Work

Characterising slug flow in a horizontal pipe using bubble image velocimetry

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: In this paper, we investigate air–water slug flow in a horizontal pipe using bubble image velocimetry (BIV). We show that a good estimate of the ensemble-averaged velocity field can be obtained by tracking the bubbles using a correlation based method, even for highly aerated flows where traditional velocimetry methods such as particle image velocimetry (PIV) are very challenging to implement. The global slug statistics in terms of the translational velocity, slug frequency, and length are compared against measurements from gamma densitometers, showing excellent agreement for a wide range of operating conditions. New insight into the velocity variations of three distinct regions; the slug front, the slug body, and the liquid film, are identified and analysed using BIV. Furthermore, along with the velocity fields, the images were used to obtain an estimate of the bubble density spatial distribution to understand the bubble transport inside the liquid slugs. • Sug translational velocity, frequency, and length are captured well with BIV. • BIV can obtain global statistics for all intermittent flow conditions. • Bubble image velocimetry requires a sufficient amount of tracer bubbles to work. • BIV provides a good estimate of the ensemble-averaged velocity field for highly aerated slug flow.

Source: International Journal of Multiphase Flow

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmultiphaseflow.2025.105196

Authors: Belma B. Hadzovic, Eirik Æsøy, Paul R. Leinan, James R. Dawson

Institutions: Norwegian University of Science and Technology, SINTEF

Language: English

Topic: Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer

Subfield: Computational Mechanics

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,900

Funder: Norges Forskningsråd