Gas volume fraction and velocity profiles - Vertical and inclined bubbly air-water flows
Upward inclined gas-liquid flows are frequently encountered in the oil industry and data relating to the local gas volume fraction distribution and the local gas velocity distribution is important, for example, in pressure gradient prediction and in modeling oil well 'blowouts'. In this paper measurements are presented of the local gas volume fraction distribution and the local axial gas velocity distribution which were taken in bubbly air-water flows in an 80 mm diameter pipe which was inclined at angles of 0 degrees, 15 degrees and 30 degrees to the vertical. Qualitative arguments are presented to explain the influence of the liquid superficial velocity on the local gas volume fraction distribution in inclined flow and also to explain the very high axial gas velocities observed towards the upper side of the inclined pipe.
inclined gas-liquid flow local volume fraction local velocity