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Nihâl Güler-Quadir (Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering)
Two-Phase Pressure Drop and Holdup in Flows Through Large Diameter Vertical Tubing
(331 pages)
Directed by Dr. Zelimir Schmidt
(263 words)

An experimental facility was designed and constructed to study pressure gradients and liquid holdup in upward vertical t wo-phase flow in large diameter tubing. The facility is comprised of a research well, an instrument for monitoring downhole liquid holdup, and a surface facility for calibration of the holdup detector. Sample data were acquired for a feasibility test.

The well, located at The University of Tulsa, North Campus, is 2360 ft deep with 10 3/4 in. casing, 2 7/8 in. injection tubing, and 3 1/2 in. production tubing. Up to 5600 BPD of water and 5 MMscf/D of air can flow. Downhole pressures and temperatures are measured by eight variable reluctance pressure and temperature transducers. Liquid holdup is measured 500 ft below the surface by a gamma-ray densitometer.

The investigation includes a design study for the gamma-ray densitometer and a surface facility to calibrate the densitometer. An equation is obtained to convert count rate readings from the densitometer into volumetric average liquid holdup. Also, a design study to determine the compressor capacity needed to achieve different flow regimes in the test facility is included.

Acquired data range from 1 71 to 4,100 BPD water and from 1 18 to 3,273 Mscf/D air flow rates. These sixty-one data sets, along with the thirty-nine data sets obtained from the same facility after further instrumentation development, were compared with eight correlations for pressure drop and seven correlations holdup prediction. Based on the statistical results, the Duns and Ros correlation was the best at predicting liquid holdup, and the Hagedorn and Brown correlation was the best at predicting pressure gradient and total pressure drop.

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Last updated September 04, 2012