Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:23:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-12-27Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:50:59Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 mendes_faa_me_ilha.pdf: 2673818 bytes, checksum: 120558e9283b734ad04dda5b07ec06d0 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O princípio de funcionamento de um sistema gas-lift é bastante simples, baseando-se na injeção de um gás inerte próximo à extremidade submersa de um tubo utilizado para ascensão do líquido (riser). Esse sistema tem sido utilizado em diversos setores da indústria, dentre os quais se destaca o setor petroquímico. Apesar de ter sido concebido há mais de um século, e a despeito do considerável número de artigos publicados sobre o assunto, vários aspectos relativos às características do escoamento bifásico dentro do riser e ao funcionamento do sistema são, ainda, pouco conhecidos. No presente trabalho, um sistema air-lift de pequeno porte foi inteiramente desenvolvido e testado, permitindo observar o comportamento do sistema quando submetido a variações na vazão de ar, na razão de submersão e na geometria do injetor – contendo três (3F) ou quinze furos (15F). Ensaios de visualização foram conduzidos, possibilitando a caracterização do escoamento bifásico no interior do riser. Medições experimentais foram, também, realizadas para a obtenção da eficiência e das curvas características do sistema. Os resultados quantitativos foram interpretados em associação com imagens estáticas do escoamento, capturadas com uma câmera fotográfica digital, e com imagens dinâmicas, tomadas com o auxílio de uma filmadora de alta velocidade. A partir destas imagens, foi possível, ainda, a estimativa de alguns importantes parâmetros característicos do escoamento pistonado, associados ao deslocamento da chamada bolha de Taylor. Os dados assim obtidos foram comparados com valores oriundos de correlações empíricas propostas por outros autores, apresentando boa concordância. Com relação aos resultados quantitativos, observou-se que, sob determinadas condições de operação, o injetor 3F é capaz de atribuir ao sistema um rendimento significativamente maior... / The operation principle of a gas-lift system is very simple: it is based on the injection of an inert gas close to the immersed edge of a tube, which is used for the rising of the liquid (riser). This system has been used in several industrial areas and more often in the petrochemical industry. Despite the fact that it was conceived over a century ago and that there have been a considerable amount of articles published on the subject, several aspects concerning the two-phase flow characteristics inside the riser as well as its operational system are still not very well known. In the present work, a small size air-lift system was thoroughly developed and tested, which facilitated the visualization of the system behavior when submitted to variations in the air flow, the immersion ratio and the injector geometry – containing three (3H) or fifteen holes (15H). Observation experiments were carried out making it possible to characterize the two-phase flow inside the riser. Experimental measurements were also taken in order to obtain the system characteristic efficiency and slopes. The quantitative results were analyzed together with the statistic images of the flow - taken by a digital photo camera, and with the dynamic images – taken by a high-speed filming camera. Through these images, it was also possible to estimate some important characteristic parameters of the slug flow associated to the displacement of the so-called Taylor bubble. The data obtained this way were compared to the figures originated from experimental correlations proposed by other authors, and they showed a fine agreement. Regarding the quantitative results, it was observed that under certain operation conditions the 3F injector is able to give the system a significantly greater efficiency than when the 15F injector is used

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:56:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 EwertonAPM.pdf: 3120304 bytes, checksum: ff33c0c9ca20630c0130f326f67a029e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004-11-17 / Amongst the results of the AutPoc Project - Automation of Wells, established between UFRN and Petrobras with the support of the CNPq, FINEP, CTPETRO, FUNPEC, was developed a simulator for equipped wells of oil with the method of rise for continuous gas-lift. The gas-lift is a method of rise sufficiently used in production offshore (sea production), and its basic concept is to inject gas in the deep one of the producing well of oil transform it less dense in order to facilitate its displacement since the reservoir until the surface. Based in the use of tables and equations that condense the biggest number of information on characteristics of the reservoir, the well and the valves of gas injection, it is allowed, through successive interpolations, to simulate representative curves of the physical behavior of the existing characteristic variable. With a simulator that approaches