Multiphase Flow in Energy and Process Systems

Dear Colleagues,

As the transition to new and renewable energy hits a crescendo amidst the global quest to combat greenhouse gas emissions, understanding fundamental flow assurance challenges in single, multiphase, and multispecies energy and process systems has become important for both porous and non-porous media. The current events in Eastern Europe that have disrupted global energy supply chains and the existential task of keeping global temperature rise below 1.5 ̊C makes combating these challenges even more important.

Single, multiphase, and multispecies flow is ubiquitous in energy and industrial processes. While these flows have been widely studied, challenges still persist due to their numerous complexities and applications. Furthermore, the emergence of new and renewable energy systems has opened new frontiers. As an example, an understanding of the flows around a wind farm for vertical and horizontal wind turbines will enable the optimal wind turbine arrangement in these farms. Additionally, understanding the impacts of the fluid dynamics of regional climatic conditions (such as sandstorms in the Middle East or hurricanes in North America) on wind turbines is essential in designing robust wind farm systems. Multiphase flow is even more daunting due to the geometrical arrangements of different phases during flow depending on parameters such as the flow media/channel’s size, orientation and roughness, the physical properties of the fluid, the media/channel’s orientation, etc. Different applications and systems yield different flow configurations. Hence, new systems such as carbon capture transport in pipelines and subsequent storage in subsurface storage sites call for insights into CO₂ flow behaviour in pipelines and in subsurface porous media and its interaction with insitu fluids. Multispecies flow introduces additional complexity by considering the chemical reactions of different species in flow. These systems are common in PEMs (proton exchange membranes) fuel cells, membrane desalination, reactors in chemical processes, etc. Additionally, the need for the sustainable production of conventional energy systems would require increasing the accuracy and robustness of existing multiphase and multispecies models.

Esteemed colleagues, I am therefore privileged to invite you to submit research findings, short communications, and state-of-the-art review on topics that include but are not limited to:

• Flow assurance challenges and (potential) solutions in renewable and new energy systems, mobility (transporattion) systems, and industrial processes. Such systems may include hydrogen systems, ammonia, wind turbines, hydropower, etc.
• Flow assurance challenges in carbon capture, transport, storage, and utilisation systems, including precombustion, postcombustion, direct air capture, etc.
• Experimental, numerical, and analytical modelling of single and multiphase and multispecies flows in porous media, non-porous media, and flow channels
• Potential issues involved in using natural gas infrastructure for hydrogen transportation
• The nexus of data science and AI with single-, multiphase, and multispecies flows
• Multiphase and multispecies flow in reactors, packed columns, cyclones, distillation columns, fluidised beds, cooling towers, etc., for different chemical processes such as hydrogen production, separation, electrolysis, fuel cells, and so on.

I hope that the scientific knowledge that is shared here will not only enable the energy, process, and other allied industries prepare to tackle current and future challenges, but will also enhance the sustainability of conventional energy and process systems.

Dr. Archibong Archibong-Eso
Guest Editor

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• multiphase flow
• multispecies flow
• subsurface flow
• porous media
• flow channels
• data science and artificial intelligence
• energy systems
• process systems