ARTICLE:

• THE EFFECT OF EMULSIFICATION ON THE FLOW BEHAVIOUR OF TWO IMMISCIBLE LIQUIDS IN HORIZONTAL PIPES  download article

Dieter Mewes
University of Hannover, Institut fur Verfahrenstechnik (Process Engineering), Callinstr. 36, 30167 Hannover, Germany

Martin Nadler
Institut für Verfahrenstechnik, Universitat Hannover, Callinstr. 36, 30167 Hannover, Germany

Alexander Tokarz
Institut für Verfahrenstechnik, Universitat Hannover, Callinstr. 36, 30167 Hannover, Germany

ABSTRACT

The effect of the emulsification on the flow behaviour of oil and water in a horizontal perspex tube is investigated. The flow regime as well as the pressure drop along the pipe are measured. The results indicate that there is a maximum in the pressure drop for the flow of water-in-oil emulsions at an input water fraction between 0.1 and 0.2. It can partly be attributed to the rheological behaviour of the emulsion. At the point of local inversion from the flow of an water-in-oil emulsion to the flow of a layer of a water-in-oil dispersion above a layer of pure water, a sharp decrease of the pressure drop is observed. This is assumed to be due to the wetting of the pipe by the water phase. Recommendations are given for the prediction of the pressure drop.

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