Analysis of Horizontal Air-Silicone Oil Plug-To-Slug Transition Flow

Abstract

The analysis of the experimental data for the air-silicone oil plug-slug transition in a 67mm id and 6m long horizontal pipe was carried out in this work. The superficial gas and liquid velocity ranged from (0.05 – 4.73) m/s and (0.05 – 0.473) m/s respectively. The transition from plug to slug flow was investigated by increasing the superficial gas velocity at fixed superficial liquid velocity. For the investigated experimental data set, the intermittent flow was observed at the superficial liquid velocity of 0.142m/s. The transition from plug to slug flow for the experimental data was observed at the superficial velocity of between 0.7 – 1.2m/s. To characterize the plug – slug transition, the effect of liquid and gas superficial velocity on void fraction, bubble velocity, bubble length and slug frequency were obtained. The drift flux model for the data set was also obtained and compared with existing models for horizontal flow. The results obtained from the analysis agree well with the reports of several literatures for the air – water plug – slug transition in horizontal pipes.