A positivity-preserving central-upwind scheme for isentropic two-phase flows through deviated pipes

Institute of Mathematics, National University of Mexico Blvd. Juriquilla, 3001 Queretaro, Mexico

^* Corresponding author: hernandez@im.unam.mx

Received: 8 June 2018
Accepted: 11 January 2019

Abstract

Directional drilling in oil and gas extraction can encounter difficulties such as accumulation of solids in deviated pipes. Motivated by such phenomenon, we consider a model for isentropic two-phase flows through deviated pipes. The system of partial differential equations is aimed at simulating the dynamics between a particle bed and a gas phase. The pipe can be either horizontal or vertically deviated where the effects of gravity are incorporated. Furthermore, the acceleration or deceleration due to friction between phases is investigated and spectral properties of the hyperbolic system of balance laws are described. The existence and characterization of steady states under appropriate conditions is analyzed. A new type of steady states arises when a balance between gas and solid phases results in a non-uniform solid particle bed and vanishing solid velocity. This state corresponds to an accumulation of sedimented solids. A central-upwind scheme that preserves the positivity of the gas and solid densities and volume fractions is presented. Including an application of the model to an analysis of accumulation of solids, a variety of numerical tests is presented to show the merits of the scheme.