Application of Drift-Flux Model for Computer Simulation of Two-Phase Flows in Wellbore

Abstract

The Drift-Flux Model has been applied for simulating two-phase flows in geothermal wellbore. The calculated results were compared with those simulated by conventional homogeneous flow mod-els.
1) The Drift-Flux Model allows us to calculate void fractions in two-phase flow wellbore system without any empirical relation.
2) The method has been applied for two-phase flows through 2000m-deep wellbores with the bottom temperatures of 260°C, 280°C and 300°C. We get deeper understandings of variations in void fraction and drift velocity over vertical positions of the wellbores.
3) The Drift-Flux Model is found to be applicable to the flow simulation for geothermal wellbore.