An improved hydraulic model of gathering pipeline network integrating pressure-exchange ejector

Pressure-exchange ejector is a novel equipment to overcome the pressure mismatch in multi-pressure gathering pipeline network. Hydraulic simulation plays an important role in the safety monitoring and operation opti-mization of gathering pipeline network. However, there is currently no hydraulic simulation model of the gathering pipeline network with the pressure-exchange ejector. This paper proposes a steady-state hydraulic simulation model, which consists of pipeline network structure sub-model, pipeline flow sub-model, and pressure-exchange ejector sub-model. Pipe flow, mass balance and detailed characteristics of pressure-exchange ejector are taken into consideration in the model to determine the unknown pressure and flow parameters. The proposed model is solved by the Newton-Raphson iterative method and validated by experimental and field data. The installation schemes of pressure-ejector in a real-world gas field are determined by scenario analysis to improve gas field production. This study provides an analytical tool for multi-pressure gathering pipeline network and guidance for gas field production.