ARTICLE:

• OIL-WATER FLOW IN SMALL DIAMETER TUBES  download article

P. A. Andreini
Energetics Department, Polytechnic of Milan, P.zza Leonardo da Vinci 32,20133, Milano - Italy

P. De Greeff
Energetics Department, Polytechnic of Milan, P.zza Leonardo da Vinci 32,20133, Milano - Italy

L. Galbiati
Energetics Department, Polytechnic of Milan, P.zza Leonardo da Vinci 32,20133, Milano - Italy

A. Kuhlwetter
Energetics Department, Polytechnic of Milan, P.zza Leonardo da Vinci 32,20133, Milano - Italy

G. Sotgia
Energetics Department, Polytechnic of Milan, P.zza Leonardo da Vinci 32,20133, Milano - Italy

ABSTRACT

Experimental results of flow patterns and pressure drops for oil-water horizontal flow in small diameter tubes (3 mm and 6 mm internal diameter) are reported. Oil-to-water viscosity ratios from about 560 to about 1300 and different tube materials (glass, steel, copper and pvc) were investigated. A series of flow patterns was observed and was reported in terms of dispersed, intermittent and annular flows. Oil was observed, in most of cases, to flow in the core of the pipe while water flowed around the wall perimeter (so called "core annular flow"); in these conditions, sensible pressure loss reductions (up to about 1/250), in respect of the pressure drops of the oil flowing alone at the same flowrate, were observed. The tube wall material was found to influence the flow patterns at water-to-oil flowrate ratios relatively low (less than 0.2-0.3). In addition to the experimental results, theoretically based transition criteria for the flow patterns and pressure drop correlations (derived from literature) are discussed.

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