Ultrasonic method for measuring water holdup of low velocity and high-water-cut oil-water two-phase flow

Oil reservoirs with low permeability and porosity that are in the middle and late exploitation periods in China＇s onshore oil fields are mostly in the high-water-cut production stage.This stage is associated with severely non-uniform local-velocity flow profiles and dispersed-phase concentration（of oil droplets） in oil-water two-phase flow,which makes it difficult to measure water holdup in oil wells.In this study,we use an ultrasonic method based on a transmission-type sensor in oil-water two-phase flow to measure water holdup in lowvelocity and high water-cut conditions.First,we optimize the excitation frequency of the ultrasonic sensor by calculating the sensitivity of the ultrasonic field using the finite element method for multiphysics coupling.Then we calculate the change trend of sound pressure level attenuation ratio with the increase in oil holdup to verify the feasibility of the employed diameter for the ultrasonic sensor.Based on the results,we then investigate the effects of oildroplet diameter and distribution on the ultrasonic field.To further understand the measurement characteristics of the ultrasonic sensor,we perform a flow loop test on vertical upward oilwater two-phase flow and measure the responses of the optimized ultrasonic sensor.The results show that the ultrasonic sensor yields poor resolution for a dispersed oil slug in water flow（D OS/W flow）,but the resolution is favorable for dispersed oil in water flow（D O/W flow） and very fine dispersed oil in water flow（VFD O/W flow）.This research demonstrates the potential application of a pulsed-transmission ultrasonic method for measuring the fraction of individual components in oil-water two-phase flow with a low mixture velocity and high water cut.

Numerical Simulation of a Two-Phase Flow with Low Permeability anda Start-Up Pressure Gradient

A new numerical model for low-permeability reservoirs is developed.The model incorporates the nonlinear characteristics of oil-water two-phase flows while taking into account the initiation pressure gradient.Related numerical solutions are obtained using a finite difference method.The correctness of the method is demonstrated using a two-dimensional inhomogeneous low permeability example.Then,the differences in the cumulative oil and water production are investigated for different starting water saturations.It is shown that when the initial water saturation grows,the water content of the block continues to rise and the cumulative oil production gradually decreases.

Experimental study on steam-water two-phase flow frictional pressure drops in helical coils

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Two-Phase Flow in Porous Electrodes of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

Water management in porous electrodes bears significance due to its strong potential in determining the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell.In terms of porous electrodes,internal water distribution and removal process have extensively attracted attention in both experimental and numerical studies.However,the structural difference among the catalyst layer(CL),microporous layer(MPL),and gas diffusion layer(GDL)leads to significant challenges in studying the two-phase flow behavior.Given the different porosities and pore scales of the CL,MPL,and GDL,the model scales in simulating each component are inconsistent.This review emphasizes the numerical simulation related to porous electrodes in the water transport process and evaluates the effectiveness and weakness of the conventional methods used during the investigation.The limitations of existing models include the following:(i)The reconstruction of geometric models is difficult to achieve when using the real characteristics of the components;(ii)the computational domain size is limited due to massive computational loads in three-dimensional(3 D)simulations;(iii)numerical associations among 3 D models are lacking because of the separate studies for each component;(iv)the effects of vapor condensation and heat transfer on the two-phase flow are disregarded;(v)compressive deformation during assembly and vibration in road conditions should be considered in two-phase flow studies given the real operating conditions.Therefore,this review is aimed at critical research gaps which need further investigation.Insightful potential research directions are also suggested for future improvements.

Liquid holdup measurement with double helix capacitance sensor in horizontal oil-water two-phase flow pipes

This paper presents the characteristics of a double helix capacitance sensor for measurement of the liquid holdup in horizontal oil–water two-phase flow. The finite element method is used to calculate the sensitivity field of the sensor in a pipe with 20 mm inner diameter and the effect of sensor geometry on the distribution of sensitivity field is presented. Then, a horizontal oil–water two-phase flow experiment is carried out to measure the response of the double helix capacitance sensor, in which a novel method is proposed to calibrate the liquid holdup based on three pairs of parallel-wire capacitance probes. The performance of the sensor is analyzed in terms of the flow structures detected by mini-conductance array probes.

