Department of Chemical Engineering

Fluids 4 – Two Phase Flow

Two phase flow is something that you have met before in your course, for instance in the
design of distillation columns and liquid extraction equipment. Other familiar examples
include fog, snow, boiling liquids, coffee percolaters, pouring liquid from a bottle or can,
etc. In the chemical industry, further examples include fluidised beds, pumping of slurries,
pumping of flashing liquids, raining bed driers, e.t.c., and in the oil industry two phase flow
occurs in pipelines carrying oil and natural gas.

The laws governing two phase flow are identical to those for single phase flow. However,
the equations are more complex and/or more numerous than those of single phase flow. In
today’s lecture I shall describe the types of behaviour found in liquid gas flows and shall
say something of the methods by which we analyse such flows. In our next lecture, we
shall look further at the analysis techniques to show how pressure drops can be predicted
using experimental correlations based on simple analytical models. If we have time we may
mention some problems associated with solid/fluid flows.

The diagram below, reproduced from ”One-Dimensional Two-Phase Flow” by G B Wallis,

shows a plot of the typical flow regimes for vertical gas-liquid flows in a pipe.

de−wetting
jG
small ripples
m/s Annular
10
Impossible
Churn
Flooding
1 Slug

jF Annular
m/s 0.1 Bubble
−1 −0.1 0.01 0.1 1.0
Bubble jF
m/s
−1

Annular Impossible

−10

de−wetting
jG
small ripples
m/s
Map of Flow Regimes: Air−water at STP flowing in a vertical, 2.5cm diameter tube
Upward velocities are positive
Let us look at each section of the flow in turn.

We shall use the notation jG and jF to denote the superficial velocity of the gas and liquid
respectively.

Co-current Vertical Upwards Flow

1) At low jG we have Bubble Flow j
G
QG QF
jG = A
jF = A

Bubble size depends on nature of air injection.

Bubble rise velocity depends on bubble size.
If too many bubbles, they coalesce giving large bubbles
j
– less coalescence in dirty water. F

Upper limit to void fraction ∼ 10%

i.e. Void fraction α = jjGF = Q
QF
G
≤ 0.1

2) Slug Flow

– large bubbles that almost occupy the whole cross section.

Slug rise velocity depends on tube diameter.

Rise velocity is independent of viscosity.

3) At jG + jF = 1.7m/s slug flow becomes unstable

giving way to churn flow

– this is chaotic
– slugs form and immediately break up
– not amenable to theoretical analysis.

4) Annular Flow

For jG ≥ 10m/s churn flow becomes gradually steady j

G
giving a liquid film on the wall and a central gas core.

Problem of waves forming on the liquid surface

a) as ripples having wavelength of the same order as
film thickness j
F
or

b)Disturbance waves (Kelvin-Helmholtz waves) with j

G
amplitude 10 times the film thickness and wavelength j
1000 times the film thickness. F
The velocity of the wave >> film velocity.

Droplets are entrained (as much as half of the liquid

is entrained at high jG ).

5) Eventually we have Mist Flow

j
F

– fine droplets of liquid dispersed in the gas phase

– some liquid still remains on the wall.

j
G

Countercurrent Vertical Flow

Only liquid flow down and gas up is possible, e.g. wetted wall column – annular flow. Can
also have bubble flow. At high jG and/or jF flooding occurs.

In co-current downward flow the annular flow regime is most common.

Horizontal Flow
Dispersed Bubble
3

j 1 Plug
F Slug
m/s
0.2

0.1
Wave

Stratified Annular Mist

0.01
0.1 1.0 4 10 100
j m/s
G
Again there are a range of flow regimes dependant on jG and jf

1) Dispersed Bubble Flow

j
F
j
G

2) Plug Flow – elongated bubble

3) Slug Flow

4) Stratified Flow
gas

liquid

5) Wave Flow
gas

liquid

6) Annlar Mist
j
G

j
F
Analysis of two-phase flows
How do we analyse two-phase flows? Let us consider 1-Dimensional analysis techniques.
These divide into the following categories.

