Calculating Interface Volumes For Multi Product Pipelines Neutrium

Calculating Interface Volumes for Multi-product Pipelines – Neutrium 22/12/2016, 5:11 pm
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CALCULATING INTERFACE VOLUMES FOR MULTI-PRODUCT PIPELINES
SUMMARY
Due to their large capital expense, pipelines are often utilized for the
transfer of multiple products. During operation of these multi-product
pipelines, the interface between two adjacent products extends (referred
to as interface mixing), resulting in the contamination of each product.
This interface is typically sent to slops collection for reprocessing or
disposal at additional cost to the operator. Therefore the economics of a
pipeline can often be improved through a study of product interfaces
under various operational conditions to aide in the minimization of
interface mixing. This article presents several empirical methods by
which interface mixing can be quantified.
1. DEFINITIONS
Re : Reynolds number
D : Inner diameter of the pipeline (m)
L : Length of the pipeline (m)
https://neutrium.net/fluid_flow/calculating-interface-volumes-for-multi-product-pipelines/ Page 1 of 11
: Fluid density (kg/m

3
ρ )
f : The Darcy friction factor of the pipe line.
2. CALCULATION INPUTS
2.1 Reynolds Number

The methodologies presented in this article require the calculation of the
Reynolds number . The Reynolds number should be calculated using the
viscosity of the interface mixture rather than that of an individual
product. Due to the complexity in estimating the composition of the
interface, it is generally assumed that the interface is a 50:50 mix of the
leading and trailing products.
2.2 Friction Factor

Some methods for calculating interface lengths (such as Udoetok),
account for the effect of pipeline friction on interface mixing using the
Darcy friction factor. It is generally recommended that the Darcy friction
factor is calculated using the Serghides equation .
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3. METHODS FOR ESTIMATING INTERFACE LENGTH

Several methods have been developed for calculating the length of the
interface between two products in a pipeline. Due to the complex nature
of modelling interface mixing, solutions from these methods lie in a wide
range (this will be further explored in subsequent sections). A selection of
these methods, commonly cited for quantification of interface mixing are
listed below.
3.1 Jablonski (1946)
20281.8 Max(ρa , ρb )
Linterface = D0.4 L0.6 (1.5169 + )( )
Re Min(ρa , ρb )
3.2 Birge (1947)

For a gasoline-gasoline interface:
Linterface = 0.994345L0.482
For a gasoline-kerosene interface:
Linterface = 1.10288L0.529
3.3 Smith & Schulze (1948)
1075
Linterface = L 0.62
(0.55 + 0.87 )
Re
3.4 Taylor (1954)
Linterface = 6.59998Re−0.0625 √DL
3.5 Sjenitzer (1958)
Linterface = 245.999D0.43 L0.57 Re−0.45
3.6 Austin & Palfrey (1964)

For Re > 10000 exp (2.75319√D) :
Linterface = 11.75Re−0.1 √DL
For Re ≤ 10000 exp (2.75319√D) :
Linterface = 18419.9Re−0.9 √DL exp (2.19168√D)

3.7 Udoetok & Nguyen (2009)

The Udoetok and Nguyen model is perhaps the most recently published
correlation for quantifying interface mixing. This method utilizes a
parameter n to account for the effect of pipe roughness on interface
spread at the walls and which may be calculated as follows:
1
n=
√f
The interface length can subsequently be calculated using the n and an

experimental constant w as follows:
2
2n2 n
Linterface = (1 − (1 − ( ) w ) )L
n
(n + 1) (2n + 1)
Udoetok & Nguyen suggest w = 0.585 based on field data they used to
develop the model, however if the opportunity exists one should calibrate
this model to pipeline specific measurements.
4. INTERFACE VOLUME
The interface volume can be easily calculated using the interface length
and the cross sectional area of the pipeline as shown below.
πD2
Vinterface = Linterface
4
5. COMPARISON OF METHODS
5.1 Interface Length vs Pipeline length

The graphs below display the change in the predicted interface length
with an increasing pipeline length for a selection of Reynolds numbers.
Here it is interesting to note the behaviour of each method as the
Reynolds number increases, particularly the Austin & Palfrey method
which proves to be the most conservative method for lower Reynolds
numbers but provides average results for higher Reynolds numbers.
Re = 1000
Re = 4000
Re = 2.5 × 105
5.2 Interface Length vs. Reynolds Number

The figure below displays the behaviour of each of the prediction
methods as a function of Reynolds number for a 100 km, DN300 line.
6. FURTHER READING
1. Udoetok, E.S and Nguyen, A.N., A disc pig model for estimating the
mixing volumes between product batches in multi-product pipelines, Journal
of Pipeline Engineering, 2009, 8 (3): p. 195-204
2. Vincent-Genod, J., Fundamentals of Pipeline Engineering , 1984,

Editions Technip
3. Kennedy, J. L., Oil and Gas Pipeline Fundamentals , 2nd Edition, 1993,
Pennwell Books.
Article Created: November 13, 2013
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Fluid Flow Interface Mixture Pipeline
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Calculating Interface Volumes for Multi-product Pipelines – Neutrium 22/12/2016, 5:11 pm

CALCULATING INTERFACE VOLUMES FOR MULTI-PRODUCT PIPELINES

: Fluid density (kg/m

2.1 Reynolds Number

2.2 Friction Factor

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3. METHODS FOR ESTIMATING INTERFACE LENGTH

3.1 Jablonski (1946)

3.2 Birge (1947)

For a gasoline-kerosene interface:

3.3 Smith & Schulze (1948)

3.4 Taylor (1954)

Linterface = 6.59998Re−0.0625 √DL

3.5 Sjenitzer (1958)

Linterface = 245.999D0.43 L0.57 Re−0.45

3.6 Austin & Palfrey (1964)

Linterface = 11.75Re−0.1 √DL

For Re ≤ 10000 exp (2.75319√D) :

Linterface = 18419.9Re−0.9 √DL exp (2.19168√D)

3.7 Udoetok & Nguyen (2009)

The interface length can subsequently be calculated using the n and an

5.1 Interface Length vs Pipeline length

5.2 Interface Length vs. Reynolds Number

2. Vincent-Genod, J., Fundamentals of Pipeline Engineering , 1984,

Article Created: November 13, 2013

Fluid Flow Interface Mixture Pipeline

© 2016 Native Dynamics | Contact | Copyright and Disclaimer

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