The Dynamic Two-Fluid Model OLGA: Theory and Application

TLDR

Dynamic two‑fluid models are widely used for steam/water flow in nuclear reactors, but have rarely been applied to two‑phase oil and gas pipeline flow. The paper introduces OLGA, a dynamic two‑fluid model, detailing its governing equations and applied two‑fluid formulations. OLGA predicts steady‑state pressure drop, liquid holdup, and flow‑regime transitions, and its results are validated against SINTEF laboratory data and field measurements.

Abstract

Summary Dynamic two-fluid models have found a wide range of application in the simulation of two-phase-flow systems, particularly for the analysis of steam/water flow in the core of a nuclear reactor. Until quite recently, however, very few attempts have been made to use such models in the simulation of two-phase oil and gas flow in pipelines. This paper presents a dynamic two-fluid model, OLGA, in detail, stressing the basic equations and the two-fluid models applied. Predictions of steady-state pressure drop, liquid holdup, and flow-regime transitions are compared with data from the SINTEF Two-Phase Flow Laboratory and from the literature. Comparisons with evaluated field data are also presented.