a) Simple Correlations

– based on experiment
– often quoted in dimensionless form
– may or may not have scientific/physical basis
– often restricted in area of application

b) Simple Analytical Models

1) Homogeneous model
∗ take average of properties for both phases
∗ used, e.g., for suspension, foam, mist, dispersed bubble
∗ no detail of the flow considered
2) Separated flow model
∗ assume phases flow side by side
∗ use separate equations for each phase
∗ consider interation between the phases
3) Drift flux model
∗ focuses on relative motion between phases

c) Integral Analysis

– assume velocity, temperature or concentration profile

– fit to boundary conditions and apply integrated fluid mechanical equations

d) Differential Analysis

– use of time-averaged equations of motion

e) Universal Phenomena

– certain phenomena apply regardless of the regime, e.g. wave theory

 Two Phase Flow
Dimensionless Groups

NB ∆ρ = ρF − ρG which is often ≈ ρF

4gd ∆ρ
Drag coefficient cD = 3u2 ρF

Froude Number Fr = √u
gd

ρF ud
Reynolds Number Re = µF

ρF u2 d
Weber Number We = σ

gµF4
Morton Number M= ρF σ3

3  1
ρF σ 2 ρF 2
Archimedes Number Ar = 1 1 = ∆ρM
µF2 g 2 ∆ρ 2

ρF gd2
Eötvös Number Eö = σ

d3 gρF ∆ρ
Grashof Number Gr = µF2

1 3  1
g 2 d 2 ρF ρF 2
Inverse Viscosity Number NF = µF
= ∆ρ
Gr
√
δ δ τw ρF
Dimensionless film thickness δ+ = y∗
= µF
 Two Phase Flow
Homogeneous 1D model for two phase flow

Suitable average properties are determined and the mixture is treated as a single fluid in the
equations of motion

Nomenclature
A cross-sectional area of flow channel
2τw
cf friction factor ( ρ.v 2)

D hydraulic mean diameter ( 4A P

)
W
G mass flux ( A )
j superficial velocity ( Q A
)
P perimeter of flow chamber
P pressure
Q volumetric flowrate
v specific volume ( 1ρ )
v velocity in flow direction
W mass flowrate
x mass fraction of phase 2 (may be a function of z)
z length in flow direction
α volume fraction of phase 2
µ viscosity
ρ density
τw wall shear stress
θ angle of flow relative to horizontal
Subscripts
1,2 phases
12 phase 2 relative to phase 1
m mixture
Some average properties for steady homogeneous flow
1 x 1−x
ρm = α.ρ2 + (1 − α).ρ1 or = +
ρm ρ2 ρ1
j1 j2
µm = .µ1 + .µ2 −Dukler
j j
1 x 1−x
= + −Mc Adams
µm µ2 µ1
Some useful equations

mass flowrate W = W1 + W2

mass flux G = G1 + G2
volumetric flowrate Q = Q1 + Q2
Q1 Q2
superficial velocity j = j1 + j 2 = +
A A
 jF j2
actual velocity vF = v2 =
1−α α
G W
v= =
ρm Aρm
W1 = Q1 .ρ1 W2 = Q2 .ρ2
j1 v1 1 − α
= .
j2 v2 α
G1 W1 1−x
= =
G2 W2 x

The equations of motion are:-

Continuity:
W = ρm .v.A = const

Momentum:
dv dP
W = −A − P.τw − Aρm g.sinθ
dz dz

Energy:
dqe dw d v2
− = W. (h + + gz)
dz dz dz 2

From the equation of motion

dP P W dv
= − .τw − . − ρm g.sinθ
dz A A dz
2cf ρm v2 dv
= − − G. − ρm g.sinθ
D dz
2
2cf G d W
= − − G. ( ) − ρm g.sinθ
ρm D dz Aρm
2cf G2 W d 1 W dA
= − − G( ( )− 2 ) − ρm g.sinθ
ρm D A dz ρm A ρm dz
2cf G2 2 d 1 G2 1 dA
= − −G ( )+ − ρm g.sinθ
ρm D dz ρm ρm A dz

2cf G2 x 1 − x dx 1 1 d 1 d 1 x 1 − x 1 dA g.sinθ
=− ( + )−G2 { ( − )+x ( )+(1−x) ( )}+G2( + ) − x
D ρ2 ρ1 dz ρ2 ρ1 dz ρ2 dz ρ1 ρ2 ρ1 A dz ( ρ2 + 1−x
ρ1
)
2cf G2 dx dv2 dv1 1 dA g.sinθ
=− (v2 x+v1 (1−x))−G2 { (v2 −v1 )+x +(1−x) }+G2(v2 x+v1 (1−x)) −
D dz dz dz A dz (v2 x + v1 (1 − x))
2cf G2 dx dP dv2 dv1 1 dA g.sinθ
=− (v2 x+v1 (1−x))−G2 { (v2 −v1 )+ .{x +(1−x) }}+G2 (v2 x+v1 (1−x)) −
D dz dz dP dP A dz (v2 x + v1 (1 − x))
dP
rearranging in terms of dz
2 g.sinθ
dP − 2cD
fG
(v2 x + v1 (1 − x)) − G2 dx (v − v1 ) + G2 (v2 x + v1 (1 − x)) A1 dA
dz 2 dz
− (v2 x+v1 (1−x))
= dv dv
dz 1 + G2 (x dP2 + (1 − x) dP1 )