Fluid Handling

Chapter V
Two Phase Flows and Practice

Learning Objectives
Reading this chapter would enable you to understand:
l Details of two phase flow and calculation pressure drop.

Contents
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Two-phase Flow Capabilities
5.3 Two-phase Mixture Capabilities
5.4 Types of Two-phase Flow
5.4.1 Focus
5.4.2 Gas Liquid System
5.5 Two-phase Flow Regimes and Characteristic Linear Velocity
5.5.1 Dispersed Flow
5.5.2 Annular Flow
5.5.3 Stratified Flow
5.5.4 Slug Flow
5.5.5 Plug Flow
5.5.6 Bubble or Froth Flow
5.6 Two-phase Flow Type
5.6.1 Flow Regimes
5.7 Baker Plot For a Two-phase Flow Regime Correlation
5.8 Pressure Drop Calculation for Gas-Liquid Systems
5.9 Mitigating Erosion
5.10 Numericals
Self-assessment
References

5.1 Introduction

Pipelines carrying two-phase fluids (Liquid and gas) are called two-phase flow.
The analysis of two-phase flow piping is more complex and less understood than
that of incompressible or compressible fluid flow.

5.2 Two-phase Flow Capabilities

l Complete thermodynamics: phases appear and disappear as conditions

warrant.
l Two-phase heat transfer correlations are built-in or user-defined
l Two-phase pressure drop correlations are built-in or user-defined
l Automatic flow regime mapping
l From quasi-steady homogeneous equilibrium to fully transient two-fluid
modelling
l Optional slip flow modelling (separate phasic)
l Optional, no equilibrium transients (separate phasic energy and mass
equations)
l Capillary modelling tools for static or vaporising wicks
l Optional tracking of liquid/vapour interfaces

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Two Phase Flows and Practice

Bubbly

Slug

Annular

Stratified

Figure 5.1. Different types of flow

Homogeneous flow

Slip flow

Figure 5.2 Different types of flow

5.3 Two-phase Mixture Capabilities

l Mixtures of up to 26 liquids and/or gases

l Optional condensable /volatile component in mixture, including
effects such as diffusion-limited condensation
l Optional dissolution of any number of gaseous solutes into any number of
liquid solvents, including homogeneous nucleation models

Without gas

Thinned liquid increases conductance

With gas

Dif fusion barrier Slow dissolution of

slows condensation gas into condensate

Figure 5.3 Complex phenomena example: condensing in the presence of Non-

condensable gases

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5.4 Types of Two-phase Flow

l Gas - liquid
l Gas - solid
l Liquid - solid

5.4.1 Focus

l Gas liquid systems

l Orientation of flow
l Whether horizontal or vertical flow

5.4.2 Gas Liquid System

Both gases and vapours correlate similarly in two-phase systems except for
certain conditions of continuous vapour condensation or liquid flashing in the
flowing system.

5.5 Two -phase Flow Regimes and Characteristic Linear Velocity

5.5.1 Dispersed Flow

Also referred to as spray or mist flow, dispersed flow occurs at very high gas
velocities with the liquid phase dispersed as droplets throughout the gas phase.
The liquid droplet velocity approaches the gas phase velocity in this flow regime
because the droplet terminal velocity is negligible and the slip velocity
approaches zero.

5.5.2 Annular Flow

Annular flow occurs at relatively lower gas velocities than dispersed flow. The
liquid phase forms an annulus about the circumference of the pipe with the gas
flowing through the central core. There is significantly more slip with annular
flow than with dispersed flow.

5.5.3 Stratified Flow

Stratified flow occurs only in horizontal pipes when the gas phase velocity is not
great enough to maintain an annulus of liquid about the circumference on the
pipe. One form of stratified flow, called “wavy flow” is characterised by the
formation of waves on the surfaces of the liquid phase. Wavy flow is formed close
to the transition point where stratified flow can be transformed into slug flow
with a further increase in gas velocity.

5.5.4 Slug Flow

Slug flow is characterised by an intermittent pattern of alternating liquid phases

and gas phases along the length of the line. The entire pipe cross-section area
can be occupied by a slug of either liquid or gas at different points along the flow
path.

5.5.5 Plug Flow

Plug flow occurs when the liquid phase forms a nearly continuous phase with
large elongated bubble plugs of gas located within the liquid phase.

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 Two Phase Flows and Practice

5.5.6 Bubble or Froth Flow

Bubble or froth flow like the plug flow, has a dominant liquid phase, but the
liquid phase in bubble flow is at a higher velocity than the liquid phase in plug
flow. This higher velocity causes the vapour phase to disperse into many smaller
bubbles within the liquid phase.

5.6 Two-phase Flow Types

5.6.1 Flow Regimes

l Each flow regime behaves differently.

l Each flow regime has its own set of empirical correlations for
l predicting flow behaviour.
l The most often used method to determine the flow regime is the baker
plot.
l Baker plot horizontal axis: x = (WL / Wg) ly .

Where,
WL = liquid mass flow rate, lb/h
Wg = gas mass flow rate, lb/h
0 .5
  0 . 463  g  L 
1/ 3
 1147    l 
and    2 
    L 
where,
L = liquid viscosity, lb/ft-h
g = gas density, lb/ft3

where,
L = liquid density, lb/ft3
 = surface tension, dyne/cm
Gg
l Baker plot vertical axis y =

Where,
Gg = Wg/A = superficial mass flux of vapour phase, Ib/ft2-h
A = total internal cross sectional area of pipe (ft2)

l Once the values of x and y have been calculated, their point of

intersection on the Baker Plot determines the expected two-phase flow
regime.
l The Baker plot can be used for horizontal flow, and with limited success
for vertical flow too.

