State of the Art of Experimental Studies and Predictive Methods for Slug Liquid Holdup

Determination of gas entrainment in slug flow is crucial for the prediction of slug flow characteristics and separator performance. A summary of all available correlations and mechanistic models for the prediction of slug liquid holdup is presented. Additionally, an experimental data base for slug liquid holdup has been collected from available literature. The data base shows a gap for large diameter pipes, high pressure systems and high viscosity liquids. A comparison between the predictions of available models and correlations against the data base is presented, identifying the range of applicability of the different methods. The correlations have been tuned with the new data showing an improved performance. Also, the uncertainties of the correlations parameters are evaluated and presented. Based on this study, a recommendation for the best method for predicting the slug liquid holdup is provided.