Abstract

This work presents a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study of a two-phase flow field in a gas-liquid cylindrical cyclone (GLCC) using CFX4.3™, a commercial code based on the finite volume method. The numerical analysis was made for air-water mixtures at near atmospheric conditions, while both liquid and gas flow rates were changed. The two-phase flow behavior is modeled using an Eulerian-Eulerian approach, considering both phases as an interpenetrating continuum. This method computed the inter-phase phenomena by including a source term in the momentum equation to consider the drag between the liquid and gas phases. The gas phase is modeled as a bimodal bubble size distribution to allow for the presence of free- and entrapment gas, simultaneously. The results (free surface shape and liquid angular velocity) show a reasonable match with experimental data. The CFD technique here proposed demonstrates to satisfactorily reproduce angular velocities of the phases and their spatial distribution inside the GLCC. Computed results also proved to be useful in forecasting bubble and droplet trajectories, from which gas carry under (GCU) and liquid carry over might be estimated. Nevertheless, moderate differences found between the computed GCU and experimental measurements suggest that new adjustments may be done to the numerical model to improve its accuracy.

1.
Shoham
,
O.
, and
Kouba
,
G.
, 1998, “
The State of the Art of Gas-Liquid Cylindrical Cyclone Separator
,”
JPT, J. Pet. Technol.
0149-2136,
50
(
7
), pp.
58
65
.
2.
Erdal
,
F.
,
Shirazi
,
S.
,
Shoham
,
O.
, and
Kouba
,
G.
, 1997, “
CFD Simulation of Single-Phase and Two-Phase Flow in Gas-Liquid Cylindrical Cyclone Separators
,” No. SPE 36645,
SPE 71st Annual Meeting
, SPEJ,
2
, December, pp.
436
446
.
3.
Farchi
,
D.
, 1990, “
A Study of Mixer and Separator for Two-Phase Flow in M. H. D. Energy Conversion Systems
,” M. S. thesis (in Hebrew), Ben-Gurion University, Israel.
4.
Motta
,
B.
,
Erdal
,
F.
,
Shirazi
,
S.
,
Shoham
,
O.
, and
Rhyne
,
L.
, 1997, “
Simulation of Single-Phase and Two-Phase Flow in Gas-Liquid Cylindrical Cyclone Separators
,” No. FEDSM97-3554,
1997 ASME Fluid Engineering Division Summer Meeting
, June.
5.
Erdal
,
F.
,
Mantilla
,
I.
,
Shirazi
,
S.
, and
Shoham
,
O.
, 1998, “
Simulation of Free Interface Shape and Complex Two Phase Flow Behavior in a Gas-Liquid Cylindrical Cyclone Separator
,” No. FEDSM98-5206,
1998 ASME Fluid Engineering Division Summer Meeting
, June.
6.
Erdal
,
F.
,
Shirazi
,
S.
,
Mantilla
,
I.
, and
Shoham
,
O.
, 1998, “
CFD Study of Bubble Carry-Under in Gas-Liquid Cylindrical Cyclone Separators
” No. SPE 49309,
1998 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition
, September.
7.
Erdal
,
F.
, and
Shirazi
,
S.
, 2001, “
Local Velocities Measurement and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Simulations of Swirling Flow in a Cylindrical Cyclone Separator
,” No. ETCE 2001-17101,
Engineering Technology Conference on Energy
, February.
8.
AEA Technology
, 1997,
CFX 4.3 Solver Manual
.
9.
Thompson
,
C.
, and
Wilkes
,
N.
, 1982, “
Experiments With Higher-Order Finite Difference Formulae
,” No. AERE-R 10493.
You do not currently have access to this content.