Visualisation of gas–liquid bubbly flows in a large diameter pipe with 90 $$^{\circ }$$ bend | Journal of Visualization Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Visualisation of gas–liquid bubbly flows in a large diameter pipe with 90\(^{\circ }\) bend

  • Regular Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Visualization Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Two-phase gas–liquid flows are prevalent in many industries and understanding their behaviour would have significant impact on the efficiency of the systems in which they occur. However, information on two-phase gas–liquid flows in \(90^\circ\) bends is limited in the literature and their flow behaviour is not fully understood. One technique that could assist researchers in exploring flow behaviour is visualisation. Accordingly, in this study a two-phase flow experimental investigation was carried out in a large pipe of diameter 150 mm, using water and air at different superficial velocities in order to visualise the effect of \(90^\circ\) bend on two-phase flow behaviour. As optical methods are not suitable for visualising dense bubbly flows due to overlapping of bubbles, in this study, bubble size distribution and void fraction results were obtained using wire-mesh sensors before and after the bend. The results were then post-processed to visualise the flow field. The instantaneous visualisation of flow shows that gas hold-up migrates from the bottom to top wall of the pipe at the bend when the liquid superficial velocity increases for a fixed superficial gas velocity. An increase in superficial gas velocity shows insignificant influence on the gas hold-up at locations beyond the bend for the investigated conditions. This may be due to the centrifugal force imparted by the bend and hence needs further investigation. Bubble size distribution results before and after the bend indicate that the bend has influence on bubble breakup and coalescence.

Graphical Abstract

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
¥17,985 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Japan)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Adapted from Pietruske and Prasser (2007)

Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdulkadir M, Zhao D, Sharaf S, Abdulkareem L, Lowndes IS, Azzopardi BJ (2011) Interrogating the effect of 90deg bends on air-silicone oil flows using advanced instrumentation. Chem Eng Sci 66(11):2453–2467

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abdulkadir M, Zhao D, Azzi A, Lowndes IS, Azzopardi BJ (2012) Two-phase air–water flow through a large diameter vertical 180\(^{\circ }\) return bend. Chem Eng Sci 79:138–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abdulkadir M, Hernandez-Perez V, Lo S, Lowndes IS, Azzopardi BJ (2013) Comparison of experimental and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies of slug flow in a vertical 90 bend. J Comput Multiph Flows 5(4):265–281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aliyu AM, Lao L, Almabrok AA, Yeung H (2016) Interfacial shear in adiabatic downward gas/liquid co-current annular flow in pipes. Exp Therm Fluid Sci 72:75–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aliyu AM, Almabrok AA, Baba YD, Lao L, Yeung H, Kim KC (2017) Upward gas/liquid two-phase flow after a U-bend in a large-diameter serpentine pipe. Int J Heat Mass Transf 108:784–800

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Almabrok AA, Aliyu AM, Lao L, Yeung H (2016) Gas/liquid flow behaviours in a downward section of large diameter vertical serpentine pipes. Int J Multiph Flow 78:25–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bottin M, Berlandis JP, Hervieu E, Lance M, Marchand M, Öztürk OC, Serre G (2014) Experimental investigation of a developing two-phase bubbly flow in horizontal pipe. Int J Multiph Flow 60:161–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dean WR (1928) Fluid motion in a curved channel. Proc R Soc A Math Phys Eng Sci 121(787):402–420

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Delhaye JM, Cognet G (1984) Measuring techniques in gas–liquid two-phase flows

  • Detra RW (1953) The secondary flow in curved pipes. The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Farman Ali S, Yeung H (2015) Experimental study of two-phase air–water flow in large-diameter vertical pipes. Chem Eng Commun 202(6):823–842

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • França F, Lahey RT (1992) The use of drift-flux techniques for the analysis of horizontal two-phase flows. Int J Multiph Flow 18(6):787–801

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Gardner GC, Neller PH (1969) Phase distributions in flow of an air-water mixture round bends and past obstructions at the wall of a 76 mm bore tube. Inst Mech Eng (G B) 184:93–101

    Google Scholar 

  • Ito D, Prasser HM, Kikura H, Aritomi M (2011) Uncertainty and intrusiveness of three-layer wire-mesh sensor. Flow Meas Instrum 22(4):249–256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson ID (1984) Method and apparatus for measuring water in crude oil. US Patent 4,644,263

  • Kelessidis VC, Dukler AE, Kelessidist VC, Dukler AE (1989) Modelling flow pattern transitions for upward gas–liquid flow in vertical concentric and eccentric annuli. Int J Multiph Flow 15(2):173–191

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim S, Fu X, Wang X, Ishii M (2000) Development of the miniaturized four-sensor conductivity probe and the signal processing scheme. Int J Heat Mass Transf 43(22):4101–4118

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Mandhane JM, Gregory GA, Aziz K (1974) A flow pattern map for gas–liquid flow in horizontal pipes. Int J Multiph Flow 1(4):537–553

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mathure N (2006) Study of flow patterns and void fraction in horizontal two-phase flow. PhD thesis, Oklahoma State University

