Analysis of water-air multiphase flow through a pipeline with two leaks using numerical and experimental methods

Given that most petroleum companies produce and transport both oil and gas at the same time, multiphase flows are extremely important in the oil and gas industry. Common causes of pipeline leaks include corrosion, aging, and metal deterioration. As a result, developing a practical technique to identify and locate leaks in pipelines is needed. In the present work, a 3D numerical model is developed using Ansys-Fluent considering the Volume Of Fluid (VOF) approach coupled with the k−ε turbulence model to investigate the occurrence of simultaneous leaks (1st leak 3 mm and 2nd leak 1.8 mm) within a pipeline conveying multiphase flow. The numerical results are validated against experimental data collected from a flow loop system in the Lab, where a significant level of agreement was observed. Moreover, the flow behavior in the pipeline, as well as in the surrounding area of the leaks (water tank), is evaluated. For instance, the case showing the lowest value of the air volume fraction in the pipeline presents the highest value in the water tank. Additionally, Log Mel Spectrogram representation allows the identification of occurring phenomena, including air phase introduction and the presence of leakage in the pipeline.