Title: Exergy analysis of Airlift Systems: experimental approach

Authors: Pedram Hanafizadeh, Soheil Ghanbarzadeh, Mohammad Hassan Saidi

Addresses: Multiphase Flow Research Group, Center of Excellence in Energy Conversion, School of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11155-9567, Tehran, Iran. ' Multiphase Flow Research Group, Center of Excellence in Energy Conversion, School of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11155-9567, Tehran, Iran. ' Multiphase Flow Research Group, Center of Excellence in Energy Conversion, School of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11155-9567, Tehran, Iran

Abstract: Airlift Systems (ALS) are widely used in various industrial applications. As the main part of the flow through ALS|s upriser pipe, is formed by gas-liquid flow, the analysis of such systems will be accompanied by problems of two-phase flow modelling. Several effective variables are involved in ALS; thereupon comprehensive method is needed to consider these parameters. Exergy analysis can be considered as a simple solution for the realisation of the preferred domain of ALS|s operation. Here, this method has been proposed to examine the performance of ALS. Based on thermodynamic principles, an analytical model has been implemented in each phase and the respective experimental data have been collected from the test rig. A new efficiency definition for ALS has been proposed and compared with the existing definitions available in the literature. Finally, flow availability and entropy generation have been estimated by this method in the ALS.

Keywords: ALS efficiency; airlift systems; multiphase flow; exergy analysis; entropy generation; flow availability; gas-liquid flow; flow modelling; thermodynamics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2011.041030

International Journal of Exergy, 2011 Vol.8 No.4, pp.407 - 424

Received: 20 Jan 2010
Accepted: 03 Oct 2010
Published online: 28 Jun 2011 *

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