Bubble effect on Pressure Drop Reduction in Horizontal Pipe Flow
Jessica Lorrany Ferreira Barbosa1; Diego Lourenço da Costa Felipe1; Distefano Lima Martins Barbosa1; Marcelo de Oliveira e Silva1; Danielle Regina da Silva Guerra1; Kenneth Porto do Nascimento Júnior1
1 Universidade Federal do Pará
doi:10.20906/CPS/COB-2015-2358
Resumo
In this paper, the bubble effect on the pressure drop caused by frictional losses in horizontal pipe flow was investigated. Pressure drop reduction in variable Reynolds numbers between 100 and 1000 and void fraction values between 0 and 0.8 was investigated in 4 m test section. The diameter of bubbles injected into the flow was almost 10cm and slug flow panterns was observed. Increasing Reynolds number in constant void fraction makes the bubbles move away from the up pipe and decreases the pressure drop reduction level. Increasing void fraction increases the bubbles effect on the frictional stress and decreases the pressure drop in the pipe. Furthermore, in lower Reynolds numbers, the void fraction effect on drag reduction is greater than its effect in higher Reynolds numbers. In the present study, the maximum pressure drop reduction was observed in the maximum void fraction and minimum studied Reynolds number (1000). Even in very low void fraction, drag reduction was observed in greater Reynolds number. The obtained values of pressure drop reduction indicate that the bubble injection into pipe flow can be used to decrease the flow transfer costs.
Palavras-chave: Slug Flow; Pipe Flow; Drag Reduction; Experimental study; Two pahse flow