Design and Validation of a Numerical Model for Inclined Oil-Water Flow
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Inst of Particle Science & Engineering
Abstract
The proposed research seeks to develop and validate a time dependent, 3D numerical model of inclined oil-water pipe flow. Inclined oil-water flows are commonly encountered downhole in oil wells at depths where the hydrostatic pressure is too high to allow dissolved gases to come out of solution. 'Production Logging Tools' (PLTs) are used by oil companies to make fluid flow measurements in such oil wells, as part of the process of maximising oil production from UK reservoirs, and the numerical model will greatly facilitate interpretation of measurement data from these PLTs. Inclined oil-water flows are highly complex due to the presence of Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) waves which intermittently form and decay. The effect of these waves is to induce large, time dependent variations in the magnitude and direction of the local velocity vector of both the oil and water as well as causing large time dependent variations in the local volume fraction distribution of both phases. It is intended that the numerical model will predict the fine detail of the structure of inclined oil-water flows including (i) time dependent variations in the local velocity vector distribution of both phases; (ii) time dependent variations in the local volume fraction distribution of both phases; and (iii) the structure and propagation speed of intermittent K-H waves in the flow. If the model is successful in predicting the propagation speed of K-H waves for a wide range of flow conditions this will greatly facilitate interpretation of a novel Production Logging technique which estimates the oil-water mixture superficial velocity from measurements of the K-H wave speed. The numerical model will be validated in oil-in-water flows using a laboratory flow loop and two independent, state of the art measurement techniques which enable time dependent measurements of the local velocity vector of the dispersed phase (oil) and the local volume fraction of both phases to be measured. These techniques are; (i) high speed dual-plane Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) and (ii) the local, multi-sensor conductance probe. Both techniques can operate at high values of the mean dispersed phase volume fraction (e.g. for oil-in-water flows EIT operates up to about 45% oil volume fraction and the local probe operates up to about 30% oil volume fraction) where optical techniques such as PIV and LDA cannot generally be used due to the effects of light scattering from multiple oil droplet surfaces and the opacity of the oil-water mixture. Given the highly novel and innovative nature of both high speed, dual-plane EIT and the local multi-sensor conductance probe, work will be undertaken to develop these techniques such that measurements obtained from them are of sufficient accuracy to be useful in validating the numerical model. Since both measurement techniques are novel, an important feature of the proposed research will be the cross-checking of these techniques against each other.
People |
ORCID iD |
Mi Wang (Principal Investigator) | http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0941-8481 |
Publications
Wang M
(2015)
A new visualisation and measurement technology for water continuous multiphase flows
in Flow Measurement and Instrumentation
Olerni C
(2013)
Measurement of air distribution and void fraction of an upwards air-water flow using electrical resistance tomography and a wire-mesh sensor
in Measurement Science and Technology
Li H
(2009)
VOLUME FLOW RATE MEASUREMENT IN VERTICAL OIL-IN-WATER PIPE FLOW USING ELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE TOMOGRAPHY AND A LOCAL PROBE
in Multiphase Science and Technology
K Ismail
(2010)
A Novel Zigzag EIT Sensor for Multiphase Pipeline Flows
Description | Developed methods for 3D imaging sensing and algorithm to image temporal and spatial distributions of disperse phase concentration and velocity; created a software to realise the 3D imaging methods; applied the method and software for the research. |
Exploitation Route | The concept of the 3D sensing method can be applied for measuring general pipeline flows, which only uses conventional 16 electrodes. |
Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Environment,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Description | Given the highly novel and innovative nature of both high speed, dual-plane EIT and the local multi-sensor conductance probe, work were undertaken to develop these techniques such that measurements obtained from them were of sufficient accuracy to be useful in validating the numerical model. Knowledge was transferred to industries and technology was commercialised via an instrumentation company |
First Year Of Impact | 2008 |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Environment,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Impact Types | Economic |
Description | ENG58-REG2 |
Amount | £110,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ENG58-REG2 |
Organisation | European Metrology Research Program (EMRP) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2014 |
End | 01/2016 |
Description | ENG58-REG3 |
Amount | £120,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ENG58-REG3 |
Organisation | European Metrology Research Program (EMRP) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2014 |
End | 11/2015 |
Description | EPSRC |
Amount | £164,636 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/I006095/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2010 |
End | 11/2011 |
Description | IAA proof of concept: multiphase flow meter |
Amount | £50,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 13006A/B |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2016 |
End | 03/2017 |
Description | Open Research Grant |
Amount | £10,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | China |
Start | 11/2012 |
End | 11/2015 |
Description | Space |
Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Airbus Group |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | France |
Start | 02/2014 |
End | 09/2014 |