Gas lift

In g., or airlift (Fig.), compressed gas or air from the compressor will be ducted 3, it is mixed up with the liquid, forming gas-liquid or water-air. the emulsion, which rises along pipe 2. The mixing of gas with the liquid occurs in shoe 4, which connects pipes. On the earth's surface the vapor phase of emulsion from the liquid separates separator 1. Action g. is based on the balancing of the post of gas-liquid emulsion with the column of true liquid on the basis of the law of communicating vessels. One of them - the bore-hole or reservoir, and another - the pipe, in which is located gas-liquid mixture.

For the static conditions

where - the density of liquid, the density of mixture, N - the height of the lift of gas-liquid mixture, h - the submersion depth of pipe. With h + H>.h, i.e. with an increase in sinking shoe g. it is possible to obtain the large height of the rise of liquid. Working process g. is accompanied by the phenomenon of the enthusiasm of liquid by the bubbles of gas or air, which, rising upward, are enlarged and increases the speed of the motion of gas-liquid mixture. Optimum speeds of the motion of emulsion in the lower of the part of the pipe Z m/s, and in upper 6 of 8 m/s.

G. can give water to the height to 200 m and oil to 1000 m during the hour supply to 500 m³. G. have efficiency from 15 to 36%. In spite of the presence of more effective tech. means for lifting of liquid, g. and in real, time they have use.

Lit.: Bagdasarov v. g., theory, calculation and the practice of air-gas lift, MOSCOW-LENINGRAD, 1947; Yes'man I. g., Pumps. 3 publ., M., 1954. Yu. V. kvitkovskiy.