A Model for Predicting Flow Regime Transitions In Horizontal and Near

Horizontal Gas-Liquid Flow

yU4VDA !tfodels an pn:ullted for c:lctcrmiDiD~ !low n~me tranJitions iD twOoo phase ~u.liquid !low. Thc D1cehanisms far transition are based 00 physical concoepUand are full:-' predictivc in that DO Bow regimc transitions are used in thcir developrMnt. .0\ gcneralUcd Sow n;jme map bued OIl this theory is presented. TAITEL ond

A. E. DUKLER
D,,,,,,,,"'I CIt ; 1I ,i ' '
U"'.'"ifT of H_rt."

H.u~.T 77GO.

SCOPE
Prcdicting thc Bow ~~c for COllcwnnt gU" liquid 8_ iD pipe' bas beeD a ceotral IIDIflOlvedproblem ill two-pbasc Bow. The uJUaI approach bas beG to coDed data fM Bow rates and Buid properties and to ~. obsuYc the 80w pancl"Dthrough transparent ttstsection window. Then a search is undcrtalceo far a,"!to map the data in two-dirnen"ionaJplot by loatiD, transition boundaries betwccn the "~tS. This rcquirts a drcisioD to be D\Adeabout thc e:-I'Wo.tu which art wed. Bec.a~ DO theontital basis for aclcro- 01 coordinalu bas nutecl in the past.. this appro.ch ~u cooniin... tion of the dau rather thm II corrtlation aDd depends CONCLUSIONS 1trODt'Y00 thc partieu1lT data briD~ wed to prcpllR the map. For this ~ptanioD to otMT conditions of pipe siu or iDc1iD.tioD. Buid properties. .nd BowratcS arr of Wl~ain reliability. This work b. thr objective of p~ting meaos fOt' ~mbi~oUS analytiw prediction of thr transition hetwcu 8_ these rc~imel basrd 00 physically mwaDis"" for transitions. The rc~imn rullitic conudcnd are intermittent (alu~ and p)u~, IItutiJid nnooth. strati6rd 1n clispcKd .. "Y. dispersed bubble, ud _ul nn liquid Bow. The th""1 predicts the riled traMilion bou dariCI of pipe ~. auid propcrtin. and an~le of iDclinatioA. SIGNIFlCANC for tr.n.iljon arc band on ph~sital ~ntt:pIJ and Ire fully predictive in that 110 80,", regime data arc used in \heir development. . Five basic 8O'W tctimes an considc"d. \\Mn the Ihcmy is J(llvtd iA dimeusionless form the foU in~ JaftVory.

AND

A thcorctic.lmodel is d.,.veloped which predit" the relatiomhip bet-cen the lollo-inr; . ri.blu at which 80w Rpme transitions Ulee pl.rt: Cn and liC!uidmass Bow rales. properties of the Buich, pipe diameter, and .n,!;lc of iAclination to thr l:>orizooul. TN Jl)th.niJD:I.J

1976

ro,e

47

AICh[

Journol

(Vol. 2.2. No. II

dimcmioalcn~'

AzmuJ. dispcned 1iqmcI to mtamitlcDt .mel to clDpa_ babble

X,

x=[
T

l{dP/dsh,sl ]~

I{dPlQJc;sl
!(efP/dxh.':
(Pi. - pc;)' cos

'The th--aeaDr

=[

]~

bL -

pc;)' siD. i<dPltU)~1

pc; PI. pc;

,.pw.
pd.

ted tnmitioD ~ for Y = tube) .,. JhOW'Cl a ~ ~ IioDa1map ill Fim 4. ShaiIar inaps CD be developed limply for crt alba-....w. of Y br 1IIiD& bud c:aJcolatioos &om the -qua- aDd V.pbical refWts pvna ID the Fipe 5 show. daat th ~ betwMD tJaa. daeomical pndictillPJlSauf the Iawt .nilabJe maps wlaida dI. p-ediaMm' are 10catad &om !be data iI 'IU'f

o (IwIrizclotal

,_ /

~ V
1C::: F [

'lID, cos
'F [&1..]110

D~LS]~:::

AD of thJe quantities taD be delermined from opu.ti:D~ CGIlditicuu. since veJoc:jties aDd pnuure . adicnts 8lC caIcubled from svpem=-J conditio_ ne partic:ulat tramitiolu at sb_ to be CODlf1)ntd b;r the folJowU,~ I"'UP';

5lrati&ed to alUll11.lr StratiD" to inlcnnittast IDtcmlleDt to clliperscd bubble Strat:i&cdsmooth to atr.D&edwavy

A. parametric t:bady _ uecatad. for tha elK! of operatiu& Yariabla ClGth. n:pm. boaDdaria ill twoclimaWoDal map haYiD~ u coordiData the -paiciaJ 'P'Ilodty of the &u aDd liquid. WIth this method of pe ping. the boIIDC!arics. relatiYCly ~ to pipe dialDelU for All air-atu ~ .t Sow prasure aDd tnWl !iDe ~ Howevcr. lat~e shifts ill loeatUlDof .of the bowadarieJ take plate for lar~er !iDe Jizcs. for &ue. at bip presswt. aDd fw tlicht iDdiDatiODJ from the bo~ lbc _ rnera1iud map. JDCh lip"' 4. does KeOIIDtfor aD of these opentiCIIW facton IDCI thus sbould permit the ~ of 1- npe with c:ou&c!eDec at conditiODJother thaD !hose cletCrmiDediD laboratory ~ts.

.)

