Flow Patterns and Pressure Drop in Air/Water Two-Phase Flow in Horizontal Helicoidal Pipes

An experimental investigation is conducted for air/water two-phase flow in horizontal helicoidal pipes. The helicoidal pipes are constructed of 25.4 mm I.D. Tygon tubing wrapped around cylindrical concrete forms with outside diameters of 62 cm and 124 cm. The helix angles of the helicoidal pipes vary from 1 to 20 deg. The experiments are performed for superficial water velocity in a range of U_L = 0.008 ~ 2.2 m/s and for superficial air velocity in a range of U_G = 0.2 ~ 50 m/s. The flow patterns are discerned and recorded photographically. The pressure drop of the air/water two-phase flow in the coils is measured and the Lockhart-Martinelli approach is used to analyze the data. The results are presented in the form of frictional pressure drop multipliers versus the Lockhart-Martinelli parameter. It was found that the flow patterns differ greatly from those of the straight pipe, and that the frictional pressure drop multipliers depend on both the Lockhart-Martinelli parameter and the flow rates. The correlation of the frictional pressure drop has been provided based on the current data. Furthermore, it was also found that the helix angle of the helicoidal pipe had almost no effect on the air/water two-phase flow pressure drop in the present experimental ranges.