Liquid-Liquid Flow Pattern Prediction Using Relevant Dimensionless Parameter Groups

Olusegun Samson Osundare, Gioia Falcone, Liyun Lao and Alexander Elliott
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Olusegun Samson Osundare: James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
Gioia Falcone: James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
Liyun Lao: Centre for Thermal Energy Systems and Materials, Cranfield University, Bedford MK43 0AL, UK
Alexander Elliott: James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 17, 1-26

Abstract: Accurate predictions of flow patterns in liquid-liquid flow are critical to the successful design and operation of industrial and geo-energy systems where two liquids are jointly transported. Unfortunately, there is no unified flow pattern map, because all published maps are based on limited ranges of dimensional parameters. Dimensional analysis was performed on oil-water horizontal flows, to obtain some relevant dimensionless parameter groups (DPG) for constructing flow pattern maps (FPM). The following combinations of DPG were used: (i) the ratio of mixture Reynolds number to Eötvös number versus water fraction, (ii) the ratio of Weber number to Eötvös number versus water fraction, (iii) the mixture Froude number versus water fraction, (iv) the water Froude number versus oil Froude number, (v) the ratio of gravity force to viscous force versus water fraction. From twelve published experimental studies, 2696 data points were gathered and analysed covering a variety of flow patterns including stratified, stratified mixed, dispersed oil in water, dispersed water in oil, annular and slug flows. Based on the performed analysis, it was found that flow patterns could occupy more than one isolated region on the DPG-based flow pattern map. None of the combinations of DPG can mark out all the considered flow patterns, however, some combinations of DPG are particularly suitable for marking out the regions associated with some flow patterns.

Keywords: oil-water; flow regime; geo-energy; dimensionless numbers; oil-viscosity; pipe diameter (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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