An analytical model for water-oil two-phase flow in inorganic nanopores in shale oil reservoirs

The existence of water phase occupies oil flow area and impacts the confined oil flow behavior at the solid substrate in inorganic nanopores of shale oil reservoirs,resulting in a completely different flow pattern when compared with the single oil phase flow.This study proposes an analytical model to describe the water-oil two-phase flow.In this model,water slippage at the solid substrate is considered while oil slip is introduced to calculate the oil movement at the solid-oil boundary in dry conditions.It is proven that the oil flow profiles of both the two-phase model and single-phase model show parabolic shapes,but the oil flow capacity drops when water takes up the flow space and the impact of water is more significant when the pore dimension is smaller than 30 nm.Also,the oil flow velocity at a pore center is found to drop linearly given a larger water saturation in wet conditions.The effects of surface wettability and oil properties on water-oil flow are also discussed.Compared with the existing singlephase models,this model describes oil flow pattern in the wet condition with the incorporation of the influence of nanopore properties,which better predicts the oil transport in actual reservoir conditions.Water-oil relative permeability curves are also obtained to improve oil yield.

TWO-PHASE FLOW FOR A HORIZONTAL WELL PENETRATING A NATURALLY FRACTURED RESERVOIR WITH EDGE WATER INJECTION

This paper examines the two-phase flow for a horizontal well penetrating a naturally fractured reservoir with edge water injection by means of a fixed streamlinemodel,The mathematical model of the verical two-dimensional flow or oil-water for a horizontal well in a medium with double-porosity is established ,and whose accuratesolutions are obtained by using the characteristic method .The saturation distributionsin the fractured system and the matrix system as well as the formula of the time of water free production are presented .All these results provide a theoretical basis and a computing method for oil displacement by edge water from naturally fracturedreservirs.

Inter-layer interference for multi-layered tight gas reservoir in the absence and presence of movable water

Due to the dissimilarity among different producing layers,the influences of inter-layer interference on the production performance of a multi-layer gas reservoir are possible.However,systematic studies of inter-layer interference for tight gas reservoirs are really limited,especially for those reservoirs in the presence of water.In this work,five types of possible inter-layer interferences,including both absence and presence of water,are identified for commingled production of tight gas reservoirs.Subsequently,a series of reservoir-scale and pore-scale numerical simulations are conducted to quantify the degree of influence of each type of interference.Consistent field evidence from the Yan'an tight gas reservoir(Ordos Basin,China)is found to support the simulation results.Additionally,suggestions are proposed to mitigate the potential inter-layer interferences.The results indicate that,in the absence of water,commingled production is favorable in two situations:when there is a difference in physical properties and when there is a difference in the pressure system of each layer.For reservoirs with a multi-pressure system,the backflow phenomenon,which significantly influences the production performance,only occurs under extreme conditions(such as very low production rates or well shut-in periods).When water is introduced into the multi-layer system,inter-layer interference becomes nearly inevitable.Perforating both the gas-rich layer and water-rich layer for commingled production is not desirable,as it can trigger water invasion from the water-rich layer into the gas-rich layer.The gas-rich layer might also be interfered with by water from the neighboring unperforated water-rich layer,where the water might break the barrier(eg weak joint surface,cement in fractures)between the two layers and migrate into the gas-rich layer.Additionally,the gas-rich layer could possibly be interfered with by water that accumulates at the bottom of the wellbore due to gravitational differentiation during shut-in operations.

A New Distribution Method for Wet Steam Injection Optimization

A new approach and a new related distribution system are proposed to address the issue of uneven steam injection caused by the different suction capacities of the used wells during the application of steam“stimulation”methods for enhanced oil recovery.The new distribution system consists of a swirler,spiral dividing baffles,and critical flow nozzles.Numerical simulations are used to analyze the flow-field and degree of steam homogeneity obtained with such an approach.The results indicate that a higher inlet pressure leads to better results.Additionally,the internal flow field becomes more stable,and the deviation from an even distribution reduces to±4.0%even when the resistance of each branch is inconsistent.Furthermore,field tests have yielded satisfactory results.