The ~liest and perhaps the man dunbie of ~e maps lor ~pnase gu.iiquid Bow was proposed b,,' &ker (1954). ~any have been suggested (While and Huntington. 1955; Govier and Omcr. 196Z; lConc:rin. 1949). AJ.Sheilc.het al. (1970) de6.ned. variety oE d.im~. sioniess groups and using the Dulclei two-phase fiow dau bani! evahateci the suitability of various pus for :napping the Bow regimes. The~ concluded that DO two groups chancteru.ed all of the C"al\.itions and all of the data. Recently a m.1pping based on coorcWates of supenic::al gu and liquid veioc:ty has been constructed. ttolD a lazger data base (~fancL~ane et .L. 19i'-l). Pan of the problem vUes from the 1ac::1t of precision in describing these visual observatioDS.There have been . innumerable c!a.sSificatioru suggested. such as SJIloothmat. iDed. wavy. semiannwlJ'. bubble. IDDuIar.froth. dispersed bubble. dispersed liquid. plug, and slug Bow. among own. Hubbard and Dukler (1966). based ODstudies oi the ~al distribution of wall premue Suetuatimu. mggested that each obseTVUion"presents the SUperpositioD of three buie patterns: separated. intermittent. and distributed Bow. However. the CODtcptdeo DOtdiscr.milate between nnti6ed and annular Bow. or bet-een. lbe dispe~ liquid or dispersed g:u 80w regimes. atId ~ are cllJferent= of eoruideuble pr.u::tic:al concern. 1DtlW work a mcch.&nistic: modc:l is developed for the unambiguow aWyOcai Fediction or tnnsilion betwc= Bow reglD'les.This app~b also provides anuideuble m. sisht into the mech'Disms DEthe tr.nsitions 'THIORT The a.nalv1iJ which foDOWJ considers the conditions for tnnsition ~tw~n five b&s~ Bow regimes: (55) smootb watified. (SW) wa''Y nntl5ed. (l) in~ermittent (.slug Uld plugj. (.AD) annular with dispersed liquid. uad (DB) dis. persed bubbl~_ :-':0 distinction is madc between JJu~. plug . or e1ongllte1:l bubbl~ Bows. all being coru.idc:red diil"UCTlt conditiol11 of the intennittent Bow .rrgime (DulUu and )or"IC'''''.

Hubbard, 19i5). Annular ~seci liquid flow repre:seDU the condition deJCibed in me put of annular or ~ nWu with various de~s of liquid entrainment rmpg between very small and ~e' &mountsof dispened equid: The pr~1 of analyting the tumioons between Bow repnes narts ir= the cond;con of stratiJied Bow.The a~ proaQ is to visualiu a srntied liquid and then to deter. mine the mechanism by which a change from nntiJied. Bow can be expee".ed to we place. as well as the flow patte.~ that OIl be ex'?cc:ed to result from the change. 10 many cases nratiDed ilo"'- is see;) to actuallv exist in the entry region of the pipe. However. the fact that nnti5ed Sow may DOtacnaily exist is not imporunt, since it is wen ~...ablished WI the e:Ust~ce of speci.6cflow pattl:fD at specified gas and liquid rates is independent of the path used to unve .t that sUte. Sint'e the condition of stratified flow is eentnl to this anal~'sis. the initial atep is the development of a general. i:ed relatiOJUhipfor stratified flows.
~ i1i~ri ", Stretifi.4 n_

Consider smooth. equilibrium stratilied Bo,", IS J~ in Figwe 1. A momentwn boa.ianc:e on exh pwe yieds
_ AI. ( : ) - . I.SI. ~ .5,

+ ,t-At:

sin = 0 (1)

___

l..!'_ -

--

1976

AIChE Journal

(Vol. 12. ~o.

1)

153

".0

--0

(7l
10
I

.S

113'

.1 10

10

->

101.

10

(8) (n. - ~) I siD = ---...,;---I(dP/lh)c'j (9) I(dFhh)" desipate$the ~ cbup of one phase Bow. iDg alooe ill the pipe. Thus .x is reco~ :asthe ~elet iDttodueed by1.kbart and ~tartiDelli (1949) and em be calculated WWDbiguously with the bowledge of !ow rateS. Sui~ properties. and tube dia:neter. Y b %UO for hor=ntal tubes and represents the reati~'e forces acting CD the Uquid in the Bow di~n due to gn\'ity aDd pressure drop_ It too can be eaiculated dim:tlr. All dimensionless variables with the supe~c::ipt nr./D. as can be seen ttozn depend only on

x.
,. 1. lnilibtiv-

'[(~'''l~]l
I~/ I:

i4 '-' h1rNld. _

"",m.,, H.. (....I*HI. ..,iM,.

-k

~ (d.P)

-~Wc.SC;-~.sI+~.=O

.-

(2)

Equating preuure chop iD the two p~ aDd usuming that at tranSition conditions the hydraulic gradient in the liquid is negligible, gives the following resulu ~ . c-k

Se

St .. t.-+1'.sl At

(1 -+-1)
k
k

hL =

+ (PI. -

pc) , sia.

=0

(3)

AI. ::

O~ [ . -

COS-I

(2hc. - 1)

The sheu streSSt:$ are evaluated in CODveZ1tionaI m.mzler

'W'L

= fL

PL"t.'

pcllcf

. e:: Ie -

1'l::

fa ------

"dUe 2

IIi)l

+
.-\C

(2h, - 1)

0-

(:hI. - I):]

(10)

(4) with the liquid and gas friction factors evaluated from

= 0.:5

[COS-I

(:hI. - 1)
_ (~, 1)

0-

(~L-

1)~

(11)

/J.

= Ct

( D:~t

rIO

Ie

= C(;( D::
-lAc

r- (5)
(6)

where Dt and De are the hvdrauli~ diameter evaluated in the manner as suggested by'Agn"'~ et aL (l9iJ): -tAl. DI.=-

-=
Sc;

cos-a (:::.ht.- I)
(~L -

(13)
(1-4)

5, = -Ii tic

1)'

51.

