Numerical simulation of the flow through an intermittent gas lift valve

Abstract

The numerical simulation of the flow through a pilot valve used in the oil intermittent gas lift process is presented.The complexity of the non-isothermal compressible flow is modeled by the solution of the Navier-Stokes, Mass Conservation and Energy equations for the compressible flow. Numerical results and analyses pertaining to the flow dynamics through a 1½-inch pilot valve at an operating condition encountered in typical field operations are presented