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Taitel and Duckler Model
Taitel and Duckler Model
The mechanistic model of the stratified flow was introduced by Taitel and Duckler
2. Steady state
The objective of the model is to determine the equilibrium liquid level in the pipeline,
1
t 1
The respective hydraulic diameters of the liquid and gas phases are given
The wall shear stresses for the liquid, the gas and the interface are:
=0 3
Example: a mixture of air-water flows in a 5-cm-ID horizontal pipe. the flow rate of
the water is qL = 0.707 m3/hr and that of the air is qG = 21.2 m3/hr. The physical
Calculate the dimensionless liquid level and all the dimensionless parameters.
Kelvin Helmholtz analysis states that the gravity and surface tension forces tend to
stabilize the flow; but the relative motion of the two layers creates a suction pressure
force over the wave, owing to the Bernoulli effect, which tends to destroy the
For a inviscid two-phase flow between two-parallel plates, following is Taitel and
The stabilizing gravity force (per unit area) acting on the wave
Assuming a stationary wave, the suction force causing wave growth is given
Continuity relationship
The condition for wave growth, leading to instability of the stratified configuration, is
Or:
Where
Where
As the flow is under non-stratified flow and if the flow has low gas and high liquid
flow rate, the liquid level in the pipe is high and the growing waves have sufficient
liquid supply from the film. The wave eventually blocks the cross sectional area of
the pipe. This blockage forms a stable liquid slug, and slug flow develops.
At low liquid and high gas flow rate, the liquid level in the pipe is low; the wave at the
interface do not have sufficient liquid supply from the film. Therefore, the waves are
swept up and around the pipe by the high gas velocity. Under these conditions, a
It is suggested that this transition depends uniquely on the liquid level in the pipe.
Thus, if the stratified flow configuration is not stable, ≤ 0.35, transition to annular
flow occurs. If > 0.35, the flow pattern will be slug or dispersed-bubble flow.
This transition occurs when when pressure and shear forces exerted by the gas
Based on Jeffreys’ theory (1926), the initiation of the waves occurs when
the wave.
This transition occurs at high liquid flow rates. The gas phase occurs in the form of
a thin gas pocket located at the top of the pipe because of the buoyanc forces. For
sufficiently high liquid velocities, the gas pocket is shattered into small dispersed
This transition occurs when the turbulent fluctuations in the liquid phase are strong
enough to overcome the net buoyancy forces, which tend to retain the gas as a
The net buoyancy forces acting on the gas pocket (A G: gas pocket cross sec. area):
Where v’ is the turbulent radial velocity fluctuating component of the liquid phase.
This velocity is determined when the Reynolds stress is first approximated by:
The transition to dispersed bubble flow will occur when F T > FB.
Nondimensional form:
where
1. Determine the equilibrium liquid level and all the dimensionless parameters
3. If the flow is stratified, check the stratified smooth to stratified wavy transition
5. If the flow is not annular, check the intermittent to dispersed bubble transition
Example: a mixture of air-water flows in a 5-cm-ID horizontal pipe. the flow rate of
the water is qL = 0.707 m3/hr and that of the air is qG = 21.2 m3/hr. The physical
Calculate the dimensionless liquid level and all the dimensionless parameters.
The criterion is not satisfied; The flow is stable and stratified flow exists