DG=--$(; + S.

'TbU implies that chI!! waIl resistance of the liquid is similar to that for oprn-channel J!ow and that of the gas to closed-duct Bow. It has beCD established that fM JInOOth Stratified Bow, f. ::::Ie (Cu.!ey. 19491. EVCD though many of the tnnsitions co,,!idered hete take place in matified Bow with a wavy interface. the enor incurred by znaking this assumption is pnalt At Sow Dte conditions. where tnnsitions are observed to talce pace. &&c v,_Thus. the I~ side interfac~ shear streSS is evaluated with the same equation as the gas waIf shc:ar. In this work the following c:ocflieill!nU were 1Iti1iu-d: Cc :: CL:: 0.046. n m :: 0.2 for the tuTbulent Bow and Cc CL = 16. n m 1.0 for laminU Bow. It is ~ful to tnruIonn ~ tquations to dimensionless form. The rc!erence varubles are: D for length. D' for area. the super5c:ul "e1ocities. and ue' for the liquid and gas "docit.ics. respe-divc1y. By designating the dirncn'lonlen quantities by a tilde (-). EqlUtion (J) with (4) and (5) takes the form

= AlAe

(16)

= = =

"I.'

Thus. eacls X.Y pair corresponds to a unique ,'&lue hl-tD for aD conditions oI p'pe siU. fluid properties. Sow rate. and pipe inclinations for ~hich stuuSed Bow exisU- 1be wluuon of Equation (il bas ~ executed Eor turbulent Bow of both phases.. which is dearl~' the ase of grnt~ prae:tial inteTest (n= m :: 0.2. Cc Cc. 0.(46). The results an shown as the wlid C'ln'CS in Figure ~ Other siruations may be n:acilly JOked from Equation (7) by uliliting th~ ~ppliC3ble coeilidenu. The ca.se fer turl>Went liquid with laminar gas So'" can occur in pncti~ fer transitions which take PUel' at 10'l" g:u rates. The solutions for n 0.2. 1ft 1. C~ :; O.o-J6. Cc = 16 is shov.-ndoned in figur~ 2 and is remariubh- close to the turbulent/turbulent c~. It should k noted that the de{:ision on ",.hrother lamlJUr OT lutbule-nt flow l~es p!~el' in l'3ch p~ si>ould k hued on the Reynolds Dumber ca1cubl~d b)' winS the

or

JO""ory.

197 6

po,e 9

AIChI Jo",nal

(Vol. 22. No.1)

154

acnW Ve1Dc:ity aIId bydraulic: diameter cl dais phase. DOt the ~ vdoc:ity IDd diamea:r.
T _ Aa~.-4 ~ 1S).-4 Wl U4- tAD'

en

.)

EnaWve espaimeDW mel anaJytic:al studies (Dukler and Hubbard. 1915) have shown that far tile range of Jiow ~ over which inlUlJ1iumt Bow is observed. the low at the inlet of the pipe is, at strUiScd. As the liq,wd rate is iDcreasecl. the liquid level aDd a waVI: is fonned which pws rapidly taldi:D~ ~ blodc the Sow. At lowu ga.s nus. the blocbgc: forma a CClDpdect bridge:. and Jiug ttl' plu! Sow emues. At higher pi rates. there is :nsuScient liquid SowiD~ to mamuiD Dr. iD tome c:axs. even to ionn the liquid bridge., and the liquid ill the wave is swept up and around the pIpe to farm an aIlnulUJ with some entrainment if the gas rate is high r:DOUgh. Butter. worth (19":'2) has cicmonstnted this medwUsm for annular film formation. thus. this tranSition CD be debed as that from wati6ed Sow to eithc:r iDtermittent ar aD.aular Bow.-It takes place whcu the conditions are such that hite amplitude ~ve CD the stntiSed JUria.ce will ~. This traDJitioD c:m be cxpc:etd to besh.uply ddiDcd u observed ill pnctice. Cooside: rtntiJicd Sow with a wave aisting on the surface over which gas Bows. As the gas aecdcntes, the pressure i;Dthe gas phaJe over the wave deereaJCS Dwing to the Bernoulli eliect. and this tends to C&UJe the wave to ~. The for of the gravity acting on the wave tcnch to Inakt: it deca~ The Ke1vjn..Helmhol~ theory (Milne-Thomson. 1960) provides a stability criteria lor -es of in5nitesimal amplitude fonned on a Bat sheet or liquid BowiDg between bOrUootal paraDel plat~. AcewdiDg to this theory, waves will grow wben

-=--t _ _ - _ - - - -' _ h _
_ .1. ~ _ -

U
P

-...c:.

~-;I

p~;
-

i
'. t

h~
-

..vLl~-~--I

~ -

- _." h,

sm.

n-s

qualitative ~ts. they esteucicd Benjamin.' (1988) work lor iIow ai liquid arOund a gas caVJty to the idea of a Bow gas over a wave to attempt to jumIy this value of the coe1Dcient- However, their arguments are questionable for dus applicatioa bec2use the inversion of gas :and liquid bas little U1eoretical basis in this procedure. This rimDSe analvsis can be easilv mended to the IOUDd P geometry aDd.to iDclined pipeS to JIVe
~(PL - pC) g cos (hI.. -

TId

."c"]!,-

ue> [

pC

Ai? - AgO:

(2:)
For _1. though mute, distuibaDces., At;: can be expanded in a Taylor ,enes UOWId Ac to 1ieId
.t'(;

>,C

(PI. -

pC}g cos k

]~
(23)

tJ..-\r./dh1.

ue> [ g(PL - Pc)hc]~

PC

(17)

