Propagation and Attenuation of Pressure Waves in Dispersed Two-Phase Flows

Abstract

The propagation and attenuation of pressure waves in highly dispersed gas–liquid flows are investigated in this work, and an indirect measurement method is proposed to assess the attenuation coefficient in short pipelines. Additionally, a mechanistic acoustic energy dissipation model is derived from the oscillatory solutions of one-dimensional (1D) nondimensionalized mass and momentum equations to facilitate the interpretation of the results. Tests were performed on a 1500 m long, 50 mm internal diameter pipeline in which pressure disturbances were induced by suddenly opening leak valves. The results are consistent and in good agreement with the proposed attenuation model (±10% for 103 < Re < 104), therefore validating the proposed model and indirect measurement method.