Fluid Mechanics (Chemical) 4 – U01668

Model Solutions to Tutorial on Two-Phase Flow

1) The following are short answers to the questions posed. They mention key points, but are not
necessarily complete answers.
a) When the liquid is descending and the gas rising the relative velocity between the liquid and
gas is usually high, so the annular regime dominates. Bubble flow only occurs when the gas
velocity is very low. Flooding can occur due to the two fluids being forced in opposite
directions. When both fluids are descending, the relative velocity between gas and liquid is
against the direction of flow. Again this leads to larger relative velocities and the relative gas
flow being in the opposite direction relative to the velocity gradient at the wall. This tends to
lead to the annular flow regime being preferred. Again there is a limited range over which
bubble flow occurs.
b) The main reason for the difference in behaviour between co-current vertical flow and
horizontal flow is due to the different orientation of the gravitational force relative to the
direction of flow. In horizontal flow gravity tends to lead to the separation of the denser phase
(liquid) into the lower half of the pipe and it doesn’t lead to acceleration of the vapour relative
to the liquid. Thus, except at low liquid flowrates coupled to high gas flowrates, some form of
stratification will occur in horizontal flow. Where two immiscible liquids form the two phases,
this stratification is reduced and the horizontal flow regimes are more similar to those
encountered in vertical flow.
c) Slug flow occurs at relatively high liquid Reynolds number, such that the flow is turbulent.
The effect of viscosity is therefore minimal. Thus the pressure and velocity distribution around
the upstream ‘nose’ of the bubble is governed by Euler’s Equation. The viscosity of the gas is
low, so the shear stress down the side of the bubble and hence skin friction is low. Thus the
dominant effect in predicting the slug rise velocity is the pressure distribution around the nose
of the slug.

2) Vertical
bubble flow – homogeneous
slug flow – separated flow or drift flux
churn flow – separated flow
annular flow – separated flow
mist flow – homogeneous

Horizontal
bubble flow – homogeneous
slug & plug flow – separated flow or drift flux
wavy flow– separated flow or drift flux
stratified flow – separated flow
annular flow – separated flow
mist & dispersed flow – homogeneous
3) A = πd2/4 = π × 0.0752/4 = 0.00442 m2
WL = 2.0 kg/s GL = WL/A = 2.0/0.00442 = 452.7 kg m-2 s-1
jL = GL/ρL = 452.7/934.6 = 0.484 m/s
WG = 0.08 kg/s GG = WG/A = 0.08/0.00442 = 18.11 kg m-2 s-1
jG = GG/ρG = 18.11/1.497 = 12.1 m/s

a) Martinelli’s method
ReL = GLd/µL = 452.7 × 0.075/2.11 × 10-4 = 1.61 × 105
ReG = GGd/µG = 18.11 × 0.075/1.32 × 10-5 = 1.03 × 105
From the friction factor chart, noting that e/d = 0.0003, we can read off the values of cf/2. cfL/2
= 0.0022 and cfG/2 = 0.00235
(∂P/∂L)L = 2 cfL GL2/ρLd = 2 × 2 × 0.0022 × 452.72/(934.6 × 0.075) = 25.73 N/m3
(∂P/∂L)G = 2 cfG GG2/ρGd = 2 × 2 × 0.00235 × 18.112/(1.497 × 0.075) = 27.46 N/m3
X = √((∂P/∂L)L/(∂P/∂L)G) = √(25.73/27.46) = 0.968
From the chart, noting that both phases are turbulent, φL ≈ φG ≈ 4.2
Since it is difficult to distinguish between φL and φG due to the thickness of lines and scale on
the chart, it is sensible to take the average of (∂P/∂L)L and (∂P/∂L)G when predicting the true
pressure gradient, i.e. 26.6 N/m3.
Thus ∂P/∂L ≈ 4.22 × 26.6 = 469 N/m3.

Sometimes, instead of the chart an equation is given for φL2 as a function of X. This normally
takes the form φL2 = 1 + (C/X) + (1/X2) where C depends on whether the phases are turbulent
or laminar. For turbulent gas and turbulent liquid C is approximately 20. Using this equation
to estimate φL2 we obtain φL2 = 1 + (20/0.968) + (1/0.9682) = 22.7 and ∂P/∂L = φL2 (∂P/∂L)L =
22.7 × 25.73 = 584 N/m3. The equation, however, is not as accurate as the chart.

b) For the homogeneous flow model we require an average density and viscosity.
The mass fraction of vapour, x = 0.08/(2.0+0.08) = 0.0385
1/ρm = x/ρG + (1−x)/ρL = 0.0385/1.497 + 0.9615/934.6 = 0.02675
ρm = 1/0.02675 = 37.4 kg/m3

There are two means of estimating viscosity

1/µm = x/µG + (1−x)/µL = 0.0385/1.32 × 10-5 + 0.9615/2.11 × 10-4 = 7.474 × 103
µm = 1/7.474 × 103 = 1.34 × 10-4 kg m-1 s-1
or
µm = (jGµG + jLµL)/j = (12.1×1.32×10-5 + 0.484×2.11×10-4)/12.584 = 2.08×10-4 kg m-1 s-1
Thus we have two estimates for the Reynolds number
G = GG + GL = 18.11 + 452.7 = 470.8 kg m-2 s-1

Using the first estimate of viscosity

Re = Gd/µm = 470.8 × 0.075/1.34 × 10-4 = 2.64× 105
cf/2 = 0.00215 from the chart
∂P/∂L = 2 cf G2/ρmd = 2 × 2 × 0.00215 × 470.82/(37.4 × 0.075) = 680 N/m3

Using the second estimate of viscosity

Re = Gd/µm = 470.8 × 0.075/2.08 × 10-4 = 1.70 × 105
cf/2 = 0.00223 from the chart
∂P/∂L = 2 cf G2/ρmd = 2 × 2 × 0.00223 × 470.82/(37.4 × 0.075) = 705 N/m3

From the Baker diagram, reproduced in Holland and Bragg, noting that λ and φ are not far from
unity, we obtain λφGL/GG ≈ 25 and GG = 18.11 kg m-2 s-1. By inspection of the chart it can be seen
that the flow is in the annular flow regime. Thus the estimate based on the separated flow model is
likely to be most accurate. You should check this for yourselves!