Multi-scale complexity entropy causality plane: An intrinsic measure for indicating two-phase flow structures

We extend the complexity entropy causality plane（CECP） to propose a multi-scale complexity entropy causality plane（MS-CECP） and further use the proposed method to discriminate the deterministic characteristics of different oil-in-water flows. We first take several typical time series for example to investigate the characteristic of the MS-CECP and find that the MS-CECP not only describes the continuous loss of dynamical structure with the increase of scale, but also reflects the determinacy of the system. Then we calculate the MS-CECP for the conductance fluctuating signals measured from oil–water two-phase flow loop test facility. The results indicate that the MS-CECP could be an intrinsic measure for indicating oil-in-water two-phase flow structures.

THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF USING AIRFLOW TO PURGE RESIDUAL WATER IN AN INCLINED PIPE

A refined theoretical analysis for using the spiral airflow and axial airflow to purge residual water in an inclined pipe was presented. The computations reveal that, in most cases, the spiral flow can purge the residual water in the inclined pipe indeed while the axial flow may induce back flow of the water, just as predicted in the experiments presented by Horii and Zhao et al. In addition, the effects of various initial conditions on water purging were studied in detail for both the spiral and axial flow cases.

TWO－PHASE FLOW FOR A HORIZONTAL WELL PENETRATING A NATURALLY FRACTURED RESERVOIR WITH EDGE WATER INJECTION

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边界参数变化对火电厂汽轮机阀点滑压优化的影响

利用各边界参数变化修正压力差,由滑压、滑压设计值及限定条件计算得出滑压优化压力;通过在线计算优化方法,研究边界参数变化对火力发电厂汽轮机阀点滑压优化的影响;研究获得边界参数变化的数学模型,利用相关控制系统实时显示和控制最佳压力,实现对最佳阀位的精确控制,从而实现全季节滑压量化可视化,指导机组实际运行,有效提升机组经济性。

CFD analysis of a CiADS fuel assembly during the steam generator tube rupture accident based on the LBEsteamEulerFoam

Steam generator tube rupture(SGTR) accident is an important scenario needed to be considered in the safety analysis of lead-based fast reactors. When the steam generator tube breaks close to the main pump, water vapor will enter the reactor core, resulting in a two-phase flow of heavy liquid metal and water vapor in fuel assemblies. The thermal-hydraulic problems caused by the SGTR accident may seriously threaten reactor core's safety performance. In this paper, the open-source CFD calculation software OpenFOAM was used to encapsulate the improved Euler method into the self-developed solver LBEsteamEulerFoam. By changing different heating boundary conditions and inlet coolant types, the two-phase flow in the fuel assembly with different inlet gas content was simulated under various accident conditions. The calculation results show that the water vapor may accumulate in edge and corner channels. With the increase in inlet water vapor content, outlet coolant velocity increases gradually. When the inlet water vapor content is more than 15%, the outlet coolant temperature rises sharply with strong temperature fluctuation. When the inlet water vapor content is in the range of 5–20%, the upper part of the fuel assembly will gradually accumulate to form large bubbles. Compared with the VOF method, Euler method has higher computational efficiency. However, Euler method may cause an underestimation of the void fraction, so it still needs to be calibrated with future experimental data of the two-phase flow in fuel assembly.

液态金属快堆螺旋管蒸汽发生器一、二次侧耦合传热数值研究

螺旋管蒸汽发生器是液态金属快堆中能量传递的核心设备,其运行的稳定性、安全性对核电站的运行有至关重要的影响。为此,本文构建了液态金属快堆螺旋管蒸汽发生器一次侧、二次侧耦合传热的三维数值模型,分别基于经济合作与发展组织核能署(The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development,OECD/NEA)物性手册和美国国家标准与技术研究院(National Institute of Standards and Technology,NIST)数据库建立液态金属和水-水蒸气变物性计算关联式,采用Lee相变模型计算二次侧水-水蒸气蒸发过程中两相间的质量传递。基于实验数据,分别对本文模型一次侧传热以及二次侧传热的计算可靠性进行了验证。最后以铅铋快堆为例,研究了不同一次侧进口参数下蒸汽发生器一、二次侧之间的耦合传热特性,并与传统水冷堆进行了对比。结果表明:在同等条件下,相比于传统水冷堆,一次侧采用铅铋液态金属时,一、二次侧之间的壁面热流密度明显提升,热流密度峰值可达1439.97 kW·m^(-2),比水冷堆相应数值提升5~6倍,这导致二次侧管内气相蒸发过程明显加剧,体积含气率急剧上升;同时,一、二次侧之间的沿程热流密度分布更加不均匀,沿程热流密度分布相对偏差值比水冷堆相应数值增大3~4倍。随着一次侧进口铅铋温度从350℃增大到450℃,一、二次侧之间的壁面热流密度随之增大,对应的热流密度峰值从950.7 kW·m^(-2)增大到1439.97 kW·m^(-2),提升约1.5倍,同时一、二次侧之间的沿程热流密度分布更加不均匀,不均匀度增大20%。

