6,000
on (
P= ReyWel 3b)
is (wer 2
Where Re; is the Reynolds number in the slug body: and Weve, is
the Weber number for the bubble in stagnant fluid. These dimen-
sinless numbers are given by
Rey = puhi)Dinae (Be)
Wey, = puYe))?D/e Ga)
The dependence of G with the inctination was reported by
Bendiksen (1984) using different ranges of liquid flow rate in a
pipe of D= 0.0242 m:
CoB) = ClO") + IC9(90") ~Co(O")Isin?? (4)
Petalas and Aziz (2000) proposed the following relationship,
here the pipe inclination effect is includes!
(= (1.64 +0:12sind Re; 6)
Ishii (1977), Bendiksen (1984), Petalas and Aziz (2000),
and Pinto et al. (2005) did not consider high-viscous liquids.
Bendiksen et al. (2018) caried out 241 experiments with slug flow
in a 15m long horizontal pipe with the inner diameter of 0.057
meters by using liquids with viscosities in the range of 0.24-0.73,
Pas, Due to the high viscosity of the liquid phase, the Reynolds
Number in the slug is laminar for a wide spectrum of operat
ing conditions. The parabolic velocity profile in laminar flow led
Bendiksen et al. (2018) to propose a model based on the location
of the bubble tip in the radial direction. The model proposed by
Bendiksen et al (2018) uses the Froud Number based on the aver-
age volumetric flux Frj as the independent variable to prediet the
distribution coefficient Co.
Co(Re) = Co(O)(1— RP) (6a)
Where Cy(0) i the maximum value of Ca the enter ofthe pipe
Ry is the dimensionless bubble tip radial position measured from
the center ofthe pipe, defined as follows:
Imerationl journal of Multiphase Flow 15 (2021) 103527
‘aoe
Disbition Coecent Model Parameters,
Flow condition Model parameter
i iw hb 6 OO
1035 035 01215
103s 035 oe
a a
Fr, ee = PaiP) (6c)
‘The parameters k and Frx depend on the liquid viscosity and
Reynolds Number Re, and are presented in Table 1
‘To overcome the optical problems reported in experimental
studies, numerical simulations are performed in this research to
study the hydrodynamic of the slug flow regime with high-viscous
liquids. The general expression forthe Average Volumetric Concen-
tration (Zuber and Findaly, 1965) can be used to calculate the Dis-
tribution Coefficient from 3D-CFD results as follows:
_ tei ia (oeida
~ WG > [Ein Caneal Za Del]
‘The gas volume fraction o and volumetric fux Feld J are data
avilable in 3-CFD slug low simulation foreach cell. These va
ables are functions of time and space, and the mathematical ope
ator (-} in equation (7) represents a cross-section averaged value.
‘Additionally, equation (1) ean be used to estimate the local gas
drift velocity (Ve). Because the gas superficial velocity (i) i a
‘known variable inthe simulation,
‘The relevance ofthis study is that a good estimation of the dis
twibution coefficient and the local gas dit velocity leads to a bet-
ter performance ofthe Drift Fax Model. In the mixture momen-
tum equation and mixture enthalpy-enerey equation of the drift
flux model for dispersed phase, the effect of the celative velocities
between the phases is included using the mean gas drift velocity
concept, Ve; m/s} Once the distribution coefficient Cy and the lo-
cal drift velocity ((Vey)) are obtained, the mean drift velocity Vg is
estimated using the following equation:
(pn) Wei) + (Co -1)KPm)T
(mn) = Co THAN PL = Pc)
where pm [hg/m?} is the mixture density and Ty; [ms] is the mix-
ture velocity defined as:
”
i= (8a)
pa apc+ (1a), (sb)
ren (ebbektved)+ (1 — le yout) :
7 On)
where (0) [m/s] is the mean liquid velocity, and the remaining
variables have been defined previously
Gas and high-viscous liquid two-phase flow in inclined pipes is,
studied in this research using Latge-Eddy Simulation (LES) method
(Lakehal, 2018). A new equation for the distribution parameter Co
is proposed and validated with experimental data in the literature
The paper is organized as follows: Section 2 presents the numerical
procedure carried out to simulate a slug Maw regime along inclined
pipes with viscous liquid. Section 3 describes a suitable methodot-
‘ogy to estimate the drift flux parameters from the CFD results. In
Section 4, the results are discussed and the new distribution coef-
ficient relationship is presented. The conclusions are stated in Sec-
tion 5. Pages, A Etehadaalt ant E Punacharensawad
2. CED Simulation Procedure
2.1, Large-Eddy Simulation (LES)
The CFD opensource software OpenFOAM 1806
(OpencFD Lid, 2004-2018) is used to simulate the two-phase
flow in a pipe, The turbulent scale-resolving strategy used in the
