CFD Validation of Flow Induced Forces in 6” Piping caused by Slugging Flow

Paul Emerson

Xodus Group presented CFD predictions of forcing functions they had performed on bends for multiphase flows as part of a Joint Industry Project [1] using measurements taken during testing of 6 inch piping. CFD predictions for slugging flows were compared with test measurements and, where applicable, empirical correlations. Overall comparisons between the CFD predictions, the empirical correlations and the test measurements were good for both a straight inlet pipe section and a more complicated U-bend upstream of the test bend. The magnitude of the force fluctuations were well predicted within 2% and 7% for straight inlet and upstream U-bend cases respectively. Forcing frequencies matched well, picking up the dominant slugging frequency. An integrated Q3D approach [2] was employed to generate good time varying inlet conditions from constant superficial inlet velocities rather than having to define fluctuating boundary conditions based on empirical correlations.

 

[1] Emmerson, P.R. et al, “CFD validation of flow induced forces in 6” piping caused by slugging”, 11th International Conference on Flow-Induced Vibration FIV2016, The Hague, The Netherlands, 4-6 July 2016

[2] Emmerson, P.R. et al, “Improving boundary conditions for multiphase CFD predictions of slug flow induced forces”, 17th International Conference on Multiphase Technology, Cannes 10-12th June 2015.