Numerical investigation of the effect of viscosity in a multistage electric submersible pump

Abstract

(2017) Numerical investigation of the effect of viscosity in a multistage electric submersible pump, Engineering Applications of Computational Fluid Mechanics, 11:1, 258-272, DOI: 10.1080/19942060.2017 ABSTRACTElectric submersible pump (ESP) systems are commonly used as an artificial lift technique by the petroleum industry. Operations of ESPs in oil wells are subjected to performance degradation due to the effect of oil viscosity. To understand this effect a numerical study to simulate the flow in three stages of a multistage mixed-flow type ESP operating with a wide range of fluid viscosities, flow rates, and rotational speeds was conducted. The problem was solved by using a commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software. The numerical model was validated with experimental head curves from the literature at different viscosities and rotational speeds available for the same ESP model used in this study, and good agreement was found. Performance degradation was evaluated by analyzing the effect of viscosity on head and flow rate. In addition, a flow field analysis to compare the flow behavior when the pump operates at different viscosities was carried out. The interaction between stages was also analyzed, and the influence of a previous stage on the upstream flow was evidenced. The flow field was analyzed at a curved surface that follows the complex mixed-flow geometry of the stages. CFD proved to be useful for exploring this kind of feature, a task whose accomplishment by means of experimental methods is not trivial. Such analysis helps to understand the flow pattern behind head and flow rate degradation when the Reynolds number is decreased. The results from this work are helpful as they provide a basis to estimate performance degradation for general scenarios. ARTICLE HISTORY

Numerical Investigation on Pressure Pulsation Characteristics and Radial Force of a Deep‐Sea Electric Lifting Pump at Off‐Design Conditions

“…e SST k-ω turbulence model combines the merits of the k-ω turbulence model and the k-ε turbulence model in the boundary layer calculations and has good calculation accuracy, as suggested by Ofuchi. us, it was chosen as the calculation model in this work [28,29]. In the unsteady calculation, the dynamic and static components were coupled using a transient rotor-stator method and the steady calculation results were taken as the initial conditions for the unsteady calculation.…”

Research Progress and Prospects of Multi-Stage Centrifugal Pump Capability for Handling Gas–Liquid Multiphase Flow: Comparison and Empirical Model Validation

“…Thus, CFD analysis has also played a significant role in the oil and gas industry for viscosity analysis. Many scholars, such as Shojaeefard [101,102], Sirino [103], Stel [104,105], Zhu [77], Zhang [78], Basaran [106], Ofuchi 2017 [107][108][109][110], Valdes [79], have applied different types of CFD techniques to analyze both single-phase and two-phase flow performance of pumps handling viscous fluids. Using the SST k-ω turbulence model, Shojaeefard et al [101,102] have performed CFD simulations to examine the influence of viscous fluids on working capability of centrifugal pumps.…”

“…Furthermore, in 2017, CFD simulation methodology that was similar to Sirino [103] and Stel's [104,105], was applied by Ofuchi [107,108] on three-stage ESP design in order to analyze the effect of viscous Newtonian fluid on ESP performance deterioration. The authors have conducted broad values of fluid viscosity, rotating speed, and flow rate.…”

Analysis of the Effect of Viscosity in an Electric Submersible Pump (Esp) Through A CFD Approach

“…Electrical Submersible Pumping (ESP) is one of the main artificial lifting methods used in oil extraction processes. This method consists in the use of a multi-stage centrifugal pump, characterized by its high production flow rates and the flexibility in its installation [1]. However, the performance degradation of an ESP is associated with fluids viscosities.…”

“…Finally, it is important to mention that the literature review is finished, finding in the research of [1] a guideline. On the other hand, the author of [2] presents the experimental data needed for the validation of the numerical model.…”