Numerical Simulation of Mixing between Sequential Fluids in a Pipeline Considering Real Conditions

Abstract

The mixing behavior of two sequential petroleum products resulting from convection and diffusion mechanisms was numerically modeled. To this end, the initial mixing that happens during the fluid change in the pipeline was considered. A numerical code was also developed, and two‐dimensional volume fraction variations of a 100‐m‐long, 16‐in‐diameter pipe were calculated. The model was validated by comparison with field data in a real pipeline. The results showed a significant difference in mixing length between the old and new conditions. When the actual conditions were used, the error in the results was reduced from 62 to 12 %. Overall, it was discovered that if available correlations are modified on the basis of the initial mixing, they can also produce good results in short pipelines.