INDO – GERMAN WINTER ACADEMY 2010

ANIMESH AGRAWAL

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF
TECHNOLOGY, DELHI

TUTOR:
Prof. RAVI KUMAR
  Two-phase flow is a term covering the interacting
flow of two phases (gas, liquid, or solid) where the
interface between the phases is influenced by their
motion.

2 Phase flow patterns Fig:The spectrum of two-phase flow Introduction

  Single-phase flow can be classified according to the
external geometry of the flow channel as well as the
'character' of the flow; i.e., laminar( following
streamlines) or turbulent (exhibiting fluctuations
and chaotic motions).

 In contrast multiphase flow is classified according to

the internal phase distributions or "flow patterns" or
"regimes".

2 Phase flow patterns Introduction

  For a two-phase mixture of a gas or vapor and a liquid
flowing together in a channel, different internal flow
geometries or structures can occur depending on the
size or orientation of the flow channel, the magnitudes
of the gas and liquid flow parameters, the relative
magnitudes of these flow parameters, and on the fluid
properties of the two phases

2 Phase flow patterns Introduction

  VOID FRACTION,

 SLIP RATIO,

 For homogeneous flows, slip ratio=1

 MASS FLUX, G

2 Phase flow patterns Nomenclature

  PHASE VELOCITY,

It is the volume flux divided by the cross-

sectional area covered by the phase.

 SUPERFICIAL VELOCITY,

It is the volume flux divided

by the total cross-sectional
area of the tube.
2 Phase flow patterns Nomenclature
  In gas-liquid two phase flow, a plane normal to the
axis of the channel will probably cut many
interfaces.
 Fortunately, however, the distribution falls into a
number of characteristic patterns which can be
predicted from the independent variables of the
system such as the flow rates of each phase and
their physical properties.
 It is necessary to define the regimes independently
for vertical and horizontal flow.
2 Phase flow patterns Regimes
  The different regimes are-

1. Bubble Flow- Here the gas phase is

distributed in discrete bubbles within
a liquid continuum.
2. Slug Flow- When the concentration of
bubbles in bubble flow becomes high,
bubble coalescence occurs and,
progressively, the bubble diameter
approaches that of the tube. Once this
approaches, the slug-flow (or plug-flow)
regime is entered with the characteristics
bullet shaped bubbles
2 Phase flow patterns Vertical Flow
 3. Churn Flow- As the gas flow is increased the
velocity of these bubbles increases and
ultimately, a breakdown of these bubbles
occurs leading to an unstable regime in
which there is, a wide bore tubes, an
oscillatory motion of the liquid upwards
and downwards in the tube, thus the
name of churned flow is applied. For
narrow-bore tubes the oscillations may
not occur and a smoother transition
between the slug flow and annular flow
may be observed.
2 Phase flow patterns Vertical Flow
 4. Annular Flow- The liquid flows on the
wall of the tube as a film and the gas
phase flows in the centre. Usually, some
liquid phase is entrained as small droplets
in the gas core.
5. Wispy annular flow- As the liquid flow rate
is increased the droplet concentration in the
gas core of annular flow increases and,
ultimately, droplet coalescence occurs leading
to large lumps or streaks as wispy liquid
occurring in the gas core. This regime is
characteristics of high mass velocity flows.
2 Phase flow patterns Vertical Flow
Fig: Flow Regimes In Vertical Flow
  For horizontal flow, the main complicating
feature is the gravitational forces act on the
liquid phase causing it to be displaced towards
the bottom of the channel.
 The various regimes are-
 Bubble Flow- The bubbles tend to flow at the
top of the tube.

2 Phase flow patterns Horizontal Flow

  Plug flow- Bullet shape bubbles occur, but they
tend to move along in a position closer to the
top of the tube.
 Stratified flow- Gravitational spread is
complete. Liquid flows along the bottom of the
tube and gas along the top part.
 Wavy flow- As the gas velocity is increased in
stratified flow, large surface waves are formed
on the gas liquid interface giving the wavy flow
regime.

2 Phase flow patterns Horizontal Flow

  Slug flow- As the gas velocity is further
increased in the wavy flow region, the waves
eventually become high enough to reach the top
of the channel.
 Annular flow- As the gas velocity increases still
further the slugs become pierced with a gas core
and the flow becomes annular with a thicker film
at the bottom of the channel owing to
gravitational effects.

2 Phase flow patterns Horizontal Flow

  The rate of exchange of mass, momentum and energy
between gas and liquid phases as well as between any
multiphase mixture and the external boundaries
depends on these internal flow geometries and
interfacial area; hence is dependent on flow-pattern.
 For instance, the relationships for pressure drop and
heat transfer are likely to be different for a dispersed
flow consisting of bubbles in a liquid (bubbly flow)
than for a separated flow consisting of a liquid film on
a channel wall with a central gas core (annular flow).

2 Phase flow patterns Need to Study

  This leads to the use of flow-pattern dependent
models for mass, momentum and energy transfer,
together with appropriate flow-pattern transition
criteria.
 However, the central task is to predict which flow-
pattern will exist under any set of operating
conditions as well as to predict the value of
characteristic fluid and flow parameters (e.g.
bubble or droplet size) at which the transition
from one flow-pattern to another will take place.
2 Phase flow patterns Need to Study
  What are FLOW REGIME MAPS?
The usual way of presenting results of observations of
flow patterns is to plot them on a graph whose axes
represent the flow rates of the two phases; an
alternative is to plot total mass flux on one axis and
the mass fraction of the flow which is vapor or gas on
the other axis. When all the observations have been
recorded, lines are drawn on the graph to represent
the boundaries between the various regimes of flow.
The resultant diagram is called a “flow regime map”.