a computer of real the physical conditions of an oil well is possible to analyze peculiar behaviors with very bigger speeds, since the constants of time of the system in question well are raised e, moreover, to optimize costs with assays in field. The simulator presents great versatility, with prominance the analysis of the influence of parameters, as the static pressure, relation gas-liquid, pressure in the head of the well, BSW (Relation Basic Sediments and Water) in curves of request in deep of the well and the attainment of the curve of performance of the well where it can be simulated rules of control and otimization. In moving the rules of control, the simulator allows the use in two ways of simulation: the application of the control saw software simulated enclosed in the proper simulator, as well as the use of external controllers. This implies that the simulator can be used as tool of validation of control algorithms. Through the potentialities above cited, of course one another powerful application for the simulator appears: the didactic use of the tool. It will be possible to use it in formation courses and recycling of engineers / Dentre os resultados do Projeto AutPoc – Automa??o de Po?os, estabelecido entre UFRN e Petrobras com o apoio do CNPq, FINEP, CTPETRO, FUNPEC, foi desenvolvido um simulador para po?os de petr?leo equipados com o m?todo de eleva??o por gas-lift cont?nuo. O gas-lift ? um m?todo de eleva??o bastante utilizado em produ??o offshore (produ??o marinha), e seu conceito fundamental ? injetar g?s no fundo do po?o produtor de petr?leo tornando-o menos denso de modo a facilitar seu deslocamento desde o reservat?rio at? a superf?cie. Baseado na utiliza??o de tabelas e equa??es que condensam o maior n?mero de informa??es sobre caracter?sticas do reservat?rio, do po?o e das v?lvulas de inje??o de g?s, ? permitido, atrav?s de sucessivas interpola??es, simular curvas representativas do comportamento f?sico das vari?veis caracter?sticas existentes. Com um simulador que aproxime um computador das condi??es f?sicas reais de um po?o de petr?leo ? poss?vel analisar comportamentos peculiares com velocidades muito maiores, visto que as constantes de tempo do sistema em quest?o s?o bem elevadas e, al?m disso, otimizar custos com ensaios em campo. O simulador apresenta grande versatilidade, destacadamente a an?lise da influ?ncia de par?metros, como a press?o est?tica, raz?o g?s-l?quido, press?o na cabe?a do po?o, BSW (Basic Sediments and Water) em curvas de solicita??o no fundo do po?o e a obten??o da curva de desempenho do po?o onde pode-se simular regras de controle e otimiza??o. No tocante as regras de controle, o simulador permite a utiliza??o em dois modos de simula??o: a aplica??o do controle via software simulado inclu?do no pr?prio simulador, bem como a utiliza??o de controladores externos. Isto implica que o simulador pode ser utilizado como ferramenta de valida??o de algoritmos de controle. Atrav?s das potencialidades acima citadas, naturalmente surge uma outra poderosa aplica??o para o simulador: a utiliza??o did?tica da ferramenta. Ser? poss?vel utiliz?-lo em cursos de forma??o e reciclagem de engenheiros

Gas lift is a means of enhancing oil recovery from hydrocarbon reservoirs. Gas injected at the production riser base reduces the gravity component of the pressure drop and thereby, increases the supply of oil from the reservoir. Also, gas injection at the base of a riser helps to mitigate slugging and thus, improving the performance of the topside facility. In order to improve the efficiency of the gas lifting technique, a good understanding of the characteristics of gas-liquid multiphase flow in vertical pipes is very important. In this study, experiments of gas/liquid (air/water) two-phase flows, liquid/liquid of oil/water two-phase flows and gas/liquid/liquid (air/oil/water) three-phase flows were conducted in a 10.5 m high 52 mm ID vertical riser. These experiments were performed at liquid and gas superficial velocities ranging from 0.25 to 2 m/s and ~0.1 to ~6.30 m/s, respectively. Dielectric oil and tap water were used as test fluids. Instruments such as Coriolis mass flow meter, single beam gamma densitometer and wire-mesh sensor (WMS) were employed for investigating the flow characteristics. For the experiments of gas/liquid (air/water) two-phase flow, flow patterns of Bubbly, slug, churn flow regimes and transition regions were identified under the experimental conditions. Also, for flow pattern identification and void fraction measurements, the capacitance WMS results are consistent with those obtained simultaneously by the gamma densitometer. Generally, the total pressure gradient along the vertical riser has shown a significant decrease as the injected gas superficial velocity increased. In addition, the rate of decrease in total pressure gradient at the lower injected gas superficial velocities was found to be higher than that for higher gas superficial velocities. The frictional pressure gradient was also found to increase as the injected gas superficial velocity increased. For oil-water experiments, mixture density and total pressure gradient