Performance and Hydrodynamics of a Bent Riser Airlift Pump

Kassab, S. Z.; Abdelrazek, A. A.; Lotfy, E. R.

doi:10.47176/jafm.18.10.3384

Performance and Hydrodynamics of a Bent Riser Airlift Pump

Document Type : Regular Article

Authors

¹ Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University, 21544 Alexandria, Egypt

² Department of Energy Resources Engineering, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology, 21934 Alexandria, Egypt

10.47176/jafm.18.10.3384

Abstract

Airlift pumps are commonly employed in oil and gas operations, utilising the upward motion of a gas-liquid mixture driven by buoyancy and density contrasts. While numerous investigations have focused on their behaviour in vertically aligned straight pipes, the influence of pipe curvature—particularly relevant in directional drilling—has not been extensively explored. This work provides a comprehensive experimental assessment of how bends affect the hydraulic performance and flow dynamics of airlift systems. Five bent riser configurations were tested and compared with a conventional straight riser, with emphasis on variations in bend height and horizontal spacing. The findings reveal that pump efficiency diminishes as the horizontal distance between bends increases or when bends are positioned higher along the riser. Specifically, a 15% reduction in water flow rate occurred when the bend’s horizontal span reached twice the pipe diameter. Additionally, a 6% drop was observed when a bend was introduced at three-quarters of the riser height. The minimum air flow rate required to initiate water lifting also increased when bends were placed above the submergence level. Visual flow analysis further identified cyclic flow behaviour within the bent sections. These insights offer practical guidance for enhancing airlift pump designs in non-vertical geometries, addressing notable gaps in two-phase flow system optimisation.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Multiphase and Particle-Laden Flows

References

Arabjamaloei, R., Edalatkhah, S., & Jamshidi, E. (2011). A new approach to well trajectory optimization based on rate of penetration and wellbore stability. Petroleum Science and Technology, 29(6), 588–600. https://doi.org/10.1080/10916460903419172

Bukhari, S. S., Abed, R., Holagh, S. G., & Ahmed, W. H. (2024). Flow pattern dependent model for airlift pumps performance: Analytical simulation and experimental verification. Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 201, 67–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.CHERD.2023.11.033

Cho, N. C., Hwang, I. J., Lee, C. M., & Park, J. W. (2009). An experimental study on the airlift pump with air jet nozzle and booster pump. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 21, S19–S23. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1001-0742(09)60028-0

Doucette, A., Holagh, S. G., & Ahmed, W. H. (2024). Experimental evaluation of airlift pumps’ thermal and mass transfer capabilities. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 154, 111174. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.EXPTHERMFLUSCI.2024.111174

Elbanna, A. M. (2016). A simple control model for the mud pump in drilling fluid systems of directional Drilling. Alexandria University.

Enany, P., & Drebenshtedt, C. (2024). Performance characteristics of the airlift pump under vertical solid–water–gas flow conditions for conveying centimetric-sized coal particles. International Journal of Coal Science and Technology, 11(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/S40789-024-00668-Y/FIGURES/7

Fadlalla, D., Rosettani, J., Holagh, S. G., & Ahmed, W. H. (2023). Airlift pumps characteristics for shear-thinning non-Newtonian fluids: An experimental investigation on liquid viscosity impact. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 149, 110994. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.EXPTHERMFLUSCI.2023.110994

Fan, W., Chen, J., Pan, Y., Huang, H., Arthur Chen, C.-T., & Chen, Y. (2013). Experimental study on the performance of an air-lift pump for artificial upwelling. Ocean Engineering, 59, 47–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2012.11.014

Fan, W., Zhang, Z., Yao, Z., Xiao, C., Zhang, Y., Zhang, Y., Liu, J., Di, Y., Chen, Y., & Pan, Y. (2020). A sea trial of enhancing carbon removal from Chinese coastal waters by stimulating seaweed cultivation through artificial upwelling. Applied Ocean Research, 101, 102260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apor.2020.102260

