NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF TWO-PHASE STRATIFIED FLOW INSIDE HORIZONTAL PIPES USING VOF MODEL

The focus of the present work is the validation of the numerical simulation of a stratified flow in horizontal pipes by benchmarking the pressure gradient obtained numerically against experimental values. The numerical simulations are performed using a 3D numerical domain coupled to a two different RANS turbulence model (Transition SST and Realizable k-e) and interface tracking method Volume of Fluid (VOF) in adiabatic operating conditions at several superficial gas and liquid velocities (i.e. several void fraction values). Numerical values of pressure gradient along the pipe are in agreement with the experimental data available from Politecnico di Milano showing a larger difference at high superficial gas velocity with an average error of around -5.6% and maximum error of-19.8% on pressure gradient prediction.