EFFECT OF SOLID PARTICLES ON HYDRODYNAMIC OF VERTICAL UPWARD GAS-LIQUID TWO-PHASE FLOW
Multiphase flow in vertical pipelines is crucial in oil and gas production and chemical processing, where gas-liquid-solid systems frequently occur. Understanding these flows is essential for predicting pressure drop, phase distribution, and flow patterns, and for ensuring safe and efficient transport. However, the hydrodynamics of upward three-phase flows, especially with light solid particles, remain insufficiently explored. This thesis presents an experimental investigation of gas-liquid and gas-liquid-solid flows in a 30 mm ID vertical pipe, focusing on the influence of particles less dense than water. The research comprises four parts: (i) visualization of flow patterns and phase holdup; (ii) pressure-drop analysis; (iii) a review of slug frequency measurement methods; and (iv) optical characterization of slug frequency. Flow regimes were determined using high-speed imaging and quick-closing valves. The addition of particles reduced bubble coalescence, shortened the elongated bubbles, and shifted regime transitions to lower gas velocities. Pressure drop measurements showed that total losses depend mainly on liquid holdup, while frictional losses are governed by flow pattern and mixture properties. A new correlation for frictional pressure drop, based on the Lockhart-Martinelli method and incorporating the mixture Froude number, improved prediction conditions. Experiments showed that slug frequency rises with liquid velocity, while bubble length and velocity depend on gas and mixture velocities. The results provide new data and correlations for modeling multiphase transport in vertical pipelines.
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