  • MathWorks (2017) MATLAB® data import and export R2017b. https://au.mathworks.com/help/pdf_doc/matlab/import_export.pdf

  • Mishima K, Ishii M, Kaichiro M, Ishii M, Mishima K, Ishii M (1984) Flow regime transition criteria for upward two-phase flow in vertical tubes. Int J Heat Mass Transf 27(5):723–737

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nuryadin S, Ignaczak M, Lucas D, Deendarlianto (2015) On the accuracy of wire-mesh sensors in dependence of bubble sizes and liquid flow rates. Exp Therm Fluid Sci 65:73–81

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pietruske H, Prasser HMM (2007) Wire-mesh sensors for high-resolving two-phase flow studies at high pressures and temperatures. Flow Meas Instrum 18(2):87–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prasser H (2007) Evolution of interfacial area concentration in a vertical air–water flow measured by wire-mesh sensors. Nucl Eng Des 237:1608–1617

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prasser HM, Zschau J, Bottger A (1998) Development of a wire-mesh sensor for the investigation of two phase flow regimes. In: Annual meeting on nuclear technology ’98, proceedings, pp 119–122

  • Prasser HM, Scholz D, Zippe C (2001) Bubble size measurement using wire-mesh sensors. Flow Meas Instrum 12(4):299–312

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prasser HM, Misawa M, Tiseanu I (2005) Comparison between wire-mesh sensor and ultra-fast X-ray tomograph for an air–water flow in a vertical pipe. Flow Meas Instrum 16(2–3):73–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qi FS, Yeoh GH, Cheung SCP, Tu JY, Krepper E, Lucas D (2012) Classification of bubbles in vertical gas–liquid flow: part 1—an analysis of experimental data. Int J Multiph Flow 39:121–134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qiao S, Mena D, Kim S (2017) Inlet effects on vertical-downward air–water two-phase flow. Nucl Eng Des 312:375–388

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schlegel JP, Sawant P, Paranjape S, Ozar B, Hibiki T, Ishii M (2009) Void fraction and flow regime in adiabatic upward two-phase flow in large diameter vertical pipes. Nucl Eng Des 239(2009):2864–2874

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharaf S, van der Meulen GP, Agunlejika EO, Azzopardi BJ (2016) Structures in gas–liquid churn flow in a large diameter vertical pipe. Int J Multiph Flow 78:88–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shen X, Schlegel JP, Chen S, Rassame S, Griffiths MJ, Hibiki T, Ishii M (2014) Flow characteristics and void fraction prediction in large diameter pipes. In: Frontiers and progress in multiphase flow I. Springer International Publishing, pp 55–103

  • Spedding PL, Benard E (2007) Gas liquid two phase flow through a vertical 90 elbow bend. Exp Therm Fluid Sci 31:761–769

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taitel Y, Dukler AE (1976) A model for predicting flow regime transitions in horizontal and near-horizontal gas-liquid flow. AIChE J 22(1):47–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taitel Y, Bornea D, Dukler AE (1980) Modelling flow pattern transitions for steady upward gas–liquid flow in vertical tubes. AIChE J 26(3):345–354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vieira RE, Kesana NR, McLaury BS, Shirazi SA, Torres CF, Schleicher E, Hampel U (2014) Experimental investigation of the effect of 90 standard elbow on horizontal gas–liquid stratified and annular flow characteristics using dual wire-mesh sensors. Exp Therm Fluid Sci 59:72–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wangjiraniran W, MOTEGI Y, Richter S, Kikura H, Aritomi M, Yamamoto K (2003) Intrusive effect of wire mesh tomography on gas–liquid flow measurement. J Nucl Sci Technol 40(11):932–940. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/18811248.2003.9715436

  • Yadav MS, Kim S, Tien K, Bajorek SM (2014a) Experiments on geometric effects of 90-degree vertical-upward elbow in air water two-phase flow. Int J Multiph Flow 65:98–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yadav MS, Worosz T, Kim S, Tien K, Bajorek SM (2014b) Characterization of the dissipation of elbow effects in bubbly two-phase flows. Int J Multiph Flow 66:101–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges the support received through the provision of an Australian Government Research Training Program in form of a Ph.D. scholarship and RMIT university support. The author also appreciates CSIROs experimental facilities and technical support received from Mr. Andrew Brent.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering, RMIT University, Bundoora East Campus, Plenty Road, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia

    Safari Pour Sirous, Sara Vahaji, Sherman C. P. Cheung & Jiyuan Tu

  2. CSIRO Mineral Resources, Research Way, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia

    Safari Pour Sirous & Krishna Mohanarangam

Authors
  1. Safari Pour Sirous
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Krishna Mohanarangam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sara Vahaji
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Sherman C. P. Cheung
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jiyuan Tu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Krishna Mohanarangam.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Safari Pour, S., Mohanarangam, K., Vahaji, S. et al. Visualisation of gas–liquid bubbly flows in a large diameter pipe with 90\(^{\circ }\) bend. J Vis 21, 585–596 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12650-018-0486-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12650-018-0486-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation