Experimental study of water - oil flow in centrifugal pumps submerged

• Grant number: 20/02652-9
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): May 01, 2020
• Effective date (End): January 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Transport Phenomena
• Cooperation agreement: Equinor (former Statoil)
• Principal researcher: Antonio Carlos Bannwart
• Grantee: Daniel Antonio Amaro
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica (FEM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/15736-3 - Engineering Research Centre in Reservoir and Production Management, AP.PCPE

Abstract

Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) is an artificial lifting method often used in oil production. According to Flatern (2015), it is estimated between 150 and 200 thousand the number of centrifugal pumps in operation in the world, making BCS the second most used lifting method, after, only, the mechanical pumping. This research project aims to experimentally study the behavior of submerged centrifugal pumps when subjected to liquid-liquid flow. The experiments will be carried out on an ESP bench test at the Experimental Petroleum Laboratory "Kelsen Valente Serra" (LABPETRO), at the Center for Petroleum Studies (CEPETRO) of the University of Campinas. The test bench was built on the master's work by Moura Jr (2016) and modernized by Bulgarelli (2018).The experiments will explore several operational variables, such as pump rotation, oil flow, water flow, inlet pressure, system temperature, opening of the globe valve at the pump outlet. Subsequently, the experimental data obtained will be processed in order to determine the elevation, power, and efficiency of the pump in the different situations. Based on the literature review, the mathematical interpretation of these effects will be performed through a phenomenological modeling of the flow of dispersions and emulsions. (AU)