Resumen

NOLIDES GUZMAN, PH.D; OVADIA SHOHAM, PH.D  y  RAM MOHAN, PH.D. Study of an aqueous foam flow in horizontal pipes. Rev. Fac. Ing. UCV [online]. 2007, vol.22, n.2, pp.13-20. ISSN 0798-4065.

Several sets of experimental data were acquired for an aqueous two-phase foam flow in horizontal pipes, including flow pattern maps and rheological flow behavior. The data were acquired in two pipe diameters under various inlet flow conditions, utilizing a commercial surfactant, F-450, at two concentrations. The experimental results were plotted on a Taitel and Dukler (1976) flow pattern map predicted for the experimental flow conditions. As this model does not predict accurately the transition boundaries for foam flow, modifications of the original model were carried out for matching the experimental data. Different rheological models were tested for characterizing the behavior of the studied aqueous foam. The results obtained show that this foam flow behaves as non-Newtonian flow, following the Power Law model. It was also observed that foam rheology is flow pattern dependent. Comparison between the developed models and the acquired experimental data shows a good agreement.

Palabras clave : foam; foam rheology; aqueous foam; two-phase foam flow; foam flow patterns.