Simulation of Fluid Movement Through a Gravel Filter

Abstract

Many oil companies have serious difficulties with complicating factors as the appearance of mechanical impurities in the production of wells, the deposition of asphalt-resin-paraffin substances (ARPSs) on the equipment walls, salt deposition, and corrosion of metals. The presence of mechanical impurities ranks first in emergency stops of pumping equipment. Mechanical impurities cause wear on equipments and pump jammings. In most cases, solid scaled particles (SSPs) cause metal corrosion and ARPS precipitation. Filtering devices are described. They are designed for a specific concentration of SSPs, which do not always protect pumps at higher concentrations. Therefore, work is underway to explore the possibilities of gravel filters. Learning is important. This article discusses the use of equations known in filtering theory to determine the parameters for the movement of liquids through a gravel filter used in the oil industry to clean up mined products. Conducted analytical studies and calculations to determine the speed of movement of flows through the packing of gravel filters. The selection of new boundary conditions, slightly different from the exact, simplifies the solution of the resulting differential equations, and an increase in the calculated parameters by 5-10% (Howe method) eliminates the probability of error. Thus, the obtained values of the filtering parameters allow correctly choose the size and geometry of the filter elements.