Analysis of Pitot-Tube Measurements in Horizontal Turbulent Two-Phase Flow

Abstract

This paper presents the potential applications of Pitot-tube for measuring the local dynamic pressure as well as the local mixture flow velocity in turbulent horizontal two-phase flow.

A closed two-phase flow loop has been designed and constructed to generate a turbulent two-phase flow at Reynold's number 2 x 10⁶ on a liquid basis. The loop is instrumented with different devices for local and average two-phase flow parameter measurements.

An analytical model is developed in this paper to determine the local dynamic pressure in terms of the local void fraction and the volumetric mixing ratio between the two phases.

Another analytical model is also presented for predicting the local mixture flow velocity as a function of the local void fraction, gas and liquid densities, momentum transfer factor, and flow quality. The validity of these models is limited to dispersed two phase flow regime.

Samples of the experimental data obtained by Pitot-tube are presented and discussed with special emphasis on the impact pressure gradient as well as the velocity profile developments.