Experimental Visualization of Two Phase Flow Inside an Electrical Submersible Pump Stage

Barrios, Lissett; Prado, Mauricio

doi:10.1115/omae2009-79726

Cited by 12 publications

(21 citation statements)

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“…Three-dimensional steady Reynolds time-averaged Navier-Stokes equation and renormalization group (RNG) k-e equation are used to solve the model 4,[22][23][24][25][26][27] ; mass inlet condition is adopted for pump inlet; dynamic and static double reference system is used to deal with the flow movement in the impeller and volute; and the rotating coordinate system is adopted for impeller passage area, and the rotating speed is 1450 r/min. The hydraulic diameter is 130 mm, the outlet boundary is set as free outflow, and the flow passage area of the volute adopts a stationary coordinate system.…”

Section: Numerical Simulation Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimization design and experimental study of vortex pump based on orthogonal test

Quan

Guo

et al. 2019

Science Progress

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To study the effects of the performance of different types of impeller on the vortex pump, orthogonal test design, which is carried out by combining experimental test and numerical calculation, is adopted to optimize the type of design structure for the impeller in vortex pump. To find out the folding blade angle, the position of the folding point in the whole blade, and whether to wedge folding blade, an orthogonal test scheme with three factors and two levels is designed. A numerical simulation test is conducted for each scheme by analyzing the performance curve of orthogonal test plan to find the optimal performance of the program and analyzing the test data of each scheme to obtain the primary and secondary orders of the impact performance in the angle of folding blades of the vortex pump, the position of folding point of blades, and the wedge shape of blades. The results show that the optical blade type combination is the blade angle R30F60, the folding point is at 2/3 of the whole blade, and the blade does not adopt radial wedge. The optimal combination scheme is 36% higher than the design value at the rated flow head, the efficiency is 18.75% higher than the design value, the high-efficiency zone of the vortex pump is wider, and the performance meets the design requirements. Through orthogonal experimental design, the design cycle of vortex pump can be shortened effectively, the design level of vortex pump can be improved, and the hydraulic model with superior performance can be obtained.

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Section: Numerical Simulation Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimization design and experimental study of vortex pump based on orthogonal test

Quan

Guo

et al. 2019

Science Progress

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“…Such behavior may increase the collision between the bubbles leading to their coalescence into a gas pocket. Barrios (2007) followed Prado (2005) approach and demonstrated that the surging is not caused by bubble orbiting at radial position equivalent to the outer impeller diameter as originally proposed Prado (2005). The author proved that the surging is triggered by bubbles that reach a radial equilibrium position at the impeller channel inlet diameter.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Besides the experimental data shows that it only occurs when bubbles reach certain critical size confirming Estevam (2001) observations. Barrios (2007) proposed the critical volumetric gas fraction ( C λ ) that leads to the surging can be predicted from Eq. 1.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review on ESP Surging Correlations and Models

Gamboa¹,

Prado

2011

SPE Production and Operations Symposium

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Head deterioration observed in electrical submersible pumps under two-phase flow is mild until a sudden performance breakdown is observed in the pump head curve at a certain volumetric gas fraction. This critical condition is termed surging. Consequently, the two-phase pump head is associated with whether the stage operates under conditions prior (mild performance deterioration) or after (severe performance deterioration) the surging point. The surging, for engineering purposes, can be predicted by published correlations, but the lack of theoretical basis is a limiting factor for their application. Mechanistic models seem to be the proper alternative. But, the poor understanding of the physical mechanism that causes the surging hinders the development of such mechanistic models. This paper reviews some of these correlations and mechanistic models by comparing its predictions against experimental data acquired in a closed loop with water and air utilizing a commercial 24 stages ESP. The data cover a wide range of volumetric gas fraction, rotational speeds and intake pressures. As consequence of this analysis, two correlations have been formulated. The first correlation predicts the surging as function of rotational speed and fluid properties, while the second correlation intends to predict the homogenous boundary. This boundary encloses a regime in which the homogenous model works for predicting the ESP head curve. IntroductionLea and Bearden (1980) classified the two-phase performance of an ESP into four categories: non-gas interference, gas interference, intermittent gas lock and gas lock. The operating condition that marked the onset of the intermittent gas locking regime was termed surging by these authors. The surging then became important for practical purpose because the pump head breakdown coincided with this operating condition. Schadeva (1990) hypothesized the surging occurred once the gas velocity into the impeller became zero. Thus, the author explained the formation of a stagnant gas pocket at impeller inlet region. The pump head breakdown was then a consequence of the gas pocket formation. Schadeva (1990) proposed that the surging could be determined by forcing the gas velocity to zero in his one-dimensional model of the pump head. This model requires detail information about the internal components of the pump that is considered confidential information for most pump manufacturer. Therefore, this model is not suitable for practical applications. Minemura et al. (1993b) observed that the pump head breakdown is caused by a flow pattern transition from a bubbly flow to slug-flow-like flow pattern. By analogy to two-phase flow in pipe, Minemura et al. (1993b) argued that it may occur at a certain critical gas void fraction. Based on simulations, the authors realized the critical gas void fraction at which the surging occurred changed as a function of liquid flow rate. Then, the critical gas fraction could not be determined based on operating conditions and geometry but experimental data is required. E...

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“…Estevam et al [17], and Barrios [18] proposed using a mapping procedure defining separation lines between several regimes as shown in Figure 1 (the corresponding graph is derived from references [17] and [18]. Curve evolutions on the x and y coordinates mainly depend on pump specific speed and single or multistage configuration).…”

Section: Pump Performance Curvesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of Design Considerations of Centrifugal Pump Capability for Handling Inlet Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flows

et al. 2019

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Most of the pumps working under two phase flows conditions are used in petroleum industry applications, like electrical submersible pumps (ESP) for hydrocarbon fluids, in chemistry, nuclear industries and in agriculture for irrigation purposes as well. Two-phase flows always deteriorate overall pump performances compared with single flow conditions. Several papers have been published aiming to understand flow physics and to model all the main mechanisms that govern gas pocket formation and surging phenomena. These mechanisms depend on the pump type, the impeller geometry, the rotational speed, design and off-design liquid flow rate conditions, the volumetric gas fraction, the fluid properties and the inlet pressure. In the present paper, a review on two phase performances from various centrifugal pumps designs is presented, mainly based on experimental results. The main focus is devoted to detect the significant geometrical parameters that: (1) Modify the pump head degradation level under bubbly flow regime assumption; (2) Allow single stage centrifugal pumps keep working under two-phase flow conditions with high inlet void fraction values before pump shut down, whatever the pump performance degradations and liquid production rates should be. Because most of the published experimental studies are performed on dedicated laboratory centrifugal pump models, most of the present review is based on air-water mixtures as the working fluid with inlet pressures close to atmospheric conditions. The following review supposes that gas phase is considered as a non-condensable perfect gas, while the liquid phase is incompressible. Both phases are isolated from external conditions: neither mass nor heat transfer take place between the phases.

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Experimental Visualization of Two Phase Flow Inside an Electrical Submersible Pump Stage

Cited by 12 publications

References 0 publications

Optimization design and experimental study of vortex pump based on orthogonal test

Optimization design and experimental study of vortex pump based on orthogonal test

Review on ESP Surging Correlations and Models

A Review of Design Considerations of Centrifugal Pump Capability for Handling Inlet Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flows

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