Mingjun Du^1,2, Jiaqiang Jing^1,*, Xinqiang Xiong³, Bingbing Lang², Xuan Wang², Shiying Shi^4,*

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.18, No.1, pp. 81-91, 2022, DOI:10.32604/fdmp.2022.016640

Abstract Transportation of heavy oil by the so-called water-ring technique is a very promising method by which pressure drop and pollution can be significantly reduced. Dedicated experiments have been carried out by changing the phase’s density, viscosity, velocity and interfacial tension to systematically analyze the characteristics of the water ring. On the basis of such experimental data, a mathematical model for pressure drop prediction has been introduced. This research shows that as long as the density of oil and water remains the same, a concentric water ring can effectively be formed. In such conditions, the oil-water viscosity difference has little effect… More >

Xinke Yang¹, Shanzhi Shi¹, Hui Zhang¹, Yuzhe Yang^2,3, Zilong Liu^2,3, Ruiquan Liao^2,3,*, Joseph X. F. Ribeiro⁴

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.17, No.2, pp. 371-383, 2021, DOI:10.32604/fdmp.2021.011486

Abstract The accurate prediction of the pressure distribution of highly viscous fluids in wellbores and pipelines is of great significance for heavy oil production and transportation. The flow behavior of high-viscosity fluids is quite different with respect to that of low-viscosity fluids. Currently, the performances of existing pressure-drop models seem to be relatively limited when they are applied to high-viscosity fluids. In this study, a gas-liquid two-phase flow experiment has been carried out using a 60 mm ID horizontal pipe with air and white oil. The experimental results indicate that viscosity exerts a significant influence on the liquid holdup and pressure… More >