2 Phase flow patterns Flow Regime Maps

  Bennett et al. did studies on steam-water
flows.

 The resultant flow diagram at 1000 p.s.i.a.

is shown-

2 Phase flow patterns Flow Regime Maps

 BAKER’S CHART plots against
  and are the mass fluxes (lb/h ft2) of
liquid and gas phases.

 ρ is the density, σ is surface tension, µ is the

viscosity
 A and W refer to the corresponding values
for air and water at atmospheric pressure.
2 Phase flow patterns Flow Regime Maps
 VERTICAL FLOW

•Discussion applies to the case of vertical

upwards adiabatic flow

2 Phase flow patterns Flow Pattern Transitions

 BUBBLE FLOW-SLUG FLOW TRANSITION

 The random motion of the bubbles will lead to bubble collisions resulting
in coalescence of the two bubbles.
 Eventually the bubble size will become such that the bubbles begin to
have a cross-sectional area which approaches that of the channel.
 Radovcich and Moissis considered a cubic lattice of bubbles and showed
that bubble collision frequency is proportional to

Where is the mean fluctuating velocity, is the bubble diameter and

is the void fraction.

2 Phase flow patterns Flow Pattern Transitions

BUBBLE FLOW-SLUG FLOW TRANSITION
 BUBBLE FLOW-SLUG FLOW TRANSITION

 The following observations can be made:

 At very low void fractions the collision frequency may tend to
be zero.
 Surface contaminants prevent coalescence of bubbles even if
they approach one another, for example, froth produced by
addition of a surfactant. In froths bubble flow can exist up to a
very high void fractions (0.9 and above).
 At high velocity the large bubbles may be broken down by
turbulence and also, the residence time in the channel may be
insufficient for enough bubble coalescence to occur to give the
onset of slug flow.

2 Phase flow patterns Flow Pattern Transitions

  If the upwards gas velocity is gradually increased in falling
film region, we enter a region in which both climbing and
falling film flow are occurring simultaneously. The transition
to this region is called “Flooding”.

 If the gas velocity is now reduced, a point will be reached at

which the liquid phase, in addition to flowing upwards,
begins to creep down the tube wall from the injection point.
This transition point is called “Flow Reversal” point.

2 Phase flow patterns Flow Pattern Transitions

 SLUG FLOW-CHURN FLOW TRANSITION

 When the gas velocity in the

bubble and the liquid flow rate
in the film around the bubble
are such that the conditions for
flooding are satisfied, then the
bubble will break down and the
transition to churn flow will take
place.

2 Phase flow patterns Flow Pattern Transitions

 SLUG FLOW-CHURN FLOW TRANSITION

 The following empirical relations are for moderate tube diameter and
liquids with low viscosity, specifically when dimensionless * is less than
10-4 where * is

 Rise velocity of a vapour bubble for slug flow in a stagnant liquid is given
by

2 Phase flow patterns Flow Pattern Transitions

 SLUG FLOW-CHURN FLOW TRANSITION

 The volume flux and bubble rise velocity at transition is

expressed empirically

 From above two Equations

2 Phase flow patterns Flow Pattern Transitions

  The upper limit for the transition is given by

 Golam & Stenning gave the alternative criterion

where

 Slug flow is generally associated with the void fraction less than 0.8.

2 Phase flow patterns Flow Pattern Transitions

 CHURN FLOW-ANNULAR FLOW TRANSITION

 The transition of flow reversal point can be associated

with the lower limit of annular flow.
 Wallis suggested the representation of the transitions in
terms of the dimensionless groups:

2 Phase flow patterns Flow Pattern Transitions

 CHURN FLOW-ANNULAR FLOW TRANSITION

 Wallis has found that the critical gas velocity at the flow
reversal point can be characterized by the criterion

 This criterion may be used to give an approximate prediction

of Churn flow to annular transition.

 He found out that the transition was not appreciably

affected by the liquid flow rate.

2 Phase flow patterns Flow Pattern Transitions

 CHURN FLOW-ANNULAR FLOW TRANSITION

 Haberstroh and Griffith found out that the transition

depends on the liquid flow rate and gave the following
correlation:

2 Phase flow patterns Flow Pattern Transitions

 ANNULAR FLOW-WISPY ANNULAR FLOW TRANSITION

 The wispy annular region usually corresponds to the region

where and

 This transition is difficult to distinguish visually.

 For steam-water flow at 34.5 bar and 69 bar, transition takes

place at Vf = 1.05 m/s and 1.35 m/s respectively.

2 Phase flow patterns Flow Pattern Transitions

  The regime that will exist in a two phase flow is guided by
several factors like flow rates of each phase, their physical
properties, orientation of the tube as well as the manner in
which the phases are introduced in the system.

 We need to estimate the flow pattern as well as the flow-

pattern transition for using the appropriate mass,
momentum and energy transfer models.

2 Phase flow patterns Conclusion

  Boiling Heat Transfer and Two Phase Flow, L.S.Tong and Y.S.Tang
 Two Phase Flow and Heat Transfer, Butterwoth and Hewitt
 Annular Two-Phase Flow, G.F.Hewitt and N.S. Hall-Taylor
 Two Phase Flow and Heat Transfer, P.B.Whalley

2 Phase flow patterns References