Studies on cocurrent gas-liquid flow in helically coiled tubes. I. Flow patterns,pressure drop and holdup

The effects of tube diameter, coil diameter, helix angle and liquid viscosity on flow patterns, pressure drop and holdup for cocurrent gas-liquid flow in helically coiled tubes have been investigated. Nine coils of varying coil diameter and helix angle have been used with liquids of three different viscosities and air at varying pressures. The effect of tube diameter on pressure drop and holdup was determined by using tubes of diameters up to 2-in. Flow patterns were adequately predicted for all the systems by Baker's plot. Small helix angles were found to have no effect on pressure drop or holdup in coiled tubes. Both pressure drop and holdup could be adequately correlated using the Lockhart-Martinelli approach with modified correlating parameters.