7th International Conference on Multiphase Flow ICMF 2010, Tampa, FL USA, May 30-June 4, 2010 Determination and study of hold up and flow patterns in two-phase flow liquid-liquid systems for horizontal and inclined pipes using image processing techniques. Montoya, Gustavo ; Valecillos, María; Romero, Carlos; García, Janneth; Gonzalez, Dosinda Department of Thermodynamics and Transport Phenomena University Simon Bolivar Valle of Sartenejas, Caracas, Venezuela, Postal Code 1080 VENEZUELA gustamon30@gmail.com Abstract: - Several flow patterns for horizontal and inclined pipes were visualized, in order to calculate hydrodynamics parameters using a computational algorithm that was generated for this investigation. In order to accomplish this, the images were acquired using a high speed camera in a tube bank equipment of the Transport Phenomena Laboratory of the University Simon Bolivar for the horizontal configuration, and in different tube bank equipment in the Unitary Operations Laboratory for 45 degrees of inclination. Diverse flow patterns for the horizontal pipes were characterized following the classification used by Trallero (1996) [9] and Flores [10], then the images were processed in order to obtain the height’s phase and hold up. The resulting patterns that were obtain for 0 degrees consist in four models: two segregates (ST and ST&MI) and two disperse (o/w and Do/w&w). For 45 degrees, three dominate by water: Oil in water dispersion-pseudo pattern (PS), oil in water dispersion-cocurrent (CC), very fine dispersion of oil in water (VDF o/w), and one dominates both by water and oil: transition (TF). were the pattern that was observed. Finally, a flow pattern map that which depends of the superficial velocities was elaborated for the horizontal pipes in order to relate the hydrodynamics parameters behavior using the presented parameters. This data was compared with correlations and previous experimental results. Key-Words: - Flow pattern, horizontal pipes, inclined pipes, computational algorithm, tube bank, height’s phase, hold up, flow pattern map. 1 Introduction The biphasic systems liquid-liquid are presented in a number of operations in the industry, which is the reason why the study of this system, for more than 30 years, has been so important for the investigators working in this area. Recently, the multiphase’s system has gain some interest thanks to its applications in catalytic wall reactors, because of the transport phenomena of heat, momentum, and mass that are implicit in the fluid dynamics of these systems. Even more frequently, the principle scenario in which the liquid-liquid flow in pipes is presented is in the crude oil industries, both in deposits and in the crude transport, which can be accompanied by water, natural gas, and solids suspensions. The main problem is presented when trying to predict the configuration that the crude will take through the pipe, because the associated pressure drop will depends on this, as well as the pipe dimensions, and the internal corrosion. The objective of this work is to relate hydrodynamics parameters like the height’s phase and hold up, calculated by image processing, with the flow patterns presented by different configurations of the water-oil system’s superficial velocities, and use the obtain data to generate a flow pattern map that allows to predict flow changes at the operational conditions. 2 Theoretical Fundaments and Applied Methods 2.1 Flow Patterns In the flow pattern characterization for the liquid-liquid systems there has been yet no consensus, because of the numerous variable on which depends the geometric flow configurations of the two fluids. The similarities of density and viscosity of the two fluids has make difficult the prediction on which of the two phases moves faster in stratified flow or which has more propensity to create drops and coalesce. That is why the investigators who