Experimental Study on the Flow Regimes and Pressure Gradients of Air-Oil-Water Three-Phase Flow in Horizontal Pipes
An experimental investigation has been carried out to study the flow regimes and pressure gradients of air-oil-water three-phase flows in 2.25 ID horizontal pipe at different flow conditions. The effects of water cuts, liquid and gas velocities on flow patterns and pressure gradients have been stud...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2014-01-01
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| Series: | The Scientific World Journal |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/810527 |
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| author | Luai M. Al-Hadhrami S. M. Shaahid Lukman O. Tunde A. Al-Sarkhi |
| author_facet | Luai M. Al-Hadhrami S. M. Shaahid Lukman O. Tunde A. Al-Sarkhi |
| author_sort | Luai M. Al-Hadhrami |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | An experimental investigation has been carried out to study the flow regimes and pressure gradients of air-oil-water three-phase flows in 2.25 ID horizontal pipe at different flow conditions. The effects of water cuts, liquid and gas velocities on flow patterns and pressure gradients have been studied. The experiments have been conducted at 20°C using low viscosity Safrasol D80 oil, tap water and air. Superficial water and oil velocities were varied from 0.3 m/s to 3 m/s and air velocity varied from 0.29 m/s to 52.5 m/s to cover wide range of flow patterns. The experiments were performed for 10% to 90% water cuts. The flow patterns were observed and recorded using high speed video camera while the pressure drops were measured using pressure transducers and U-tube manometers. The flow patterns show strong dependence on water fraction, gas velocities, and liquid velocities. The observed flow patterns are stratified (smooth and wavy), elongated bubble, slug, dispersed bubble, and annular flow patterns. The pressure gradients have been found to increase with the increase in gas flow rates. Also, for a given superficial gas velocity, the pressure gradients increased with the increase in the superficial liquid velocity. The pressure gradient first increases and then decreases with increasing water cut. In general, phase inversion was observed with increase in the water cut. The experimental results have been compared with the existing unified Model and a good agreement has been noticed. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8fd9759d7a9c462dbbf366c9f14dc189 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2356-6140 1537-744X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2014-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Scientific World Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-8fd9759d7a9c462dbbf366c9f14dc1892025-02-03T01:21:06ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal2356-61401537-744X2014-01-01201410.1155/2014/810527810527Experimental Study on the Flow Regimes and Pressure Gradients of Air-Oil-Water Three-Phase Flow in Horizontal PipesLuai M. Al-Hadhrami0S. M. Shaahid1Lukman O. Tunde2A. Al-Sarkhi3CER/Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi ArabiaCER/Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi ArabiaAn experimental investigation has been carried out to study the flow regimes and pressure gradients of air-oil-water three-phase flows in 2.25 ID horizontal pipe at different flow conditions. The effects of water cuts, liquid and gas velocities on flow patterns and pressure gradients have been studied. The experiments have been conducted at 20°C using low viscosity Safrasol D80 oil, tap water and air. Superficial water and oil velocities were varied from 0.3 m/s to 3 m/s and air velocity varied from 0.29 m/s to 52.5 m/s to cover wide range of flow patterns. The experiments were performed for 10% to 90% water cuts. The flow patterns were observed and recorded using high speed video camera while the pressure drops were measured using pressure transducers and U-tube manometers. The flow patterns show strong dependence on water fraction, gas velocities, and liquid velocities. The observed flow patterns are stratified (smooth and wavy), elongated bubble, slug, dispersed bubble, and annular flow patterns. The pressure gradients have been found to increase with the increase in gas flow rates. Also, for a given superficial gas velocity, the pressure gradients increased with the increase in the superficial liquid velocity. The pressure gradient first increases and then decreases with increasing water cut. In general, phase inversion was observed with increase in the water cut. The experimental results have been compared with the existing unified Model and a good agreement has been noticed.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/810527 |
| spellingShingle | Luai M. Al-Hadhrami S. M. Shaahid Lukman O. Tunde A. Al-Sarkhi Experimental Study on the Flow Regimes and Pressure Gradients of Air-Oil-Water Three-Phase Flow in Horizontal Pipes The Scientific World Journal |
| title | Experimental Study on the Flow Regimes and Pressure Gradients of Air-Oil-Water Three-Phase Flow in Horizontal Pipes |
| title_full | Experimental Study on the Flow Regimes and Pressure Gradients of Air-Oil-Water Three-Phase Flow in Horizontal Pipes |
| title_fullStr | Experimental Study on the Flow Regimes and Pressure Gradients of Air-Oil-Water Three-Phase Flow in Horizontal Pipes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Experimental Study on the Flow Regimes and Pressure Gradients of Air-Oil-Water Three-Phase Flow in Horizontal Pipes |
| title_short | Experimental Study on the Flow Regimes and Pressure Gradients of Air-Oil-Water Three-Phase Flow in Horizontal Pipes |
| title_sort | experimental study on the flow regimes and pressure gradients of air oil water three phase flow in horizontal pipes |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/810527 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT luaimalhadhrami experimentalstudyontheflowregimesandpressuregradientsofairoilwaterthreephaseflowinhorizontalpipes AT smshaahid experimentalstudyontheflowregimesandpressuregradientsofairoilwaterthreephaseflowinhorizontalpipes AT lukmanotunde experimentalstudyontheflowregimesandpressuregradientsofairoilwaterthreephaseflowinhorizontalpipes AT aalsarkhi experimentalstudyontheflowregimesandpressuregradientsofairoilwaterthreephaseflowinhorizontalpipes |