Line Sizing for two phase flow:

Multiphase fluid flow is described as a simultaneous flow of several fluid

phases. The common multiphase fluid flow encountered in the process plants
are gas-liquid, liquid-liquid or liquid-solid flow. The general procedure of line
sizing for two phase flow is given below:
1) Obtain Physical properties of both gas and Liquid.
2) Determine flow regime of mixture at operating conditions.
3) Guess pipe size and schedule number.
4) Calculate erosional velocity of mixture.
5) Obtain pressure drop of mixture by using appropriate method.
If velocity and pressure drop criteria met, select pipe size otherwise guess next
pipe size.

Example -1

A pipeline segment with 1207 m long, transports a mixture of gas and oil. The
pipeline has to transport 800 m horizontally then a gradual upward slope and
rises 30 meter over the length and travels again horizontally. The inlet pressure
of the pipeline is 27.5 bar, liquid viscosity is 0.02 pa s, the vapor viscosity is
0.000015 pa s, and the interfacial surface tension is 0.015 N/m. The liquid flow
rate is 17 m3/hr and the vapor flow rate is 425 actual m3/hr. The density of the
liquid phase is 881 kg/m3, and the density of the gas phase is 20.82 kg/m3 at
operating conditions.
First, we have to divide entire pipe segment into three parts and follow the
procedure.
1st segment: Horizontal distance of 800 m
2nd segment: Vertical distance of 30 m
3rd segment: Horizontal distance of 377 m
For 1st segment:
Calculate gas Froude number and liquid Froude number to obtain flow regime
of 1st segment.
Select Pipe Size: 10 inch pipe size and schedule number 40
OD of pipe: 273.1 mm
Wall thickness of pipe: 9.27 mm
Internal diameter of pipe: 273.1 – 2*9.27 = 254.56 mm = 0.254 meter
Cross sectional Area of Pipe (A) = 0.785 * (0.254) ^2 = 0.050 m2
Velocity of gas inside pipe = Gas flow rate/cross sectional area
= 2.3611 m/sec
Velocity of Liquid inside pipe = 0.094 m/sec

Gas Froude Number:

𝝆𝒈
𝑭𝒓𝑮 = 𝑽𝒈 √
(𝝆𝒍 − 𝝆𝒈 )𝒈𝑫

𝟐𝟎.𝟖𝟐
= 𝟐. 𝟑𝟔𝟏𝟏√(𝟖𝟖𝟏−𝟐𝟎.𝟖𝟐)𝟗.𝟖𝟏∗
𝟎.𝟐𝟓𝟒

= 0.2325
Liquid Froude Number:

𝝆𝒍
𝑭𝒓𝑳 = 𝑽𝒍 √
(𝝆𝒍 − 𝝆𝒈 )𝒈𝑫

𝟖𝟖𝟏
= 𝟎. 𝟎𝟗𝟒√(𝟖𝟖𝟏−𝟐𝟎.𝟖𝟐)𝟗.𝟖𝟏∗
𝟎.𝟐𝟓𝟒

= 0.060
It is clear from map that flow regime is Annular dispersed flow.
For horizontal lines, stratified, mist, annular or bubble flow is acceptable. Slug
and plug flow regimes shall be avoided. Hence, Select pipe size met flow
regime criteria.
Calculate two phase mixture density and velocity as below:
Total flow rate (W) = 17 + 425 = 442 m3/hr
Density of mixture =