Sains Malaysiana 45(11)(2016): 1635–1640

 

Experimental Determination of Flow Patterns and Water Holdup of Low Viscosity Oil-Water System in Horizontal Pipes

(Penentuan Secara Uji Kaji Corak Aliran dan Air Tertahan bagi Sistem Minyak Berkelikatan Rendah-Air di dalam Paip Mendatar)

 

M.D.U. ONUOHA¹, I. ISMAIL²*, A.S. ISMAIL2 & M.F. MANSOR²

 

¹Offshore Oil and Gas Research Center, College of Mechanical and Oil & Gas Transportation Engineering, China University of Petroleum Beijing, #18 Fuxue Road Changping, Beijing, 102249, P. R. China

 

²UTM-MPRC Institute for Oil and Gas, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia

 

Received: 3 March 2014/Accepted: 21 March 2016

 

ABSTRACT

Fluids with different properties would exhibit different flow behaviour in any multiphase flow system at a given operating condition. Therefore, an in-depth knowledge of the operational and flow behaviour of any known fluid properties in a multiphase flow system of either liquid-liquid two-phase flow (oil and water) or gas-liquid-liquid three-phase flow (gas, oil and water) would be helpful in designing of pipelines and optimization of the production, separation, transportation and distribution systems, as may be found in oil and gas and allied petro-chemical industries. This paper presents the experimental observation of the flow patterns and water holdup for a two-phase low viscosity oil-water flow in horizontal pipes. The test fluids comprised of tap water and 2D-diesel which has a density of 832 kg/m3, viscosity of 3.24 mPa.s, surface tension of 0.030 N/m and flash point of 79°C. A total of 30 runs has been accomplished and the experimental results showed three different flow patterns identified as stratified flow (ST), stratified flow with mixing interface (ST&MI) and water-in-oil dispersed flow (), with superficial velocities of oil and water in the ranges of 0.32 - 0.87 m/s (Vos) and 0.20 - 0.90 m/s (Vws), respectively. However, analysis of water holdup in the commingled flows of the test fluids showed its dependency on the fluid flow patterns and superficial velocity of water.

 

Keywords: Dispersed flow; flow pattern; low viscosity oil; two phase flow; water holdup

 

ABSTRAK

Bendalir dengan sifat yang berlainan memberikan tingkah laku aliran yang berbeza dalam sebarang sistem aliran pelbagai fasa bagi suatu keadaan operasi yang diberi. Oleh yang demikian, pengetahuan yang mendalam tentang operasi dan tingkah laku aliran bagi sebarang sifat bendalir yang diketahui dalam suatu sistem aliran pelbagai fasa, sama ada aliran dua fasa cecair-cecair (minyak dan air) atau aliran tiga fasa gas-cecair-cecair (gas, minyak dan air), adalah berguna ketika mereka bentuk talian paip dan pengoptimuman sistem pengeluaran, pemisahan, pengangkutan dan penghantaran dalam industri minyak dan gas serta industri kimia. Kertas ini mengetengahkan pemerhatian secara uji kaji terhadap corak aliran dan air tertahan bagi aliran dua fasa minyak berkelikatan rendah-air di dalam paip mendatar. Bendalir kajian terdiri daripada air paip dan diesel-2D dengan ketumpatan 832 kg/m3, kelikatan 3.24 mPa.s, tegangan permukaan 0.030 N/m dan takat kilat 79°C. Sebanyak 30 uji kaji telah dijalankan dengan hasilnya menunjukkan tiga jenis corak aliran telah dikenal pasti. Corak aliran terbabit ialah aliran berstrata (ST), aliran berstrata dengan percampuran antara muka (ST&MI) dan aliran terserak air dalam minyak (Dw/o), dengan halaju pada permukaan minyak dan air masing-masing dalam julat 0.32 - 0.87 m/s (Vos) dan 0.20 - 0.90 m/s (Vws). Walau bagaimanapun, analisis yang dilakukan terhadap air tertahan dalam aliran tercampur bendalir kajian mendedahkan kebergantungannya kepada corak aliran bendalir dan halaju aliran air.

 

Kata kunci: Air terserak; aliran tertahan; aliran dua fasa; corak aliran; minyak berkelikatan rendah

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*Corresponding author; email: issham@petroleum.utm.my