An evaluation of the performance of phenomenological models for predicting pressure gradient during gas-liquid flow in horizontal pipelines

A review of the literature has revealed the lack of a formal analysis of the performance of phenomenological methods for the prediction of pressure drop during gas-liquid two-phase flow. A number of models describing various horizontal flow patterns are evaluated against a large experimental data bank using a logarithmic statistical analysis technique. It is shown that the precision and accuracy of phenomenological models are equal to those of empirical methods, while the probability density function is less sensitive to changes in fluid system. Two composite methods consisting only of phenomenological models are defined. The second of these methods generates predictions that are more reliable over the entire range of the data bank than all empirical methods included in the study. It achieves a 10% reduction in scatter (S-ln,) compared to the best empirical methods. This method is also shown to be less sensitive to changes in fluid system. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.