‘numerical simulation is Large-Eddy Simulation (LES). LES is based
fn unifying the phase averaging concept and the turbulent-scale
fering operation into one single process (Lakehal, 2018). Using
this approach, the dispersed mixed flow regions are solved using a
phase-averaged formulation, while separate flow regions (stratified
and elongated bubble flow) are simulated using an Interface
‘Tracking Method (ITM) because the interface is large enough to be
resolved according the CFD grid resolution,
2.2. Resolved Scale - Volume of Fluid Method (VOF)
To simulate the flow of a two-phase fluid, the volume of fluid
‘method (VOF) (Hirt and Nichols, 1981) is used as the Interface
‘Tracking Method (ITM), VOF formulation assumes that the two
phases do not mutually dissolve. In each control volume of the
computational domain, the volume fraction of bath phases adds up
{o unity. The flow field forall variables and properties is shared by
both phases and represent volume-averaged values, provided that
the volume fraction of each of the phases is known at each loca-
Two-phase flow is modeled by the three-dimensional continu-
ity equation and Navier-Stokes equations for two incompressible
isothermal immiscible fluids. In mechanistic modes (see Taitel anc
Barnea, 1990; Shoham, 2006: Ishii and Hibiki, 2011) and for ex-
perimental purposes (Bendiksen et al, 2018), gases are assumed 10
be incompressible when they are moving at relatively low speeds
With respect to the liquid phase, less than approximately 98 mis.
“The highest speed reached in the numerical experiments was less
than 2 mjs, For slug flow, the density of the gas in the moving
volume does not significantly change (see Fernandes et al, 1983:
de Cachard and Delhaye, 1996). Thus, the two-phase incompress-
ible flow assumption is valid for the CED simulation. Material prop-
erties are constant in the region filled by one of the two fluids,
except at the interphase.
‘The mass conservation equation with constant density is given
by:
au/dx =0 (9)
where i = 1.2.3; are the directions in cartesian coordinate system,
‘The Einstein notation is used for the repeated index to imply the
summation over al axes
The momentum equations can be written as:
1 ap
Pe 9%,
au | ou 1 au; 1,
Fete, = pa Bent ay +8 for
(10a)
where u/s] represent the local velocity components, gi[m/s2]
the gravitational acceleration, p{Pa] the pressure and gemlPa-s] and
c(Pa-s] are respectively the dynamic and turbulence viscosity.
SoilPa/m) isthe interfacial tension
Gas-liquid mixture properties are defined as follows:
Pm = arp, + (1-2) R (106)
Hm =a + (1 —a)teg (a9¢)
where cis 1 inside the liquid phase and 0 inside the gas phase, At
the interface, a varies between O and 1
Imerationl journal of Multiphase Flow 15 (2021) 103527
tral sons modeled ata continuum inte fre by
sing nti 82) model alow
a
i
wth oN] she inerfceterson constant an sm she
ae dened
8 ( dasax,
x | Tae 79x]
‘An additional transport equation for a is needed to find the lo-
cation of the interface between the two fluids. Tis transport equa-
tion can be written as
aa, Hani)
at ox
fs (toa)
(toe)
0 a
2.21, Unresolved Scale - Turbulence Model
The eddy or turbulent viscosity, te (Pas) in Equation (10a) is
estimated using the Smagorinsky (1863) turbulence model:
He = PG AK (12a)
‘where the turbulence kinetic energy KU/ks] is given by the solution
of the quadratic equation:
ak? + bk +e (12b)
The coefficients are:
a=G/A (120)
b= 200) (12a)
c= 2C,A(dev(D) : D) (Ie)
and
05(¥u,+ (uy!) (120)
‘with the constant values of L048 and 0.094 for C, and C, respec
tively. 4 [ml is the turbulent length scale or filte-width scale (for
CCED implementation, A is close tothe grid size)
In order to successfully perform the simulation, suitable bound
ary conditions at the inlets and walls are requited for the turbu-
lence model variables, k ks] and ye [Pa-s)
‘The turbulent kinetic energy, k is estimated as:
k=15vp? (Ba)
where V [m/s] is the mean flow velocity and | is the turbulence
intensity. Turbulent Intensity is dimensionless. It is defined as the
tat of the root-mean-square ofthe turbulent velocity fluctuations
and the mean velocity, and can be estimated as;
1 0.16Re¥®
(13b)
23, Numerical Simulations
‘The computational domain consists of a pipe with two inlet
sections eut by its vertieal symmetzy plane. In the axial direction,
‘mesh is uniformly distributed. In the radial direction, mesh is finer
near the wall Figure 2 displays the mesh used.
