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Numerical Investigation of Gas–Liquid Two-Phase Flow in a Swirl Meter

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Abstract

Two-phase flow measurement is a key issue in the natural gas industry. Among the many different flow meters available, the swirl meter stands out for its reliability, ease of maintenance, large measurement range, and strong output signal. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted, using RNG k-e turbulence and Eulerian multiphase models, to investigate the gas–liquid two-phase flow characteristics in swirl meters. The CFD simulation results were then validated against the tested precession frequency of our experiment, and a satisfactory match was found between the outcomes. A detailed analysis was then conducted to generate profiles for velocity, pressure, etc. Based on examinations of the flow field distributions, it was found that gas flow inside swirl meters is sensitive to the presence of the liquid phase; the influence increased with the volume fraction of the liquid present. Further investigation indicated that the vortex precession was attenuated in the presence of the liquid phase. This led to the variation of the entire field; the pressure fluctuations at the end of the throat, in particular, resulted in metering errors of the gas flows.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant no. 52006198) and the Key Research and Development Program of Zhejiang Province (Grant no. 2020C03099).

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  1. Key Laboratory of Fluid Transmission Technology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Second Avenue, 928, Xiasha Higher Education Zone, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

    Desheng Chen & Zhe Lin

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  1. Desheng Chen
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  2. Zhe Lin
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Correspondence to Desheng Chen.

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Chen, D., Lin, Z. Numerical Investigation of Gas–Liquid Two-Phase Flow in a Swirl Meter. MAPAN 36, 521–532 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12647-021-00468-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12647-021-00468-8

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