",.here C, :::: Ac'/Ac. C, is Jt:eD to be unity for the inSDi. tesimal disturbance where Ac' - Ac. \\"heD the eouilibrium liquid le... el approaches the top of the pipe Ac is small. any wave of finite amplitude which appurs will cause C, :::: Ac'/Ac to approach uro. Convenel)', for low levels the appearuce of a small hllue ampiitude wave will ha ... e little enKt on the air gap nc. and C, approaches 1.0. For this reasoll we speculate that C, be esti:nated as follows:

.md

where he is the distaDce between the upper plate and the eqwlibrium liqwd )~ve1. This type Of s ability analysis is DO'W dtt:J1ded in a rather e1e-me:ltan' mauner. first to the c:a3eof ;a .finite wave on a ht liquid sheet between parallel plates :and then to finite w:a".es on nraWied liquid in an iDdin~d pipe. ConSIder :a Snite solitanr Waye on a il:lt horizontal surface. as shown in Figure 3. baving a puk beight hI.' and a gu gap dimemion hc . The equilibrium dimensions an: hI. and he;1 the motion of the wave is negl~ed. the condition for waYc: growth is
P _

C,= 1--

ht.

r:>

(he -

~')

{PI. - ~}, -~)

(18)

p _

r
1

= !;;Pc(ue"
~{PL pC

(19)

:-:ote that for ;'L/D 0.5. C, eouais O.S,and this is c0nsistent "o.th the result of wallis and Dobson (19':'3). J;:orcivban and Ranov (1970) anaivud the tnrUition from se-atJied to siug Bow for water and a1J betwt:m horl%OJlw parallel plates. TbC1r data for air veiocity to eJ1ea transition as a funaion of the channel OW" and water gaps gives dose agrK'tnent with Equation (20), UJing C. gi,.en by Equation (24). Thus it is suggated that Equations (23) and (24) describe the c:onditions for ~e transition in pipes from straWied (5) to intermittent (I) and to annular cWpersed liquid (AD) Bow, In dimen.uonless form the criterion becomes .r-\

The criterion for instability then ~es ue> C (

pC)~)~
'

(ZO)

'P(~
e,'
F _ ,f

( -1. ,-

~/d.hl. Ac

i!!:

(25)

~'here F is a Froude Dumbc= modified by the densi!')' ratio:

pC: UG"

when C1 dep<:nds on the size of the ~ve:

CUI)

- V

(1'1. -

pc)

v'Vg

cos a

For innitC3imal disrurban~. he/he. - 1.0. Cl - 1.0. and Equallon (20) reduces to (17). Ho-"cvn =parison of these two t:quabolU sho... s that 6nite disturbances are ku stable ~n iniinitesiJnal onC3. SLntt far a finite disturlnce C, is less than unity . Willis and Dobson (1973) &lTj ~ at Eouation (ZO) WIth C 0.5 /rom observation of e.rpe~I;1 data.. Using

~ote that aD tums in the Jquve buchu of Equation (Z5) arc funcUoru of hL/ D which is. In turn. a unique function 01 the dimeruionleu group1 X and }- as shown in Fll:ure :!_ Thw this tnnsition is uniouelv dclenni~ bv u.;~e ,dlmensionleu groups A. 't. and .F. For an~' JPe-cilied value of Y. the- tralUltion is uniouei . delermined b . X and F and C~n ~ rtprnmted on ;0 geneiaiaed rwo-dim-eruiona1 nup. For eJ,;unple. for borizDnu) flo"; ;0 series of values AICll

Jo","ol (Vol. 22. Ho. 1)

155

10'

of X wae s.dted. and the cerrespondiD~ valua were detennmed &om Figure 2. The bncUud EquatiOll (~) c:aDtbeD be caiculated fur each lWDg Equations (11). (18). and (24) and tho
expre5SlOD;

of AIID u:xm m

brlD by
fo1J,gwixlg

'"
T 00 011

tIl1

.)

.t
'0

10

,0

~ 10

,
'0

"l
e
. ". I:

10

101

"
a a , .. "
I

CU"V[-

o
T ll

e~T["

-r ....,...

