PRESSURE DROP IN LIQUID-LIQUID CORE-ANNULAR FLUID FLOW

The accurate prediction of friction loss is very important in pipeline engineering, where the use of water lubrication for the transport of heavy crude oil is gaining ground. Theoretical analysis of pressure drop in liquid-liquid core-annular fluid flow is used to derive an expression for the multiphase Reynolds number that can be used in existing single-phase equations to determine the coefficient of friction loss. The multiphase Reynolds number shows that the liquid in contact with the pipe wall dominates the values. Results using the proposed model were compared to published experimental results and other models. The proposed model is more accurate and less complex, and it shades more light on core-annular fluid flow.