BUOYANT CONVECTION HEAT TRANSFER IN STEAM INJECTION WELLS

This work investigated buoyant convection heat flow in annular space between
tubing-casing in steam injection wells to study the effect of buoyant convection rate
on steam temperature and quality. Steam temperature and quality are given for the
ditTerent numerical and empirical Nusselt number (Nu) value results. This study
. ' identified the" new set of correlation equations that is ElSherbiny ct al. model that
better captures the physics of buoyant convection heat !low in steam injection wells.
The new set of correlation equations resolves the dependence of the average Nu on
geometric aspect ratios and was verified with numerical simulations of the heat t1ow
using ANSYS-FLUENT CFD sofiwarc package. Based on the results obtained. at the
lower parts of the well bore air inside annulus slowly ascending near the hot tubing
wall and slowly descending ncar cold casing wall: viscous shear balances buoyancy
torces and the heat transfer is dominated by conduction with Nu "' I.