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TUALP Abstract
 

Roberto Cirilo (Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering)
Air-Water Flow Through Electric Submersible Pumps
(67pages- Chapter VI)
Directed by Professors Roger Blais and Dale Doty
(174 words)

This study measures the performance of three different submersible centrifugal pumps handling two-phase flow. Two pumps are of mixed type and have rated capacities of 4000 and 7000 bpd. One pump is of radial type and has a rated capacity of 21 00 bpd. The data were gathered as a function of the gas fraction, pressure at the pump intake, pump geometry and speed.

The experimental data are obtained using air and water as the working fluids. The experiments were conducted fo r liquid flow rates up to 10000 bpd and intake pressures up to 500 psig. Pump speed was varied fr om 45 to 65 Hz, corresponding to 2650 to 3850 rpm .

The results indicate that mixed type pumps are unable to process more than 30% fr ee gas at 500-psig intake pressure, and that pump speed has little effect on the pump 's capability to handle two-phase flow. The radial type pump exhibits flow range limitations when the gas fr ac tion exceeds 10%, and is only able to process at most 18% gas at 500 psig intake pressure.

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Last updated September 04, 2012