Carbon Dioxide and Water Mixture in Pipeline Flow Systems

Global warming is considered the most challenging issue facing humanity today, with many research studies now focusing on investigating the main cause of this problem. Studying the behaviour of carbon dioxide in its different phases can provide the key to resolving this critical issue. In the present study, pipe flows are used to investigate the behavior flow of water-CO2 mixtures at different pressures and temperatures. The flow rate and pressure of water and CO2 are changed by using a pump placed before the mixing point. Pressure and temperature levels are recorded by sensors and thermocouples affixed at points along the pipe loop. The flow rate of water and carbon dioxide is changed simultaneously, and the flow regime of two-phase water-CO2 flow is visualized through transparent tubes. After repeating experiments several times, we found that the mean pressure drop along the tube for water-CO2 system flow is about 4 kPa/m. We also predict that the flow regime of the flow is often intermittent.