across the riser were found to increase with increasing water cut (ranging between 0 - 100%) and/or mixture superficial velocity. Phase slip between the oil and water was calculated and found to be significant at lower throughputs of 0.25 and 0.5 m/s. The phase inversion point always takes place at a point of input water cut of 42% when the experiments started from pure oil to water, and at an input water cut of 45% when the experiment’s route started from water to pure oil. The phase inversion point was accompanied by a peak increase of pressure gradient, particularly at higher oil-water mixture superficial velocities of 1, 1.5 and 2 m/s. The effects of air injection rates on the fluid flow characteristics were studied by emphasizing the total pressure gradient behaviour and identifying the flow pattern by analysing the output signals from gamma and WMS in air/oil/water experiments. Generally, riser base gas injection does not affect the water cut at the phase inversion point. However, a slight shift forward for the identified phase inversion point was found at highest flow rates of injected gas where the flow patterns were indicated as churn to annular flow. In terms of pressure gradient, the gas lifting efficiency (lowering pressure gradient) shows greater improvement after the phase inversion point (higher water cuts) than before and also at the inversion point. Also, it was found that the measured mean void fraction reaches its lowest value at the phase inversion point. These void fraction results were found to be consistent with previously published results.

Gas lift is a means of enhancing oil recovery from hydrocarbon reservoirs. Gas injected at the production riser base reduces the gravity component of the pressure drop and thereby, increases the supply of oil from the reservoir. Also, gas injection at the base of a riser helps to mitigate slugging and thus, improving the performance of the topside facility. In order to improve the efficiency of the gas lifting technique, a good understanding of the characteristics of gas-liquid multiphase flow in vertical pipes is very important. In this study, experiments of gas/liquid (air/water) two-phase flows, liquid/liquid of oil/water two-phase flows and gas/liquid/liquid (air/oil/water) three-phase flows were conducted in a 10.5 m high 52 mm ID vertical riser. These experiments were performed at liquid and gas superficial velocities ranging from 0.25 to 2 m/s and ~0.1 to ~6.30 m/s, respectively. Dielectric oil and tap water were used as test fluids. Instruments such as Coriolis mass flow meter, single beam gamma densitometer and wire-mesh sensor (WMS) were employed for investigating the flow characteristics. For the experiments of gas/liquid (air/water) two-phase flow, flow patterns of Bubbly, slug, churn flow regimes and transition regions were identified under the experimental conditions. Also, for flow pattern identification and void fraction measurements, the capacitance WMS results are consistent with those obtained simultaneously by the gamma densitometer. Generally, the total pressure gradient along the vertical riser has shown a significant decrease as the injected gas superficial velocity increased. In addition, the rate of decrease in total pressure gradient at the lower injected gas superficial velocities was found to be higher than that for higher gas superficial velocities. The frictional pressure gradient was also found to increase as the injected gas superficial velocity increased. For oil-water experiments, mixture density and total pressure gradient across the riser were found to increase with increasing water cut (ranging between 0 - 100%) and/or mixture superficial velocity. Phase slip between the oil and water was calculated and found to be significant at lower throughputs of 0.25 and 0.5 m/s. The phase inversion point always takes place at a point of input water cut of 42% when the experiments started from pure oil to water, and at an input water cut of 45% when the experiment’s route started from water to pure oil. The phase inversion point was accompanied by a peak increase of pressure gradient, particularly at higher oil-water mixture superficial velocities of 1, 1.5 and 2 m/s. The effects of air injection rates on the fluid flow characteristics were studied by emphasizing the total pressure gradient behaviour and identifying the flow pattern by analysing the output signals from gamma and WMS in air/oil/water experiments. Generally, riser base gas injection does not affect the water cut at the phase inversion point. However, a slight shift forward for the identified phase inversion point was found at highest flow rates of injected gas where the flow patterns were indicated as churn to annular flow. In terms of pressure gradient, the gas lifting efficiency (lowering pressure gradient) shows greater improvement after the phase inversion point (higher water cuts) than before and also at the inversion point. Also, it was found that the measured mean void fraction reaches its lowest value at the phase inversion point. These void fraction results were found to be consistent with previously published results.

Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico. Programa de Pós-graduação em Engenharia Elétrica / Made available in DSpace on 2012-10-23T07:15:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 244608.pdf: 583469 bytes, checksum: 9242d23d470005cff475d51513a2fb02 (MD5) / O sistema de elevação artificial de petróleo por injeção contínua de gás, conhecido como continuous gas-lift ou simplesmente gas-lift é um dos mais utilizados no Brasil e no mundo, devido ao seu baixo custo relativo e eficiência satisfatória em uma vasta gama de condições de operação. Neste sistema de produção, a alocação da taxa disponível de injeção de gás para um grupo de poços é um problema de grande relevância. A decisão da taxa de injeção de gás para cada poço normalmente não é ótima, pois é baseada em regras ad hoc. Sendo assim, ganhos substanciais podem ser alcançados se estas decisões forem substituídas por soluções ótimas. Neste trabalho, apresentamos algumas abordagens para a solução do problema de maximizar o lucro obtido com a venda de hidrocarbonetos extraídos de um campo com poços operando via gas-lift. As soluções desenvolvidas utilizam Programação Dinâmica, Programação Linear Inteira Mista aliada à Teoria de Desigualdades Válidas e algoritmos Branch-and-Bound e Branch-and-Cut e fornecem a taxa de injeção de gás ótima para cada poço satisfazendo restrições como por exemplo a taxa de injeção disponível e os limites de processamento de fluidos produzidos. As abordagens desenvolvidas se mostram eficientes para a aplicação em questão. As soluções encontradas possuem alta qualidade (próximas das soluções ótimas), e o custo computacional para a obtenção das mesmas é baixo. As técnicas de solução propostas aqui constituem excelentes ferramentas de suporte à decisão, podendo substituir as decisões sub-ótimas normalmente fornecidas por pacotes de otimização comerciais.

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Elétrica. / Made available in DSpace on 2013-07-16T01:31:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 212915.pdf: 1824830 bytes, checksum: 95f3b79ecc93bc43de3fa6e9b0f50885 (MD5) / RESUMO: Neste trabalho são identificados modelos lineares do tipo ARMAX e não-lineares do tipo NARMAX polinomial para a relação existente entre a vazão mássica de gás injetado e a pressão no tubo de produção de um poço de petróleo operando por injeção contínua de gás, simulado pelo software OLGA 2000. O objetivo é fornecer um modelo que seja útil posteriormente para o projeto de um controlador que possibilite ao poço operar na região de maior interesse econômico. A escolha do par de variáveis de entrada e saída permitiu que a análise do sistema fosse feita como sendo monovariável, sendo controladores locais utilizados para as demais variáveis do poço. Além disso, as variáveis de entrada e saída são facilmente mensuráveis, já existindo toda a instrumentação necessária nos poços atuais, ao contrário de outras estratégias de controle para sistemas similares, encontradas na literatura.

Orientador : Sergio Nascimento Bordalo / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecanica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-02T22:23:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Bezerra_MuriloValenca_M.pdf: 5666584 bytes, checksum: 4e3ea2021ba8f915134ec420233a656f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2002 / Resumo: A avaliação do método de elevação para determinada aplicação representa um passo importante no gerenciamento da produção de petróleo. Cada uma das tecnologias existentes apresenta vantagens e desvantagens específicas em termos de projeto e configuração dos equipamentos, custos de aquisição, confiabilidade, procedimentos de operação, intervenção e reparos. As atividades de análise e seleção de um método de elevação envolvem a pesquisa e organização de várias informações relativas ao reservatório, ao projeto do poço e às características dos fluidos que serão produzidos, além das considerações de especialistas envolvidos com a produção dos poços. O presente trabalho procura reunir estas informações e sistematizar os diferentes parâmetros envolvidos na análise e seleção de métodos de elevação, e propõe uma metodologia utilizando conceitos da lógica nebulosa, que possa simular o processo de avaliação realizado por especialistas ao considerar o contexto de produção existente / Abstract: The evaluation of artificial lift methods for a given field application represents an important step in the oil production management. There are some advantages and disadvantages for each of the technology applied, covering a number of different attributes such as well design, equipment installation and reability, capital costs, operation and maintenance practices. The activities of evaluation and selection demands research and organization in order to identify the necessary information from the reservoir, fluids and well design which will help the experts to decide. This work aims to set a artificial lift evaluation methodology which can be able to simulate the expert knowledge using fuzzy set and fuzzy logic theory / Mestrado / Mestre em Ciências e Engenharia de Petróleo

