Browsing by Subject "two-phase flow"
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Item Microgravity flow pattern identification using void fraction signals(Texas A&M University, 2005-08-29) Valota, LucaKnowledge of the two-phase flow state is fundamental for two-phase flow system design and operation. In traditional two-phase flow studies, the flow regime refers to the physical location of the gas and liquid in a conduit. Flow configuration is important for engineering correlations of heat and mass transfer, pressure drop, and wall shear. However, it is somewhat subjective since it is mostly defined by experimental observation, resulting in an approximate and equivocal definition. Thus, there is need for a better, objective flow regime identification. The void fraction is a key parameter in monitoring the operating state of a two-phase system and several tools have been developed in order to measure it. The purpose of this study is to use the void fraction and other parameters of the system to achieve a model for flow pattern identification. Recently, an experimental program using the Foster-Miller two-phase flow test bed and Creare Inc. capacitance void fraction sensors was conducted in the microgravity environment of the NASA KC-135 aircraft. Several data types were taken for each phase, such as flow rate, superficial velocity, density and transient void fraction at 100Hz. Several analytical approaches were pursued, including a statistical approach of the fluctuation of the void fraction, Martinelli analysis, and Drift Flux analysis, in order to reach a model for flow pattern identification in microgravity conditions. Several parameters were found to be good flow pattern identifiers such as the statistical moments variance and skewness, Signal -to- noise ratio (SNR), Half Height Value (HHV) and Linear Area Difference (LAD). Moreover, relevant conclusions were achieved using the Martinelli parameter and the Drift Flux model in microgravity conditions. These results were compared with the basic literature.Item Onset and Subsequent Transient Phenomena of Liquid Loading in Gas Wells: Experimental Investigation Using a Large Scale Flow Loop(2012-10-19) Waltrich, PauloLiquid loading in gas wells is generally described as the inability of the well to lift the co-produced liquids up the tubing, which may ultimately kill the well. There is a lack of dedicated models that can mimic the transient features that are typical of liquid loading. Improved characterization of liquid loading in gas wells and enhanced prediction of future well performance can be achieved from the measurements and analyses resulting from this project. An experimental investigation was carried out to study the onset of liquid loading and the subsequent transient phenomena, using a large scale flow loop to visualize two-phase flow regimes, and to measure pressure and liquid holdup along a 42-m long vertical tube. From this investigation, it is possible to conclude that liquid loading should not be characterized based on onset criteria alone, and that it may not be a wellbore-only problem, as it would seem that the reservoir also plays a key role in determining if/when/how liquid loading manifests itself. Additionally, the results from the experimental campaign were used to compare the performance of different wellbore flow simulators. State-of-the-art simulators do not seem to fully capture the nature of liquid loading in vertical tubes. A simplified model is roposed here to evaluate the liquid transport during the transition from one flow regime to another, during the loading sequence.