U4 lAD) ...,-Equation (25) presents the criteria under which bite

t---

I__

ifteot' IIl.N

ler Diqe

waves which appear cD the stnr.iSed liquid em be c:l[peaed to grow. Two enuts can u.kc pLace wbtD sud! a growth is observed. Asuble s1u~ can form wbeD the The pbeswroenoo of wave genentiDD is quite compli. supply of liquid iJJ the 5lm is large enough to provide the cated aDd not completely undentood. It is genen1ly acliquid Deeded tD ~iDuiD ",cb a slug. Wbeu the level is cepted that waves will be initiated when ~e and' maciettuate. the wave is ,wept up uound the W2ll as de-shear work on a wave can overcome the viscous dissipascnbea bv Bunerwonh (1972), aDd annular or annular tion in the waves. However, there is I:OmidenDle co=onu.st Bow'tUeJ plaee. This suggesu that wDether iDtenDitver-sy o\'er the mec..m:.Jm by which the enugy transfer tept or annuiar t10w will deveiop depeods uniqllely on the takes p~ce. A good s=my is provided by St~ liquid level in the nntibed equiliwJZn DOW. It is sug( 190.'). gested that WDCU the equilibrium liquid level in the pipe 1tl this work we use the ideas intrOduced by Jd&eys is above the pipe center Wle. iJltermitte:1t 5DW will de(1925. 1926) who suggested the follOWlDg =ciitioD for "eiop. ~d if hJD < 0.5, annular or &nDular~ liouia How will RSUlt. This choice of fat! D = 0.5 C211 be ,"::avegeneration: erpialned as rouows. Wbnl a Snite amplitude wave begins % ""':,glp:. -:- Pc) "("a) to flOW as a result of the "'cUOIl over tbe crest of the (u<: - c ) c > ---"----~ S Pc ... a;e. liquid must be supplied from the fluid in the Slm a~jacent to the wave. and a depreuion or tTOugh for.ns In t.'Use!!.uation $ iJ a sheltering coe$cinlt which Jeifrep t.'lue. Picnue the waye as a sinUSOId. II the level is aoo-'e suggested sno'ud take a vaiue oj about 0.3. However, based ~~e center line. the peak of the waye wUI r~cb the top on theon' as wei! ;oson exoeriJnenul resulu for Bow and before the trough reaches the bonom 0: :be pIpe, and then fixed ",aw suriaces. Beoianun (1959) ind:eated much blockage of the gas passage and siugglOgresults. ' . ben thO' _ smaller ,,'.llles tor t.IusI:odbent ~gUlg irom 0.01 to 0.03. liQuid level is below the center line. the invene will be for this ",ork the \-aiue 01 S = 0.0111 used. trUe. which will En~e duggmg iJDpoSJible. c is the velocity 01 propagation Of the waves. For most 5iDce translUon takes place at a collSUnt Y2iue of "L/D conditions wbere tralUltion ~ be expected to we place. en that the 0.5. a nngie value of )( cW:al:tenzeJ the c!>angein ~ II(; > > 1:. Theories conceming these "..avessuU gl:ne ior any val~ of Y (Figure 2). For honronul tuoo, ntio of the wave veiooty :0 the mean of the iilm velocity this vaiue is X = 1.6, and this is ploned ill Figure 4 as 1:1111. decreases "'lth inCreasing Reyllolds Dumbu -0 the boundary B. ~ote that the location of this CUl"~ DOW deliquid. and the data of Fullord (1964). Brode (19';0) and 'iines twt> possible transitions as one moYeJ across boundary Chu (197J) couDrm this. t the hi~h ~1Wlds numbers .-\: from nntified to intermittent (SIn for values of X associated ",;th turbuient liquid Bow talting place t\Uf grutet than X 1.6 and su-atiJied to anoular dispersed these transitions. the ratio approaches 1.0 to 1.5. For Jimliould (SI.W) for values of )( less than X = 1.6. pHci~'. and because a precl1e location of ~ tnnritiaD 't;n1ilte the tnllsition between sttwed and iJltamittent boundary is not imponant. the relauoD ilL = C IS ~d. flow for which the mechanism suggesu a sharp. wellThese appronmat;ons substituted into Equation (28) de:ined change, this transition is a gud=! one JlnC'C it is give the c:nterion for thU t:ram:it;on: Dol poSSible to distingwsh betw~o a hi!\h1~' ae:uted dug I.(PL oos. ]~ (29) and annular Sow with 1az!e roU waves.

ue ~ r

T. ~
s..-ti,;.4

ft

S.,.,;f~

w ....,(SWI The region designated above u a srntiSed ngime ineludes two subregIons: rtratibed smooth (55) and stratifiec! wavy (SW). These .. ;aves an: c-ausedb~-the gas 80'" under ~nditionl ",.here the velocity 01 the gu if JUffi. cent to cause w;aves to [onn but slowe: l~n wt needed for the rapid ""a~'e g-rowth .. hic."l uuses lUMuon to iD. te:trunent or annular AOW. AIChE Journ"l (Vol. 22, ~o. 1)

a.,i_

s WI

,.c>~
Z _

I ~1I1.

In di:nensionless form this

K~

= be expn:ued
_

u
(30)

'v J ",he:~ K.is the produ~ 01 the modified Froude n~rnber and the sqw.tt root oi the n;?er5cial Re~-noldsllumOCIof the
11(;

ViTi.

liqwc:
Jonuof},

1976

Poge Sl

156

J(J

= PReL'

=.[

I'C_C_UC_._)I __ ) [~] (,1. - I'C)D, CDS. Pz.

(31)

S~ UL and UG d.epmd onl! _1Ir./D [Me Equations (lS) and (18}). th~ arc deterUUDed coce X aDd r an speci' 5ed. 'Ibus this tnmitiOD bctweeD smQOthaDd wavy aauular So.depends OIl the tbrft par.uneten X. X. IDd Y For anv hed D1dinaticm. this \lecoma a ~1W'mIeter de~ OIl X aDd 1C. The ~tialWIip whiCh ~ the equality of Equation (30) aD COIIVenientJybe mapped iD Figure" by c!esJgnatiD~ a difcmWy JaJed ordinate thaD that wbicb applia to the two InDSitiolu diJc:as* previowh'. CUTYC C shows the n:sults fo: r = 0 (. = 0.01). While the Joeacon of this truuitioD curve is approsimate. it is impotWlt to IIOtt that it is based on pb~ ally realistic model. Should it be Decessan' to locate the ~e more acQITately, this would be ~blc oncc addi. Conal data on e/uL aDd $ are available. However, the result depends on each of these quantities to the eDt-ball power and thus is relatively imctISitiVe to c:baJJges.
T m. a-_I_ CDII ~t 1II..4 D

'The terms iD the square bracket ~ Equat)= (38) .,. again depeDdcnt ouJy aD lIVD mel ~UI oa% aDd T. Far any spedDe value of r, ~ ~bdoa fOl' this tnnJiticm is possible. with X cd r 1aed as the dim~ cootdiDates.. It is possible to map this tnDDtJoll 011 Figure . by usi: g t.X common .x abscissa aDd T as an ordinate as showu by CUl"O D c:ak:ulated for r 0.

USULTS TN Geto..-liaH P1ev .., "...

hw.&.

