FLOW PATTERN AND PRESSURE DROP IN TEES

Abstract Visual observations of single and two-phase dividing flow and measurements of the gas-liquid separation behaviour, void fraction and pressure drop were performed in T-junctions having a horizontal run and vertical branch. Both tees used were geometrically similar, in scale 1:4. Plug, slug and stratified flow were observed in horizontal tubes causing mainly a total separation of the gas flow in the branch. For plug and slug flow the diverging flow pattern was stable, while for the stratified flow strong oscillations were measured. Furthermore a calculation method was developed for the prediction of the form-resistance pressure drop, based on the Gardel correlation for single-phase flow taking account of the two-phase flow pattern and the flow restriction in the tee-branch, which gives satisfactory results for all our measured data from both tees.