Effect of gaseous fluids on submersible pump performance

This paper reports the results of two independent laboratory investigations on the effect of free gas on centrifugal submersible pump performance. One investigation used air and water as the working fluids, with the free gas allowed to escape out an annulus. A separate investigation was conducted using diesel fuel and CO/sub 2/ as the working fluids with intake pressures up to 400 psi. The results of the two investigations agreed in general at low pressures, where gas volumes exceeding 10% by total volume began to cause serious reduction in pump performance curves. Better performance at higher pressures with the same gas volumes present was found to occur at higher pump intake pressures.