Thermo-Hydrodynamics of Core-Annular Flow of Water, Heavy Oil and Air Using CFX

Antonio José Ferreira Gadelha, Severino Rodrigues de Farias Neto, Ramdayal Swarnakar, Antonio Gilson Barbosa de Lima

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Department of Chemical Engineering, Center of Science and Technology, Federal University of Campina Grande.

DOI: 10.4236/aces.2013.34A1006                

Abstract

The transport of heavy and ultra-viscous oil employing the core-flow technique has been increasing recently, because it provides a greater reduction of the pressure drop during the flow. In this context, the effect of temperature and the presence of gas on the thermo-hydrodynamics of a three-phase water-heavy oil-air flow in a horizontal pipe under the influence of gravity and drag forces, using the commercial software ANSYS CFX^?, have been evaluated. The standard κ ? ε turbulence model, the mixture model for heavy oil-water system and the particle model for heavy oil-gas and water-gas systems, were adopted. Results of velocity, volume fraction, pressure and temperature fields of the phases present along the pipe are presented and discussed. It has been found that the presence of the air phase and the variation in the temperature affect the behavior of annular flow and pressure drop.

Keywords

Heavy Oil; Three-Phase Flow; Heat; Numerical Simulation; CFX

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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