Orientador: Sérgio Nascimento Bordalo / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica e Instituto de Geociências / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-22T17:35:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 OchoaLara_IsmaelOrlando_M.pdf: 12454353 bytes, checksum: de02a7be086b8fd068a57b93d2f5270a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: Apesar dos avanços alcançados, alguns aspectos da operação do gas-lift intermitente (GLI) convencional permanecem inexplorados ou pouco estudados até o presente, como por exemplo, a concomitância de etapas do ciclo apresentada por Carvalho (2004), ou a estabilidade de ciclos em função da temporização da válvula motora e do ajuste da válvula operadora. Ao mesmo tempo, o bombeio pneumático de Zadson (BPZ) tem apresentado bons resultados em sua aplicação em campos no Brasil, motivando-se estudos para se desenvolverem simuladores computacionais para o projeto e análise destes sistemas. Neste trabalho, foi construído um simulador físico para os métodos GLI convencional e BPZ, para validar simuladores numéricos propostos anteriormente por outros autores. O aparato laboratorial é constituído por quatro conjuntos operacionais: o primeiro conjunto representa a coluna de produção do GLI convencional, o segundo conjunto representa a coluna do BPZ, o terceiro conjunto representa o acoplamento poço-reservatório e o quarto conjunto representa a injeção de gás comprimido. Para a medição, há transdutores de pressão localizados em vários pontos do aparato e tanques de medição do volume produzido. O sistema de aquisição de dados e atuação das válvulas operadora e motora é operado por uma placa micro-controlada. Testes foram realizados alterando-se as variáveis operacionais dos métodos. Como conclusões do trabalho foram identificadas a concomitância das etapas do ciclo GLI, avaliado o fallback para várias condições operacionais, estudada a estabilidade dos ciclos de GLI, e desenhado um mapa operacional das condições de um ciclo GLI regular. Além disso, foi testado o funcionamento de três modos de operação do BPZ / Abstract: Despite the advances achieved so far, some important aspects of the operation of the conventional intermittent gas-lift (IGL) remain unexplored or poorly studied, as for instance, the concurrency of cycle stages, as presented by Carvalho (2004), or the stability of cycles due to motor valve timing and adjustment of the gas-lift valve. At the same time, the Zadson pneumatic pump (ZPP) has presented good results in Brazilian fields, motivating studies to develop computational simulators for the design of this method. In the course of the present work, a physical simulator was built for the IGL and ZPP, to validate numerical simulators proposed by previous authors. The laboratory apparatus consists of four operational sets; the first set is the production column of conventional IGL, the second set is the column of ZPP, the third set represents the well-reservoir coupling and the fourth set is the injection of compressed gas. For measurement, there are pressure transducers located at various points of the apparatus and tanks for measuring the produced volume. The system of data acquisition and actuation of gas-lift and motor valves are operated by a microcontroller board. Tests were performed by changing the operating variables of the gas lift methods. The results of the study are: the identification of the concurrent stages during the IGL cycle, the fallback for various operating conditions, the stability of IGL cycles, and an operating map for the conditions of a stable IGL cycle. In addition, the operation of three lifting modes of the ZPP were tested / Mestrado / Explotação / Mestre em Ciências e Engenharia de Petróleo

During the reservoir production life reservoir pressure will decline. Also after water breakthrough the fluid column weight will increase as hydrostatic pressure will increase because of increased water and oil mixture density. In this case, reservoir pressure may not be enough to lift up the fluid from bottom to the surface. These reasons decrease or even may cause to stop flowing of fluids from the well. Some techniques must be applied to prevent the production decline. Artificial lift techniques are applied to add energy to the produced fluids. It increases production rate by reducing down-hole pressure and so that by increasing the drawdown. Artificial lift techniques increase production either by pumping the produced fluid from the bottom to the surface or reduce bottom-hole pressure by reducing the fluid column weight as a result of decreased fluid mixture density. Artificial lift is used worldwide in approximately 85% of the wells, thus its impact in overall efficiency and profitability of production operations cannot be overemphasized. The most important problem is how to select optimum artificial lift techniques by taking into consideration the reservoir, well, environmental conditions. Selection of poor technique could cause decrease in efficiency and low profitability. As a result, it will lead to high operating expenses. Several techniques have been developed for