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102<br />
Experimental study of the effect of gas injection on oil-water<br />
phase inversion in a vertical pipe<br />
M.Descamps ∗ , R.V.A.Oliemans ∗ ,G.Ooms ∗ , R.F.Mudde ∗ and R.Kusters †<br />
In the case of a single-phase (water) flow through a vertical pipe it has been<br />
shown that the efficiency of the gas-lift technique increases, when the bubble size of<br />
the injected gas is reduced 1 . It is not clear whether this also holds for an oil-water<br />
flow through a vertical pipe, as in that case phase inversion between the two liquids<br />
can occur. This is particularly relevant for the oil industry, since the gas-lift technique<br />
is widely used for oil (with water) production. The phase inversion phenomenon has<br />
been investigated by various authors both experimentally 2 and numerically 3 , but<br />
very little is known about the influence of gas injection on this phenomenon.<br />
Therefore, an experimental study has been made of the influence of gas injection on<br />
the phase inversion between oil and water flowing through a vertical pipe. Particular<br />
attention was paid to the influence on the critical concentration of oil and water at<br />
which phase inversion occurs and on the pressure drop increase over the pipe during<br />
phase inversion. By using different types of gas injectors also the influence of the<br />
bubble size of the injected gas on the phase inversion was studied. It was found that<br />
gas injection does not significantly change the critical concentration, but the influence<br />
on the pressure drop at the point of inversion is considerable (see figure 1). Local<br />
measurements of the phase concentration and bubble size may provide an explanation.<br />
∗J.M. Burgerscentrum for Fluid <strong>Mechanics</strong>, Delft University of Technology, Kramers Laboratorium,<br />
Prins Bernhardlaan 6, 2628 BW Delft, The Netherlands<br />
† Shell International Exploration and Production B.V., Kessler Park 1, 2288 GS, Rijswijk ZH, The<br />
Netherlands<br />
1Guet et al., AICHE J. 49, 2242 (2003)<br />
2Ioannou et al., Exp. Therm. Fluid Sci. 29, 331 (2005)<br />
3Brauner and Ullmann, Int. J.Multiphase Flow 28, 1177 (2002)<br />
pressure gradient (Pa/m)<br />
11000<br />
10500<br />
10000<br />
9500<br />
9000<br />
Total pressure gradient<br />
U = 0.98 m/s<br />
m<br />
U = 1.96 m/s<br />
m<br />
U = 2.94 m/s<br />
m<br />
Water in Oil Oil in Water<br />
8500<br />
0 20 40 60<br />
water fraction (%)<br />
80 100<br />
Pressure gradient (Pa/m)<br />
11500<br />
11000<br />
10500<br />
10000<br />
9500<br />
9000<br />
8500<br />
8000<br />
0 20 40 60 80 100<br />
Water cut (%)<br />
Shell Donau Loop : Oil−Water−Air vertical upward flow<br />
U = 2.94 m/s<br />
m<br />
GVF = 2.56 %<br />
Liquid−liquid<br />
Nozzle injector<br />
Conical porous injector<br />
Circular porous injector<br />
Figure 1: Pressure gradient as function of water volume fraction for an oil-water<br />
without (left) and with (right) gas injection.