This study investigates theoretically and experimentally the slug damper as a novel flow conditioning device, which can be used upstream of compact separation systems. In the experimental part, a 3 in. ID slug damper facility has been installed in an existing 2 in. diameter two-phase flow loop. This flow loop includes an upstream slug generator, a gas-liquid cylindrical cyclone (GLCC©, ©The University of Tulsa, 1994) attached to the slug damper downstream and a set of conductance probes for measuring the propagation of the dissipated slug along the damper. Over 200 experimental runs were conducted with artificially generated inlet slugs of 50 ft length that were dumped into the loop upstream of the slug damper, varying the superficial liquid velocity between 0.5 ft/s and 2.5 ft/s and superficial gas velocity between 10 ft/s and 40 ft/s (in the 2 in. inlet pipe) and utilizing segmented orifice opening heights of 1 in., 1.5 in., 2 in., and 3 in. For each experimental run, the measured data included propagation of the liquid slug front in the damper, differential pressure across the segmented orifice, GLCC liquid level, GLCC outlet liquid flow, and static pressure in the GLCC. The data show that the slug damper/GLCC system is capable of dissipating long slugs, narrowing the range of liquid flow rate from the downstream GLCC. Also, the damper capacity to process large slugs is a strong function of the superficial gas velocity (and mixture velocity). The theoretical part includes the development of a mechanistic model for the prediction of the hydrodynamic flow behavior in the slug damper. The model enables the predictions of the outlet liquid flow rate and the available damping time, and in turn the prediction of the slug damper capacity. Comparison between the model predictions and the acquired data reveals an accuracy of with respect to the available damping time and outlet liquid flow rate. The developed model can be used for design of slug damper units.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
December 2008
Research Papers
Design and Performance of Slug Damper
Antonio Reinoso,
Antonio Reinoso
Tulsa University Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP), Petroleum Engineering Department, and Mechanical Engineering Department,
The University of Tulsa
, Tulsa, OK 74104
Search for other works by this author on:
Luis E. Gomez,
Luis E. Gomez
Tulsa University Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP), Petroleum Engineering Department, and Mechanical Engineering Department,
The University of Tulsa
, Tulsa, OK 74104
Search for other works by this author on:
Shoubo Wang,
Shoubo Wang
Tulsa University Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP), Petroleum Engineering Department, and Mechanical Engineering Department,
The University of Tulsa
, Tulsa, OK 74104
Search for other works by this author on:
Ram S. Mohan,
Ram S. Mohan
Tulsa University Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP), Petroleum Engineering Department, and Mechanical Engineering Department,
The University of Tulsa
, Tulsa, OK 74104
Search for other works by this author on:
Ovadia Shoham,
Ovadia Shoham
Tulsa University Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP), Petroleum Engineering Department, and Mechanical Engineering Department,
The University of Tulsa
, Tulsa, OK 74104
Search for other works by this author on:
Gene Kouba
Gene Kouba
Chevron Energy Technology Company
, Houston, TX 77002
Search for other works by this author on:
Antonio Reinoso
Tulsa University Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP), Petroleum Engineering Department, and Mechanical Engineering Department,
The University of Tulsa
, Tulsa, OK 74104
Luis E. Gomez
Tulsa University Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP), Petroleum Engineering Department, and Mechanical Engineering Department,
The University of Tulsa
, Tulsa, OK 74104
Shoubo Wang
Tulsa University Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP), Petroleum Engineering Department, and Mechanical Engineering Department,
The University of Tulsa
, Tulsa, OK 74104
Ram S. Mohan
Tulsa University Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP), Petroleum Engineering Department, and Mechanical Engineering Department,
The University of Tulsa
, Tulsa, OK 74104
Ovadia Shoham
Tulsa University Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP), Petroleum Engineering Department, and Mechanical Engineering Department,
The University of Tulsa
, Tulsa, OK 74104
Gene Kouba
Chevron Energy Technology Company
, Houston, TX 77002J. Energy Resour. Technol. Dec 2008, 130(4): 043002 (12 pages)
Published Online: November 7, 2008
Article history
Received:
August 21, 2007
Revised:
September 21, 2008
Published:
November 7, 2008
Citation
Reinoso, A., Gomez, L. E., Wang, S., Mohan, R. S., Shoham, O., and Kouba, G. (November 7, 2008). "Design and Performance of Slug Damper." ASME. J. Energy Resour. Technol. December 2008; 130(4): 043002. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3000137
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Cited By
Stage-wise kinetic analysis of ammonia addition effects on two-stage ignition in dimethyl ether
J. Energy Resour. Technol
Related Articles
Fluids Transport Optimization Using Seabed Separation
J. Energy Resour. Technol (September,2000)
Mass Transfer Coefficient Measurement in Water/Oil/Gas Multiphase Flow
J. Energy Resour. Technol (June,2001)
Effects of Density and Viscosity in Vertical Zero Net Liquid Flow
J. Energy Resour. Technol (June,2000)
Use of Multiphase Meters in Process Control for Oil Field Well Testing: Performance Enhancement Through GVF Control
J. Energy Resour. Technol (December,2005)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
The Design and Implement of Remote Inclinometer for Power Towers Based on MXA2500G/GSM
International Conference on Mechanical and Electrical Technology, 3rd, (ICMET-China 2011), Volumes 1–3
Multiphase Flow Simulations of Sediment Particles in Mixed-flow Pumps
Mixed-flow Pumps: Modeling, Simulation, and Measurements
Cavitation in Fractal Geometry Orifices
Proceedings of the 10th International Symposium on Cavitation (CAV2018)