Author(s): Abdorreza Kabiri-Samani; Seied Mahmood Borghei; Mohammad Hassan Saidi
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Instability; Perturbations; Slug flow; Analytical/Numerical model
Abstract: An analytical/numerical model based on the assumption of rigid incompressible water column and compressible air bubble, is derived to simulate the pressure fluctuations, void fraction, air/water flow rate, water velocity in a closed conduit and water depth at upper reservoir due to formation of unstable slug flow. It is a comprehensive model which can generate different hydraulic situations of instability in a closed conduit based on hydraulic approach. The boundary conditions are the system of algebraic or/and simple differential equations. The steady solution of the governing differential equations is generally performed as the initial data. The frequency of pressure fluctuation and air/water flow rate predicted by the model is in close agreement with the results of the experiments and numerical model, reffered to in the literature. Hence, the present model which is simply derived due to one dimensional assumptions, shows to be a good tool to predict the characteristics of slug flow.
Year: 2005