TY - JOUR
T1 - Characteristics of bubble motion and distribution in a multiphase rotodynamic pump
AU - Zhang, Wenwu
AU - Zhu, Baoshan
AU - Yu, Zhiyi
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2020/10
Y1 - 2020/10
N2 - The characteristics of bubble motion and distribution in multiphase pumps are complex and have not yet been clearly described. In this study, high-speed photography technology was used to investigate the gas-liquid flow in detail. A numerical model that considers bubble coalescence and breakup was developed based on Euler two-fluid model, and it was embedded in ANSYS-CFX software with secondary development technology. The reliability of the developed model was validated by comparison with the efficiency and head of the test pump as well as the distribution and size of bubbles. The experimental results revealed that bubbles in the impeller moved from the blade pressure surface to the blade suction surface along a similar path, and accumulated there. Then, the accumulated bubbles decreased in size as they hit the blade wall. The necessary condition for bubble accumulation at the impeller hub was obtained by numerical analysis. The force acting on the bubble, M1, which is caused by the pressure difference from the shroud to hub of the impeller, must be much greater than the sum of the centrifugal force fg and lift force Lg (M1 ≫ fg + Lg). Furthermore, the bubble diameter in the guide vane was significantly greater than that in the impeller due to the strong bubble coalescence. At IGVFs of 3.0%, 9.0%, and 15.0%, the bubble diameters in the guide vane increased by 0.03 mm, 0.21 mm, and 0.24 mm, respectively.
AB - The characteristics of bubble motion and distribution in multiphase pumps are complex and have not yet been clearly described. In this study, high-speed photography technology was used to investigate the gas-liquid flow in detail. A numerical model that considers bubble coalescence and breakup was developed based on Euler two-fluid model, and it was embedded in ANSYS-CFX software with secondary development technology. The reliability of the developed model was validated by comparison with the efficiency and head of the test pump as well as the distribution and size of bubbles. The experimental results revealed that bubbles in the impeller moved from the blade pressure surface to the blade suction surface along a similar path, and accumulated there. Then, the accumulated bubbles decreased in size as they hit the blade wall. The necessary condition for bubble accumulation at the impeller hub was obtained by numerical analysis. The force acting on the bubble, M1, which is caused by the pressure difference from the shroud to hub of the impeller, must be much greater than the sum of the centrifugal force fg and lift force Lg (M1 ≫ fg + Lg). Furthermore, the bubble diameter in the guide vane was significantly greater than that in the impeller due to the strong bubble coalescence. At IGVFs of 3.0%, 9.0%, and 15.0%, the bubble diameters in the guide vane increased by 0.03 mm, 0.21 mm, and 0.24 mm, respectively.
KW - Bubble motion
KW - Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
KW - Experimental technology
KW - Gas distribution
KW - Multiphase rotodynaimc pump
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85085468422&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.petrol.2020.107435
DO - 10.1016/j.petrol.2020.107435
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85085468422
SN - 0920-4105
VL - 193
JO - Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering
JF - Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering
M1 - 107435
ER -