24. Experimental Analysis of Three-Phase Solid-Liquid-Gas Slug Flow with Hydrate-Like Particles

Gas hydrates formation and agglomeration represent a significant challenge in flow assurance during oil and gas production operations. An alternative to managing this problem is the use of anti-agglomerants (AAs), allowing hydrates to flow as solid particles dispersed in the liquid phase. Although the particles are henceforward not susceptible to agglomeration, it is still essential to understand how those particles affect and are affected by the gas-liquid multiphase flow structures. This study evaluates the influence of the introduction of particles, with properties similar to gas hydrates, into the multiphase flow, focusing on the slug flow pattern. The experiments were conducted in a 9-m length, 26-mm ID flow loop, with air and water at ambient conditions as working fluids. The particles were made of polyethylene with a density of 937 kg/m\(^{3}\), similar to gas hydrates. The particle sizes tested were 100 \(\upmu \)m, 200 \(\upmu \)m, 300 \(\upmu \)m, and 400 \(\upmu \)m, with volumetric concentrations of 1%, 2.5%, and 5%. This study discusses how the particles influence the velocities and lengths of the structures and how the multiphase flow affects the transportability of the particles.