Forces on Bends and T-Joints Due to Multiphase Flow

Forces on bends and T-joints have been measured in a one inch diameter horizontal air-water setup for all flow regimes. The highest force levels are observed in the slug flow regime, whereas annular flow gives the lowest force levels. The amplitude was measured to be between 1 and 10 times the liquid momentum based on the mixture velocity. The results for a real T-joint were significantly lower than for the bends. In case of slug flow, the measurements can be modelled assuming a simple slug unit model. For the annular and stratified flow, a mixture model is the most appropriate.