Pipeline Flow

Pipelines often encounter multiphase flows. In some cases, pipes in refinery operations may be carrying a combination of liquid, gas, and/or solids. Even pipelines designed for gas flow alone may encounter multiphase flow due to condensation or leakage. In this example, FLUENT's Volume of Fluid (VOF) model is used to analyze the behavior of a liquid slug in a U-Bend when forced out by pressurized gas. CFD provides a detailed understanding of the flow behavior and properties throughout the bend that would be both difficult and expensive to attain by other means such as laboratory testing.