An enhanced drift-flux correlation to model water-gas flows at different inclination angles

Abstract

The primary focus of this research is to create a precise, yet straightforward drift-flux model tailored for water-gas flow in variously angled pipes. This model is pivotal in estimating the volumetric flow rate of each phase in two-phase pipe flow scenarios. The proposed correlation is developed using twenty-two different (4367 data points) sources with a wide range of input data with different flow patterns. The drift-flux model created in this study underwent validation through the use of experimental data previously documented in the literature. Results indicate this model's stability and practicality, achieving 94.7 % accuracy within a margin of error of ±20 % for the chosen datasets. Furthermore, when compared against several drift-flux models, this newly proposed model consistently outperformed them across a liquid holdup range of 0.01–1. A comparative analysis with the state-of-the-art Unified Model underscores the accuracy of the proposed drift-flux model, highlighting its performance across diverse inclination angles and flow regimes. The proposed model demonstrates excellent predictive accuracy, particularly in vertical flow scenarios. Extending the scope of the study, further research could focus on the application of the developed drift-flux model to other fluid combinations and flow conditions, as well as its integration with mechanistic modeling and computational fluid dynamics simulations to provide more comprehensive insights into the behavior of two-phase flow in pipes with different inclination angles, enhancing the model predictive ability and operational range.

Keywords

• Drift-flux model
• Inclined pipe
• Two-phase flow
• Liquid-gas flow
• Void fraction
• Correlation