A Numerical Study on Erosion Model Selection and Effect of Pump Type and Sand Characters in Electrical Submersible Pumps by Sandy Flow

Abstract The electrical submersible pump (ESP) is one of the most widely used artificial lift methods in the petroleum industry. Although not recommended to be used in sand production well, ESP is still applicable in high producing well with a minimal percentage of solid concentration. Besides, the temporarily produced fracture sand from the proppant backflow can also severely reduce ESP boosting ability in weeks or months. Therefore, it is crucial to study the wear in ESP stages under sandy flow condition. Various erosion equations and models were developed for different materials and affecting factors. However, the predictions of these erosion models in ESPs need to be evaluated to make a proper selection. Comparisons of wear patterns and erosion rates were conducted using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software ANSYS. In order to validate the simulation results, an experimental facility was designed and constructed to study the sand erosion process in an ESP. Stages were painted to obtain erosion patterns, and the weight loss was measured. Six erosion models were implemented in the simulations to select the most accurate one in predicting ESP erosion rates. Then, three ESPs, including two mixed-type pumps and one radial-type pump, were modeled to study the effect of pump types with the selected erosion model. Finally, the steady-state discrete phase model (DPM) erosion simulations were carried out to investigate particle density and size effects.