‘The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of the pipe i
clination and liquid viscosity on the drift ux parameters, Le. Dis-
tribution Coefficient Cy and Drift Velocity ((Vjy})- The drift ux pa-
rameters were obtained by simulating the continuous mixture of
sga8 and oll in a 0.0508 m-ID and 7 meters pipe during 60 seconds.
The inclination angle of the pipe range from 0° (horizontal direc-
tion) to 90° (vertical upward direction). The physical properties of
cach fluid used can be found in Table 2, and the Table 3 presents Pages, A Etehadaalt ant E Punacharensawad
Imerationl journal of Multiphase Flow 15 (2021) 103527
Symmetry Plane
Liquid Inlet
Figure 2. Computational domsin I is composed by hexahedral mesh uniformly disribsted along the pipe ais; the length ofthe gi lock is LOOK. The mes is ne
ear the wal his Hue, the ga inet (30 frcation) ad the hud inlet ate presented
‘able 2
ud Properties
Fluid Density Kai) _Visosy Peo) Surface tension with al [i
1889 Oi 112 0025
Table 3
Fits and corresponding levels fo the Numeric Simul
Teele
014-028-042 056 070-084-098 — 12
01530-4560 75-90
Liquid Vsconty [a a]
Pp lalnaton [ol
the factors and levels for the numerical experiments. A total of 56
‘numerical simulations were carried out.
For each simulation case, the superficial gas velocity (Jc) and
liquid velocity (j,) were selected accordingly to promote the slug
flow regime. The computational time required by each case was
approximately 15 days. The actual CPU time depended on the
velocity field because of the restriction imposed by the global
Courant number (Courant et al, 1967). The time step was adjusted
continuously, and was in the order of 1e-*[s}.
24 Initial and Boundary Conditions
The initial and boundary conditions used are presented in
Table 4
43. Methodology to Estimate Drift Flux Parameters
In drift fx model, the key parameters ae the Distribution Co-
efficient Gy and Drift Velocity ((V;)). suitable methodology is
proposed to estimate the drift ux parameter from CFD results. The
steps are described as follow:
Gas volume fraction (a), velocity ({) and pressure (P) fields are
storaged at each cell of the domain and recorded every (.1 seconds.
‘The first step consists of a filtering process, in which cross-section
averaged variables are estimated as follow:
1
(a) = 5 cana (14a)
Ue yeaa (4p)
(ei) = 5 feapaa (140)
AR
13 (Ges Volume Fretion Location at 3.5 m
Gs Volume Fraction 1
‘ime (ece}
Figure 3. Area Averaged Cas Volume faction a 2 nction of time, The crs
Section ected at 35 meters om the ile For ths ese Ui) =O MIU)
OS m/s yO Mos: Pipe sncaion = O°
Double Riemann Sum was used as method of integration in
equation (14), It is important to note that each of these variables
is function of position along the pipe (x{m]) and time (¢s)). For
instance, Figure 3 shows the Area Averaged Gas Volume fraction
(a) as a function of time at the pipe cross-section located 3.5 me-
‘ets from the inlet. Similar plots can be generated for the Area AV
leraged Volumetric Flux (j) and Area Averaged Gas Volumetric Flux
(ai).
‘The second step corresponds to a time averaging process. At
the beginning of the simulation, the pipe is filled with oil (lig-
uid phase) in static condition (Vf-g = 0). Once the gas and oi start
flowing, itis necessary to reach a stable flow (even for slug flow
which is an intermittent flow condition). This is one of the as-
sumptions of the drift lux model, For example, the Time Aver-
aged value for the Gas Volume Fraction presented in Figure 3 is
rot the same ifthe time span considered Is from 0 seconds to 60
seconds or from 30 seconcls to 60 seconds. Figure 4 shows a case
‘where time averaging calculations have been performed using df=
{erent starting times atthe cross section located 6 meters from the
inlet of the pipe. In this case, low conditions are: (j,) =0.6 m/s:
ig) =0.5 ms; jay =0.14 Pas: Pipe inclination = 0°. If we consid
ered a time span starting from 0 seconds, the time averaged vati-
ables are underestimated. Conversely, if we consider a time span
starting from 40 seconds, the time averaged variables are overesti- VPage, A Etehadalil and E Punacarensawad Imerationl journal of Multiphase Flow 15 (2021) 103527
ible
Ina! 2nd Boundary Conditions used in Numeral Simulation.
Region ‘as Volume Faction Velo Feld Turbulent Kinetic Enersy Turbulent Vieosity
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