For values of X iD Figure , to the right of bouPdarles A and B. waYe1 will tend to bridge the pipe forming a liquid slug and an adjal:Cnt g~ bubble -\t high liquid rates and low gu rates. the equilibriwn ~uid level approaches the top oj the pipe. u is apparent from Figure 2. With sucb a fan running liquid stTram the ~u tends to mix with the liquid. and it 1S SUSge:ned that the tt:lMition to ~ed bubble Sl)\O.' wes o~e when the turbulent Bue:t=tioDS are strong enough 10 ~vercome the buoyant forces ten<i.iDgto k~p the gas at the top or the pipe . The for oi buoyancy per U:U1Imgth of the g:as regioD is

F. = g

cos" (PI. -

pe)Ac

(~)

In a manner used by U'vich (1961). the force acCDg becawe of tuIoweol:C a er.:ma1ea to be

F:

~PL

0" 5,

(J3)

where 1:" is the ra~ ... eloci:v ilu~atioD whose root.teean. square is est:."tUte,;.to be appro:wnateir equal to the friction velocity. nus

c~ ..

= "" = VI.

(fl.)'"
-

(34) .

Dispeniou
FT.i:::

of the gas is visualiud -lAc

--

as taking place "when I'C ) ] 1-(3.5)

F., ~
UL~

t cos a
JL

5,

ID a dime:Ulorues.s form. EquatiOD (35) wes

the form

where

T=

.)

~ (~ r. [
D
~l

Pl~t"
-

'"

(Pl-xigcosG

The g~ low regime m.ap for the caM of lai;zontaJ tubes (Y 0)appears in Figure 4. Curve A,... seDtS the transition frODlJtratiDed (5) to mtermitteDt (I) or lDnuW-dispcned ~ (AD) llows. with the caardinates for curve A being F YS.X. The carve gives the loc:us of the F-X pain which satisDes ~uatioD (25) aDd rcsWts from the aJlWDeDt ~t waves ol tinite size will grow IDd tend to bioclt or sweep &I'OIIJId the pipe when the fon:e clue to the Bernoulli effect above the wave is greaur tIwJ gravity fotl:C acting on the wave. Thus. all values of X to the leIt of the curve rqlresmt eemditiolu UDder wbicb nnti&ed Bow will exist. Cw've B locates the tmUiliOD between iDtumiI:ta4" (I) or d.ispened bubble. (DB) aod annula.r-dispe:sed liquid (AD) Bow. This occun at a toD.SWlt value of X resWtiDg fnnn the argument that th~ growing waves wiD have -. eimt liquid r.JPply to form a slug only when ht.lD ~ 0.5. and below that value they will be swept UOWICi the pipe into an annular configuration. . Curve C represents the transition between stntiDed smooth (55) and stntiEed wa''Y (SW) llow. It is plotted in the X-X pl.a.ne and locates :be X.X pairs wbieb satiSfy quacoD (30). The model is bued on the assumptioll that the Jeifreys model is valid for desc:ribing the conditiml for :nnsier of mergy to the liquid m ordu to" crute waves. With the wave velocity estmattd from the mean loc:itv of the liquid &1mand.the sheltering cod5cient detmnm~ !rom an uWym of BenjatDin. .-\Dy value of X lower than CW"'e C in the X-X p~e ","illprtwide inJUiicient gas fiDW to cause waves to forlIt. ClOl"'"eD indiQtcs the tnnsition betw~ iDtennittmt and dispersed bubhle I1ow. It :1:presenu an ide:ltiiicatioll oi conditions .. here the turbuieDt flucru.ationJ in the liq' uid become coual to the buovant forces which 1eJld to :nake the gas rae to the top of the pipe. 'Ibis ClU"''e gives the locw oj the f-X pain which satUlies Equations (36). .. u.. -alues of r below the curve nprescnt cgnditicnu where turbulence is in.rufScient to keep the gas mixed. aDd the eJoD~ated ps bubbles dw2eteristic: of mtermitWlt low will form. The set of tnnSition eurves for osher valvn of . Y c:an easily be caiculated from Figure 2 and the ddniDg t:aniitioll equations. The eifect of p~pe roughness on these tnnsitions is Dot =:5callv conudered in tb~ de"e1ooment. HO""'e''a'. IUbj;et to eXPeriment:!1demonnratioD. it is suggnted that if the (dPld%l' values are calcubted by wins knl)\O."ll JOVgblieu parameters. the transition boundaries of Figure" Will continue to apply. It is. of COUl'Je. nol necessary 10 we a flow regime map at all. Civen anyone set of SO'" conditions (rate. pr~ line size. and inclirution). the Bo' pattern that exists far that condition can be detenninea nther simply by using h,mc calcubtions from EquatioD (::5). (30). and (36) wlth the beip or Figure 2..

=[

l(dPldxh'l
(Pt - l'C)g cos G

]'"

(3i)

T can be connde:t'd &S the ratio oi Nrbulent forces acung on the g:u.

to gravity

~bndhane. Grel;o~' and Az:z (19";4) ba"e recently" mace 2 careful eumlO2110n of flow re;imc data. Tbet showed tb21 over 1 000 d:!ta POlllU for the 2ir-w2ter 'Y'te:n Ul horizontal pIpeS ranSlOg in size from 1.3 to IS em

AIChE Jo",nol Po9- 52

Juuory.

(Vol. 22. No.1)

1916

157

~
10 ~["5LD

now

CADI

ut
[ , It) (AO) .I

LIt
(., It )

E~OHGA'IT.J auSSL. t 'LOW III ~

'\

.1

"-,

STJl&TI"ED fLOw ISS)

.01 J JO 100 500

-1.25 C'" -5.0 C'" ,01-30 c"'

'i.
10

, ..
100 '00

:z..s

,. S.

