Liquid–Liquid Two Phase Flow Through a Horizontal T-Junction

The present study reports investigations of liquid–liquid two phase flow at a horizontal dividing T-junction. The work is primarily confined to the stratified orientation of the liquids. Kerosene and water are selected as the test fluids. The experiments are conducted over a wide range of superficial phase velocities from 0.05 m s−1 to 2.0 ms−1 such that the flow regimes encountered are stratified smooth, stratified wavy, plug and ‘oil in water and water’ flow patterns. The results show that an increase in kerosene velocity (USK) and decrease in water velocity (USW) increases the water take off in the stratified smooth and wavy stratified flow regimes with decreasing influence of water velocity at higher values of USW. The effect of phase velocities reduces further in the plug and ‘oil in water and water’ flow regimes. The influence of the pressure at the T and diameter ratio of the side to main arm were also investigated. Attempts have been made to predict the split for liquid–liquid systems by the model proposed by Shoham et al. (1987). The model has initially been formulated from geometrical considerations and subsequently modified using a force balance by centripetal and inertial forces. It has been observed that the prediction obtained by the geometrical model gives better results for liquid–liquid systems in the present study.