Summary
Entrainment fraction is one of the key parameters in many applications,
including wellbore and flowline design, separator design, wellbore loading, and
corrosion inhibition. This study provides the first comprehensive entrainment
data and their critical analysis for a full range of inclination angles ranging
from horizontal to vertical in 76.2-mm-internal-diameter (ID) pipes.
Experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of pipe inclination on
entrainment fraction in air/water annular flow with inclination angles of 0,
10, 20, 45, 60, 75, and 90° from horizontal. Two techniques were used to
measure the entrainment fraction: film removal and isokinetic sampling. The
experimental results were compared with existing models and correlations, and
the best predicting methods were determined for all flow orientations.
An inclination effect on entrainment fraction was observed. This effect
occurred at low superficial gas velocities and was more prominent for higher
superficial liquid velocities. Using the present study data, the Paleev and
Filipovich (1966) correlation was found to be the most accurate in predicting
entrainment fraction. On the basis of all available data, the Pan and Hanratty
(2002b) correlation performed the best in predicting entrainment fraction in
all pipe orientations. For vertical annular flow, the Oliemans et al. (1986)
correlation predicted entrainment fraction more accurately. The Pan and
Hanratty (2002b) correlation was the most accurate in predicting entrainment
fraction for horizontal annular flow. The Wallis (1969) correlation and the
mechanistic model developed by Mantilla (2008) most accurately predicted the
entrainment fraction for inclined annular flow.
© 2012. Society of Petroleum Engineers
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History
- Original manuscript received:
22 July 2011
- Meeting paper published:
20 September 2010
- Revised manuscript received:
23 September 2011
- Manuscript approved:
8 November 2011
- Published online:
1 June 2012
- Version of record:
11 June 2012
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