It&

e-.-n'0
10

ua

(""MIt]

.f "'"" --"_ ir.15'c. 1 -. lIi" _ ~" roL --tkwT;/////JII dhe '" ~ (In,,). leti lIncri,~," ia ~lHlhe_

W.-..

ut ["', c)
Fi . '- !Hoct of ",. ~io_tor 1IItiM *'o""rios.. tIleoty;

Z.5'c. I '''''.

wisnnL

11'7061.

1""'1

W ..,

.l'Me""Ioo at aI.

... __ D--D

OI5l'EIIStD

.ulll~E101)

I~W"' : :~:NT ...-,

""

",
'

ANN~"

.1

)
.01 ISS!
.I

c:
STRAT.
SMOOTi'!

STAAT\
WAVY

l
\
,

DISPERSED ~IOuID

IADI

IS""

'.
iO

100

~OO

u~ [ Inc 1
'it. 7. (Heet D'

n~i" ,..PH'iu tnl

-0"'<01

oit>.Jo

t"'. )I'C."

d.ri.. c:..d

a.

, MrUo L

in diameter could he cootliiDat~ op a mal) in which UL' aDd uc. are the panmelen. ~o theoretical basis Was giVetl for this method of mapping, and. ill fact,. the goodness of Dt did vat}' ","ithpipe sUe and Buid properties. Bceawethe largest part of the data were for 1.3 CD 5 em pipe mes" the location of the tnnJition boundaries \InS strongly iniJuenced bv these small !me me, air-water data. The locatiaD of these'tnnJition boundaries in the ~fancihane map nuy then be eonside:ed a rcprescnution of ~t JlarticuJar dau. Others have also sugg~cd this metbod of !lUpping !low
TClJDCS (GoVlCl'

and Omez. 19C12).

-In orda to compare t!K ~ctiom of the theory given in this ~per W1th the dau, the genenlizedBow bound. aries oJ Figure . were ~c:u1ated into UL. - Uc. c0ordinates for the systan JUt-water at z.s'C and 1am PT~ ~ ill a 2...5 an dUmettr hori=uJ tube.. Once these ""Wi, abies are Axed. F. X. K. and Tat u.ch transition boun~ are all erpreuible in tenns of the two J\1perUci~velocities. The rcsulu are .hown in Figut"e S. The solid curves represent the prediction DC the the<lryprelented bere. The bamh inwC3te the. data (1.3 to 5 an) rept"eKnted by the ~bnd. hMoe boundaries- Very tisfactory agreement aisu both Wlth rapcet to the signiJicant trends cI the curves a.od

their absoiute lcations, 'I'hw it is possible to predict the boundaries as the "L', maps from this new theory. ~aw that the thcoreti~y based regime transition cal. culations have beUl shown to be in good agteemeDt with dau. it is pemble to explore the d~ oI design variables WIth some con.6dence .. gain. by using air.waUl ~t 2,5'C and 1 aan the theoretical predictions of Figuze 4 have been ~C'.mted to UL';' uc' coordinates for 1.23, 5, aDd 30 em diameter horuonuJ pipe$. These are sbowu ill Fig' ure 6. Supe:.mposcd on e2cb gnp?! are the boundaries re<:ommeodedbv ~fandhane which. as indicated above, are based on data for 1.3 to 5 em pipes. :-':otethat the 1cH:ation of theoret~ boundaries B and C are independent of liXIe size. It is seen that far anarTOWrange of hne sUes (sa)' ~ to 5 an I. the l0C2tioD of the bouncunes are Ilot vuv sensi. tive to the size. However. for the ~er mes $\Ich ;as 30 c:m.the displacement of the boundanes is signiE=t. ConSIderable error will result if a S1Il21e uc' - lIL' Mao is used. .-\s expected, for Iar~e pipe sizes. the theory 'predicts that stratiiied 30'" will pc:sut to much higher gu rates_ Of considerable pr~etical importance is the Bow of oUl natunl gas at high preuurcs where the properties are drast:caDv different than for the :air/"''ater case. Flow regime tranutions on uc', UL. coOrdinateswere calculated for a horaonw pipeline openting at 65 an ilDd 38"C with oil of denSity 01 0.65 glaD' ~d natural gas wrth iI density oi 0.05 ~/cmJ. Visctmties of oil and gas WCTC set at 0.5 and 0_015 cpo tcSpCC".ively. The TCsulu for S mel :JO em pipe sius are sha",,, ill Figure 7... c:omparisoDwith Fig' ures 5 and 6 dn .. 'll for air,waler shows the inadeou:aC" of assummg wt the vc' - UL' coorciill4ltemaps aie isidr, pendent oi properties. The tranSition f:om smooth to wavy sl:atified !low and lrotn stratified to annular Sow shiIu to g:u Ydocities an order of m4igmtude lower. This is. of count. due to higher gas deu.l1l)'. The Dew tbeary presented here acCOWIU for these ~ditiODL . TIle diK't of small degrees of incW:ation on the location of the tnnsitiDtU appears in Figw-e. 8 and 9 as calculated from the genenlizcd theory. ~ C~ sdecud considers air-waler at 1m ' preuure in a 5 en diameter pipe. The effect of inclination is "try pronounC'CciDown . ard in. clinations c~u.u: the Lqllid to mo"e more rapidly. Iu"e a lowe: It,d. and Ihm re{}uirt hihtr gas and liquid BoW' nle to ca~ a tranSllion fro;n stuII6ed flows. As shown b~' companng fiC'.Jre 6 with FiSllrt S. the inlermiUtnt Bow region shrink subHanliO\i1~.. Con>'euel~'. flow with

"C.

A1CJ.E Jourrtol

(Vol. 22. Ho. 1)

Jonllory.

