Gas-Liquid Flow Regime Variation along a Pipeline Riser

摘要: This paper presents the initial findings of a study into the development of gas-liquid flows as they pass through a catenary-style pipeline riser, similar to those utilised in the oil and gas industry. A commercial, one-dimensional multiphase flow software (PETEXGAP) is used to scope two test points that represent flow regimes that are likely to occur in such a system. These test points are explored further using computational fluid dynamics, calculated using StarCCM+. In both test points, the gradient of the riser is observed to accelerate the onset of Kelvin-Helmholtz waves. Depending on the flow rates, these waves can lead to several interesting flow phenomena, such as the initiation of sloshing and the occurrence and dissipation of slug flow. The potentially destructive nature of these effects is explored, particularly in terms of the implications for experiments using flexible risers, as well as industrial pipelines of this form.