as a mixture mass has long been a challenge. In this paper, a phase separation description criterion based on heterogeneous flow model is proposed. A mathematical method similar to Lagrangian coherent structure (LCS) is used to identify the two-phase separation process, which is called relative motion Lagrangian coherent structure (rLCS). The rLCS is able to describe the dynamic evolution of the phase separation process and flow pattern transition in multiphase flows, which is very common in gas‒liquid mixture transportation and industrial processes. The most striking finding of rLCS is that phase separation and phase distribution are not in the same spatial position, that is, the process and the result of separation may not be exactly corresponding as we thought. This new flow structure reflects the underlying dynamic behavior of the multiphase flow field. In addition, the phase separation process has obvious periodicity. This paper reveals the typical phase separation process in the simulation of gas‒liquid two-phase pipe flow and gas‒liquid multiphase pump. These are very important to improve the understanding of multiphase flow processes, and can also lay a solid foundation for future flow control based on multiphase flow characteristics, highlighting the application potential of the new method.

Void fraction measurement of slug flow using electromagnetic wave phase sensor based on optimized hybrid dielectric constant

The void fraction is one of the basic parameters to study the gas-liquid two-phase flow, which has great significance to the transportation of oil pipelines and the design of nuclear reactor cooling towers. However, due to the complex and variable nature of gas-liquid two-phase flow, accurately measurement of the void fraction has remained a challenging task in both scientific research and industrial applications. According to the principle of electromagnetic wave propagation, a coaxial line phase sensor was designed, a hybrid dielectric constant model based on the homogeneous flow was established and a void fraction based on hybrid dielectric constant model was proposed. The experiments were carried out on the high-precision gas-liquid two-phase flow simulation experimental setup at Hebei University, China (70 data points), and the void fraction model was inspected and verified. Five typical hybrid dielectric constant correlations were compared. Introducing the frequency weight, optimizing the hybrid dielectric constant model based on the Series – Parallel correlation, a new void fraction prediction correlation of slug flow was proposed and evaluated. The results indicated that the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of the new void fraction correlation is 1.02 % and the all of the relative errors are within ±5 % error band.

Frictional pressure drop of the vertically upward gas–liquid two-phase flow in an airlift pump system

Airlift pumps (ALPs) are promising in the oil and chemical industry, owing to their advantages such as a simple structure, convenient operation, wide applicability, high cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, safety, and reliability. However, there are few studies on the frictional pressure drop of vertically upward gas–liquid two-phase flow in ALPs. Therefore, this study presents an experimental investigation of the frictional pressure drop in the vertically upward gas–liquid two-phase flow in ALPs. Experiments were conducted in a vertical pipe with a total length of 3.245 m and a two-phase section of 2.8 m; the working pressure of the air compressor was 0.4 MPa, pipe diameter was 0.05 m, submergence ratio ranged from 0.6 to 0.85, and gas superficial velocity ranged from 0 to 4 m/s. A total of 74 sets of experimental data were obtained, and the frictional pressure drop models of 36 classical gas–liquid two-phase flows were evaluated. The results indicated that classical gas–liquid two-phase flow models significantly underestimated the experimental results. By analyzing the experimental data, visualizing the internal flow field, and performing theoretical derivations, a new frictional pressure drop correlation was established for the vertically upward gas–liquid two-phase flow in ALPs. The results demonstrated that the new model could accurately predict the frictional pressure drop of ALPs with mean percentage error, mean absolute percentage error, and root mean square percentage error values of 7.8%, 12.18%, and 25.86%, respectively.

Thermodynamics-based unsaturated hydro-mechanical-chemical coupling model for wellbore stability analysis in chemically active gas formations

A thermodynamics-based unsaturated hydro-mechanical-chemical (HMC) coupling model is developed to analyze the coupled response and stability of boreholes in chemically active gas formations. The newly coupled constitutive relations are formulated by incorporating the chemical effect into the solid-gas-liquid unsaturated framework to account for the interactions between rock deformation, gas-liquid two-phase flow, and chemical potential difference. Compared with previous models, the present model shows significant prediction differences in field variables and wellbore stability evolution. The maximum absolute difference of pore pressure, effective radial stress, effective tangential stress, and collapse pressure can reach 8.98 MPa, 7.64 MPa, 7.29 MPa, 7.65 MPa, respectively. It is more conservative to select a long-term wellbore collapse pressure rather than a short-term one to guide drilling operations. The two-phase flow behavior, jointly controlled by wellbore pressure, capillary pressure, and chemical osmosis effect, provides a more realistic observation of the mud intrusion process. Compared with low salinity muds, high salinity muds can effectively impede the mud intrusion into the formation, which is more conducive to preventing wellbore collapse, but at the same time increases the risk of wellbore fracture. Sensitivity analysis shows that solute diffusion and reflection coefficients affect early wellbore stability through pore pressure and solute transport, while the chemical swelling coefficient has a long-term effect through chemically induced deformation. The results can provide theoretical guidance for quantitative optimization of mud parameters and prevention of wellbore instability when drilling in chemically active gas formations.

The dynamic mechanism and optimal parameters of hydraulic jump induced disk floatation

Abstract The hydraulic jump induced disk floatation is one of the important and complicated kinetic issues. Based on the observation of the hydraulic jump phenomenon and disk floatation in experiment, the gas-liquid two-phase flow and free surface advection are simulated by COMSOL Multiphysics. The force and flow fields, as well as the movement mode of the disk are analyzed through numerical simulation. Meanwhile, a theoretical model is firstly proposed to investigate the motion equations from the perspectives of energy and force. The stable, metastable and instable motion modes are found out and analyzed in detail by variable-controlled and comparison methods. The critical parameters of stability and instability of the disk are obtained by continuous interpolation method.

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.