Estimation of Gas and Liquid Flow Rates in Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flow

Abstract

A new method of estimating gas and liquid flow rates is proposed for a gas-liquid two-phase flow system. The method involves measurement of pressure drops in horizontal and vertical flow channels, and calculation of flow rates by Lockhart-Martinelli correlation. The method does not require the insertion of any sensing devices into the flow channel and does not rely on any previously calibrated correlations. Experiments are performed in slug, froth and annular flow regimes for an air-water system, and the usefulness of the proposed method is examined. The results revealed that gas and liquid flow rates could be estimated with the accuracies of 45% for gas phase and 37% for liquid phase with respect to mean values.