Abstract:
Oil-water two-phase flows in 0.056 m horizontal and inclined straight tubes have been
simulated using control volume finite difference method (CVFDM). Volume of Fluid
(VOF) model for multiphase flow and RNG k-ε turbulence model is adopted for
simulated oil-water stratified flow. The volume of fraction (VOF) approach has been
used to track the interface between oil and water phases. The angle of inclination has
been varied from ±50, 00, ±100 from the horizontal. The simulations were carried out at
different Reynolds numbers, i.e. 28324 and 58800, which resulted into turbulent regime.
Due to very high Reynolds number considered in the present work, the Reynolds
renormalize group (RNG) k– turbulent model has been used. The effect of inclination on
velocity profiles, pressure drop, slip ratio and local phase fraction, and turbulent
characteristics (i.e. turbulent kinetic energy and energy dissipation) are predicted. The
estimated model is validated against numerical and experimental data reported in the
literature for single phase flow in pipes. The main finding is the large difference between
the results for the inclinations of tubes. It is postulated that the presence of gravity and
magnitude of velocity responsible for the variation in velocity of individual phases,
generation of turbulence, and volume phase fraction