1976

Poge 53

158

'0
DIV"SCD 10 llUlllll..[

SO
~II

')

-----,-u. L
t ",INC J
.1 ST"ATl1l[1) SMOOTH

lS5t

01

-a-" -".,.
.I

10

100

SOO

u~ t""MC
'it- L fHKf ., iWl I eta. S (IL

ul [.1_1
J

"..,i. _""""'
'".

w._.....

t. (Hact e# iacl;.m..
15.C,

:3'" I J -- .

W-..w.

~.

.)

J1ight upward angles ause intermitmlt Bow to take place over a much wider range of Sow c:ooditioos as shown in Figure 9. In fact, at an angle of -0.1 deg. inwmittent flow is predicted to We place at e:nremely low liquid and gas ratcs. The ~ shape of the intermittent to n:ati. Ded t1'aNition bouncWy for -0.03 deg. is due to a c:han~ in the DOW &om turbulent to WniJIar. It should be Doted that the generalized /nap of Fi~e 4 has been c:ajCll1ated for turbulent Sow of both pnues. However. as shown in Figure 2. laminM Sow the liquid bas little ect aD the ruult.

s:

==

= .. = =
C

:: c:oordinate in the c10wmtJam direction ~laninelli parameter. EquatiaD (8) = dimcnsjonleu inclination parameter. Equation (9) = angle between the pipe axis and thebcri%oDta!. pos;th"f: for downwW Bow density shear Stress kine:natie viscosity
eM S._riptw

Sbs"ripn

en

en

:=

g:u . uquid g:u interfac:c

",CKHOWUDGMfNT TrW ~p~ is dedicated to Ovid Balcer 1>0 prescted the &nt wetw Be>'" ~S'map. He h.u been CODtinuin~ i.oBlleD OD thr research related tD two-l'We Sow prtloicm.l at the UD,iYeTSl ty oi HowtOD. NOT .. TlON

~
W

= liquid = superlic;;al.

for single Buid Bow

:; pipe suriac:e

:; ..umnmonleu V3riable = Cisturbed variable :; :ric:tion velocity

average

UTI"" TUItl CmD area

.A

= annuiu.alltlu1ar .~ c
C
D

:= Bow c:ross-sKtional := wave

A~wal. 5.5 . C.. C~~',

OJ

dispersed liquid Bow

= c:oei5cieftt
:= dispersed

velix:ity

dependent on the me of disturbanc:e. also consunt in the ric:tion fae:tor l;01TelatiOll := pipe diameter and hydraulic dWneter
bubble Bow := mcnoll fac:ror /n0di5ed Froude number. E~tion := acaicratiOD of gravity

DB f F g
h 1 K.
m

(261

and C. W. CoYirT, -.\11 .~~ HOrucJltaJ StrauSe<! Two-Pba.s Flow ill Pipes.:. Chltn. Ene . 51. 2SQ.ZS6 ( 1973 I. .. u.Sb"U:b. ). ~~ D. Eo Saunders. and R. S. lh1M!lary. '1'nCic:tioD of Fw.. '.nems iD H~ T"G-Pbue Pipe Flow: ilnJ . d. 21 (l9tO). B.ker. O~ .Si=llltaDCOUS Flaw of Oil and eu,- Oil eo. 1. 53. 1~ (Jw~. 19S1). 'eDiamm. T. B~ -Cravity C.meDtS and )\dated FI idll"ch.. 31. zog:US (1!)OS). . . _ . Sbranog Flow Qu a Wavy BwndaJ'y.- ibid...

c-.

J:

r~.

:=

:=

liquid level or gas gap intermittent (Slug and plug) Bow wa.. y Sow. dimensionless puunetet,

Equatioo

= exponent. = exponent.

(31)

p He

5
55 SW

= = pressve Re'\-nolds
:=
:=

Equation (~) EquatiDn (5)

Dumber }dreys' sheltmn~ eodDcient perime'tet ova which the st7CU acu, a1ro stratified
smooth Sow
waY'\"

Bow =stutilied

= diJ~rsed nr.ti5ed =
= veloolY

Bow bubble Sow dimeroionless

pa.r.uneta.

Equ:ltion (3i')
:; ve.Ot1tv in the :s diTecticn

:61 (1959). Brocic. R. R.. -Periodic pcnM!'mt !\DD W.va.1rot;. Am. Soc. Cj~rl E"~n~ 116.HYD 12.. 2S6S-z.550 (1970). Bu~ D~ A Visual StudY 01 ~1echaDiJm. in HoNcmtal. .\it W.t<r flaw: AERE lkj.cm M~. }UrIn1l. DS~ ,1972). Cut. L T ~ "Statistic:aJ ChanckriJtia Moddl1D, 01 Wary Liquid Films in Vutica.l Two Pbuc flo-'- fbI> thnu. limv. HlNItOD. Tn. Om). Dui<.ler. A- E.. aDd M. C. Hubbard. ~.-\ ~fodc:l for Cu-Liquid Slu~ rt- ic> Horiu>,,,.1 atld :-:ur HorizontU 1'ubcs.Inti. Ene. Chnn. F ne-unt4U (I'T.SI. ful1()f(i. t. D_ ""The flcr- of Liquua in Thin F".hns.Ad""n. Chnn. Eng . 5,1.51-236 (19tH I. CnI,.... C- -lntm.cu1 Shur and SnbiUty lJ> T...o-Pbuc no;": PhD theon. VlUy. Del.. :-;... ark (19-19). . CO'",CI. C. W . and ~I. ~\. OrDer. ""The HomCAI.l PiJXIiN F\cnr 01 Aif.W.tn Muruns..- C__ J. CMm. E.n,~ 40.

..,d

" ~

Dormal to

the:ll: direction

Q.J (196:).

AICltr Journal
Jon"ory,

(Vol. n.

No. l}

1976

159


,.n.U7J.
)1_ ~ ~. JtT!; -~ ~

)
AIChE Joumol (Vol. 12. No.1)

tog' 5S

160