Effect of Cooling Water Flow Path on the Flow and Heat Transfer in a 660 MW Power Plant Condenser

The effect of the cooling water flow path on the flow and heat transfer in a double tube-pass condenser for a 660 MW power plant unit was numerically investigated based on a porous medium model. The results were used to analyze the streamline, velocity, air mass fraction and heat transfer coefficient distributions. The simulations indicate that the cooling water flow path is important in large condensers. For the original tube arrangement, the heat transfer with the lower-upper cooling water flow path is better than that with the upper-lower cooling water flow path. The reason is that the steam cannot flow into the internal of upper tube bundle and the air fractions are higher in the upper tube bundle with the upper-lower cooling water flow path. An improvement tube arrangement was developed for the upper-lower cooling water flow path which reduced the back pressure by 0.47 kPa compared to the original scheme. Thus, the results show that the tube arrangements should differ for different cooling water flow paths and the condenser heat transfer can be improved for the upper-lower cooling water flow path by modifying the tube arrangement.

超超临界垂直管圈锅炉水冷壁汽温偏差及节流圈调整方案研究

为解决660 MW超超临界锅炉垂直管圈水冷壁汽温存在偏差、温度波动大和水冷壁出现横向裂纹等问题,进行了试验研究和水动力计算。根据锅炉设计方案,建立了某电厂锅炉流动网络系统的水动力计算数学模型,并在锅炉水冷壁上铺排工质温度测点;根据实炉测量数据,对1号机组270 MW负荷时炉内热负荷和热偏差的分布进行了计算分析;然后调整了节流圈的布置方案,计算调整后的水动力和流动不稳定性。结果表明:调整后出口汽温更加均匀,调整后的方案能更好地防止汽温波动,且不会发生脉动;节流圈调整后中高负荷下的垂直管圈水冷壁汽温分布更均匀,汽温偏差问题明显改善。

Effects of physical parameter range on dimensionless variable sensitivity in water flooding reservoirs

The similarity criterion for water flooding reservoir flows is concerned with in the present paper. When finding out all the dimensionless variables governing this kind of flow, their physical meanings are subsequently elucidated. Then, a numerical approach of sensitivity analysis is adopted to quantify their corresponding dominance degree among the similarity parameters. In this way, we may finally identify major scaling law in different parameter range and demonstrate the respective effects of viscosity, permeability and injection rate.

非能动安全壳冷却系统启动策略试验研究

为研究非能动安全壳热量导出系统(passive containment heat removal system,PCS)启动策略,支撑电厂故障应对策略的制定,本文结合“华龙一号”PCS系统配置,提出了4种系统启动策略并开展详细研究,根据分析结果优选出2种方案进行试验研究。试验结果表明:PCS系统采用双阀开启方案或冷管段隔离阀关闭方案时能够获得较优的启动性能;采用双阀开启方案,系统启动过程较为平稳;采用冷管段隔离阀关闭方案,为避免在启动过程中发生故障,建议系统启动时换热器传热管内液体温度不要超过120℃。试验结果对“华龙一号”PCS系统启动规程的制定具有指导意义。

Numerical Simulation of Water-Air Two-Phase Flow in Soil Slope under Water Level Rise Condition

In order to simulate the unsteady seepage in soil slopes under water level rise condition, including water seepage and air seepage, and to investigate the influence of the capillary pressure on the slope safety coefficient, the water-air two-phase flow model was used and its solving method and definition condition were given. By the two-phase flow model, the pore air and pore water seepage of a soil slope under steady seepage and water level rise conditions were shown, and the slope stability in different cases was analyzed from the simulation results. We find that under water level rise condition, the pore air pressure in the unsaturated zone increased evidently and the capillary pressure should be considered while the pore air pressure can be neglected in slope stability analysis.