Air-water flow structure in a vertical pipe: Experimental results and CFD modelling

An upward isothermal co-current air-water flow in a vertical pipe (52 mm inner diameter) has been experimental investigated. Local measurements of void fraction, interfacial area concentration (IAC), interfacial velocity and Sauter mean diameter were measured using a four sensor conductivity probe. Liquid velocity and turbulence intensity were measured using Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA). Different air-water flow configurations was investigated for a liquid flow rate ranged from 0.491 m/s to 3 m/s and a void fraction up to 25%. For each two-phase flow configuration twenty five radial position and three axial locations were measured by the conductivity probe methodology, and several radial profiles was measured with LDA at different axial positions. Some of these experiments were modeled using a computational fluid dynamic code, ANSYS-CFD where some models for the force applied to the gas phase were introduced.