Simulation on the flowing characteristics of solid-liquid two-phase flow in bends of oil pipeline

In order to eliminate sediment particles at the low point of the bend of oil pipeline, numerical simulation wasconducted by Fluent to study the effects of oil flowing velocity, bend's updip angle and particle size on the movement lawsof sediment particles. Then, the simulation data was fitted by Origin, and the function relations of oil flowing velocity, bend'supdip angle and particle size to pressure gradient were established. It is shown that the pressure gradient of pipeline increaseswith the increase of oil flowing velocity and updip angle and the decrease of particle size. The slope of the function relationbetween oil flowing velocity and pressure gradient is the biggest, so the effect of oil flowing velocity on bend's pressuregradient is the greatest. Finally, the relationships of updip angle vs. pressure gradient and particle moving speed were analyzed. It isrecommended to set the bend's updip angle less than 30° under the simulated conditions of this study.