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Regime Liquid phase, ft/s Vapour phase, ft/s

Dispersed Close to vapour velocity >200
Annular <0.5 >20
Stratified <0.5 0.5 -1.0
Slug 15 (but less than 3 - 50
vapour velocity)
Plug 2 <4
Bubble 5-15 0.5-2.0

5.7 Baker Plot for a Two-phase Flow Regime Correlation

1 10 100 1000 10,000

10,000
DISPERSED FLOW.
BUBBLE OF FROTH
ANNULAR FLOW.
WAVE.
1000

SLUG.
GG

STRATIFIED.
l

100
Y=

PLUG.

10
1 10 100 1000 10,000

WL
x= xlxy
WG

` Figure 5. 4 Baker plot

Slip Velocity

Slip velocity is the velocity difference between the gas and liquid phase
velocities.

5.8 Pressure Drop Calculation for Gas-Liquid Systems

Most effective method developed by Lockhart and Martinelli

Step 1: Calculate X, the Martinelli two-phase flow modulus.

X2 
P100.L 
P 100. g
Where,
= pressure drop per 100
P100ft, L of pipe, only liquid being assumed to flow
through the pipe, psi/100ft

P100, ft
= pressure drop per 100 g of pipe, only gas being assumed to flow
through the pipe, psi/100ft

Step 2: Calculate two phase flow modulus.

=aXb 

Where a and b are empirical constants for different flow regimes.

Annular Flow:
=aX
b


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Two Phase Flows and Practice

Where,
a = 4.8 0.3125 d
b = 0.343-0.021 d

where, d = inside pipe diameter, in (If d > 10 in, set d = 10 in the correlation)
14.2 X 0.75
Bubble flow:   0.1
 WL 
 
 A 

.
15400 X 0.75
Stratified flow:   .0.8
 WL 
 
 A 

1190 X 0.815
Slug flow:  0 .5
 WL 
 
 A 

27.315 X 0.855
Plug flow:    WL 
0.17
 
 A 

Step 3: Two-phase pressure drop

p100,TP  P100, g 

Where P100,TP phase flow pressure drop per 100 ft of pipe, psi/l00ft

Effect of static head:

The contribution of static head losses can be significant in two-phase flow

systems.
(  M Z static )
Pstatic 
144
where,
 P static = pressure difference due to elevation difference, psi
Z static = elevation difference in ft
 M =average density of two phase mixture (lb/ft3)

Note:
1. Steam condensate in return lines flashing into steam
2. Two-phase feed lines entering distillation columns
3. Process plant refrigeration return lines.

5.9 Mitigating Erosion

Depending upon the flow regime, the liquid in a two-phase flow system can be
accelerated to velocities approaching or exceeding vapour velocities. In some
cases these velocities are higher than desirable for a process piping system.
Such high velocities can cause a phenomenon known as “erosion corrosion” in
equipment and piping systems. There are no general correlations that predict
the rate of erosion corrosion in piping systems, but Coulson has proposed an
index based on velocity head to determine the range of mixture densities and
velocities below which erosion corrosion should not occur. The index takes the
form

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 M uM 2  10,000
If the product of mixture density  M and mixture velocity uM 2 is below
10,000, erosion corrosion should not be a problem.
Mixture density is calculated by:
WL  Wg
M 
 WL   Wg 
    
 
 L   g 
And mixture velocity (um) is calculated by:
um= u'g + u'L = mean velocity, ft/s
Where,
u'g = superficial linear gas velocity, ft/s
u'L = superficial linear liquid velocity, ft/s
Wg = gas mass flow rate, lb/h
WL = liquid mass flow rate, lb/h

5.10 Numericals

A 6 -inch schedule, 40 pipe has a two-phase mixture flowing through it. The flow
rate and density of each phase are as follows:
Liquid Vapour
Mass flow rate lb/h 7200 21,600
Density lb/ft3 58 0.7

Determine whether the two-phase flow will experience erosion corrosion.

Solution:
a) Mixture density = 0.930 lb/ft3
b) Given that the pipe cross-sectional area is 0.20 ft2, the superficial liquid
velocity is calculated to be 0.1 72 fts and the superficial gas velocity is
42.86 fts.
c) The mean velocity = 43.03 ft/s
d) The index calculated  M M M= 1722
2

It is less than 10,000. Hence erosion corrosion is not expected to be a problem.

Self- assessment
a. Fill in the blanks
1) Diffusion limited condensation is ----------------capabilities.
2) Gas-solid is type of --------------.
3) Annula flow occurs at relatively-------------velocities than dispersed flow.
4) In dispersed flow regime liquid phase velocity is close to ----------.

b. State whether true or false

1) Gases and vapours always correlate similarly in two-phase system.
2) Stratified flow occurs in vertical pipe also.
3) ‘Baker plot' can be used for all types of flows.
4) In bubble flow regime liquid phase velocity is always lower.

References
R. Kern, “How to Size Process Piping for Two-phase Flow”, Hydrocarbon
Processing. October 1969.

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