Fujimoto, H., Murakami, S., Omura, A., & Takuda, H. (2004). Effect of local pipe bends on pump performance of a small air-lift system in transporting solid particles. International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow, 25(6), 996–1005. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatfluidflow.2004.02.025

Fujimoto, H., Nagatani, T., & Takuda, H. (2005). Performance characteristics of a gas–liquid–solid airlift pump. International Journal of Multiphase Flow, 31(10–11), 1116–1133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmultiphaseflow.2005.06.008

Hanafizadeh, P., Saidi, M. H., Karimi, A., & Zamiri, A. (2010). Effect of bubble size and angle of tapering upriser pipe on the performance of airlift pumps. Particulate Science and Technology, 28(4), 332–347. https://doi.org/10.1080/02726351.2010.496300

Holagh, S. G., & Ahmed, W. H. (2024). Critical review of vertical gas-liquid slug flow: An insight to better understand flow hydrodynamics’ effect on heat and mass transfer characteristics. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 225, 125422. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.IJHEATMASSTRANSFER.2024.125422

Hu, D., Tang, C. L., Cai, S. P., & Zhang, F. H. (2012). The Effect of air injection method on the airlift pump performance. Journal of Fluids Engineering, 134(11). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4007592

Kassab, S. Z., Abdelrazek, A. A., & Lotfy, E. R. (2022). Effects of injection mechanism on air-water air lift pump performance. Alexandria Engineering Journal, 61(10), 7541–7553. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aej.2022.01.002

Kassab, S. Z., Abdelrazek, A. A., & Lotfy, E. R. (2023). Effect of the up-riser pipe diameter discontinuity on the airlift pump performance. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 149, 111028. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.expthermflusci.2023.111028

Kassab, S. Z., Kandil, H. A., Warda, H. A., & Ahmed, W. H. (2009). Air-lift pumps characteristics under two-phase flow conditions. International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow, 30(1), 88–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatfluidflow.2008.09.002

Kim, S. H., Sohn, C. H., & Hwang, J. Y. (2014). Effects of tube diameter and submergence ratio on bubble pattern and performance of air-lift pump. International Journal of Multiphase Flow, 58, 195–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.IJMULTIPHASEFLOW.2013.09.007

Kumar, D., Amudha, K., Gopakumar, K., & Ramadass, G. A. (2024). Air-lift pump systems for vertical solid particle transport: A comprehensive review and deep sea mining potential. Ocean Engineering, 297, 116928. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.OCEANENG.2024.116928

Nicklin, D. (1963). The air-lift pump: theory and optimisation. Transactions of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, 41, 29–39.

Okon, E. I., & Ndubuka, C. I. (2023). Analysis of crude oil production with gas lift methods. Petroleum Science and Technology, 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/10916466.2023.2174554

Qiang, Y., Fan, W., Xiao, C., Pan, Y., & Chen, Y. (2018). Effects of operating parameters and injection method on the performance of an artificial upwelling by using airlift pump. Applied Ocean Research, 78, 212–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apor.2018.06.006

Samaras, V. C., & Margaris, D. P. (2005). Two-phase flow regime maps for air-lift pump vertical upward gas–liquid flow. International Journal of Multiphase Flow, 31(6), 757–766. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmultiphaseflow.2005.03.001

Shallouf, M., Ahmed, W., & Abdou, S. (2019, June). Numerical Analysis of Fluid Flow in Aquaculture Systems. https://doi.org/10.11159/ffhmt19.179

Tighzert, H., Brahimi, M., Kechroud, N., & Benabbas, F. (2013). Effect of submergence ratio on the liquid phase velocity, efficiency and void fraction in an air-lift pump. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 110, 155–161. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PETROL.2013.08.047

Yoshinaga, T., & Sato, Y. (1996). Performance of an air-lift pump for conveying coarse particles. International Journal of Multiphase Flow, 22(2), 223–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/0301-9322(95)00067-4