Numerical simulation of pipeline hydrate slurry flow behavior based on population balance theory

doi:10.16085/j.issn.1000-6613.2017-0787

Abstract

Abstract: The flow behavior of hydrate slurry is of great importance to assurance of deep sea pipeline flow and industrial popularization of gas storage and transportation using hydrating method. However, the present methods of simulation of hydrate slurry flow behavior are limited and need improvements. Therefore, a population balance model based on the dynamics of hydrate particle agglomeration was introduced. The model concentrated on the collision frequency, agglomeration efficiency, breakage frequency and particle size distribution of the broken flowing hydrate particles and could well describe the hydrate slurry flow behavior. A three-dimensional geometric model was built according to an experimental setup in the literature and then the population balance model together with several relevant solid-liquid two-phase flow models was solved using software Fluent 14.5. In this way, the influences of flow rate and hydrate volume fraction on hydrate volume concentration distribution, hydrate particle size distribution and pressure drop were simulated. The simulation results were in good agreement with the experimental results in literature and could provide references for the application of hydrate slurry technology.

Key words: hydrate slurry, population balance, numerical simulation, concentration distribution, particle size distribution, pressure drop

摘要： 水合物浆的流动特性对深水油气管道的流动安全保障和水合物法气体储运的工业推广具有重要意义。目前已有的水合物浆液流动特性数值模拟方法存在较多的缺陷及不足，为此本文引入了基于水合物颗粒聚集动力学的群体平衡模型。该模型重点考虑水合物颗粒在流动过程中的碰撞频率、聚并效率、破碎频率及破碎后子颗粒的粒径分布函数，可较好地描述管内水合物颗粒的流动行为。根据文献中的实验装置建立三维几何模型，利用Fluent 14.5软件对上述群体平衡模型和相关固液两相流模型进行联合求解，借此模拟流速及水合物体积分数对水合物浓度分布、水合物颗粒粒径分布和流动压降等水合物浆流动特性的影响。本文模拟结果与文献中相关实验数据吻合良好，可为水合物浆技术的规模应用提供借鉴。

关键词: 水合物浆, 群体平衡, 数值模拟, 浓度分布, 粒径分布, 流动压降

CLC Number:

TE88

SONG Guangchun, LI Yuxing, WANG Wuchang, JIANG Kai, SHI Zhengzhuo, YAO Shupeng. Numerical simulation of pipeline hydrate slurry flow behavior based on population balance theory[J]. Chemical Industry and Engineering Progress, 2018, 37(02): 561-568.

宋光春, 李玉星, 王武昌, 姜凯, 施政灼, 姚淑鹏. 基于群体平衡理论的管内水合物浆流动特性数值模拟[J]. 化工进展, 2018, 37(02): 561-568.

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