selection of optimum artificial lift techniques. Expert Systems (ES) is the most suitable technique used in these selection techniques. Because the use and availability of required parameters is easy. Also in this selection method most of the artificial lift techniques are analyzed rather than other selection techniques. Expert Systems program mainly consist of three modules: (1) Expert Module, (2) Design Module, and (3) Economic Module. By entering required data to the system, program automatically suggests the feasible artificial lift techniques those might be used referring to given data. In this thesis work the artificial lift selection criteria and Expert Systems available in the literature have been studied. A Microsoft Windows based program has been developed to predict suitability of artificial lift methods for a given set of wells and produced fluid parameters. For the selected artificial lift method (i.e. sucker rod pump, ESP, gas lift, hydraulic pump, PCP) the program is able to perform basic calculations for the given data. Different case studies have been performed by running the program with actual data from fields. Well data of Venezuela, Azerbaijan and Iranian oil fields has been used in case studies. The results have been compared with previous studies those have been done on these fields with other selection techniques and current artificial lift techniques are being applied in selected wells. The obtained program results have been overlap with current real field application and previous studies.

Resumo: O princípio de funcionamento de um sistema gas-lift é bastante simples, baseando-se na injeção de um gás inerte próximo à extremidade submersa de um tubo utilizado para ascensão do líquido (riser). Esse sistema tem sido utilizado em diversos setores da indústria, dentre os quais se destaca o setor petroquímico. Apesar de ter sido concebido há mais de um século, e a despeito do considerável número de artigos publicados sobre o assunto, vários aspectos relativos às características do escoamento bifásico dentro do riser e ao funcionamento do sistema são, ainda, pouco conhecidos. No presente trabalho, um sistema air-lift de pequeno porte foi inteiramente desenvolvido e testado, permitindo observar o comportamento do sistema quando submetido a variações na vazão de ar, na razão de submersão e na geometria do injetor - contendo três (3F) ou quinze furos (15F). Ensaios de visualização foram conduzidos, possibilitando a caracterização do escoamento bifásico no interior do riser. Medições experimentais foram, também, realizadas para a obtenção da eficiência e das curvas características do sistema. Os resultados quantitativos foram interpretados em associação com imagens estáticas do escoamento, capturadas com uma câmera fotográfica digital, e com imagens dinâmicas, tomadas com o auxílio de uma filmadora de alta velocidade. A partir destas imagens, foi possível, ainda, a estimativa de alguns importantes parâmetros característicos do escoamento pistonado, associados ao deslocamento da chamada bolha de Taylor. Os dados assim obtidos foram comparados com valores oriundos de correlações empíricas propostas por outros autores, apresentando boa concordância. Com relação aos resultados quantitativos, observou-se que, sob determinadas condições de operação, o injetor 3F é capaz de atribuir ao sistema um rendimento significativamente maior... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The operation principle of a gas-lift system is very simple: it is based on the injection of an inert gas close to the immersed edge of a tube, which is used for the rising of the liquid (riser). This system has been used in several industrial areas and more often in the petrochemical industry. Despite the fact that it was conceived over a century ago and that there have been a considerable amount of articles published on the subject, several aspects concerning the two-phase flow characteristics inside the riser as well as its operational system are still not very well known. In the present work, a small size air-lift system was thoroughly developed and tested, which facilitated the visualization of the system behavior when submitted to variations in the air flow, the immersion ratio and the injector geometry - containing three (3H) or fifteen holes (15H). Observation experiments were carried out making it possible to characterize the two-phase flow inside the riser. Experimental measurements were also taken in order to obtain the system characteristic efficiency and slopes. The quantitative results were analyzed together with the statistic images of the flow - taken by a digital photo camera, and with the dynamic images - taken by a high-speed filming camera. Through these images, it was also possible to estimate some important characteristic parameters of the slug flow associated to the displacement of the so-called Taylor bubble. The data obtained this way were compared to the figures originated from experimental correlations proposed by other authors, and they showed a fine agreement. Regarding the quantitative results, it was observed that under certain operation conditions the 3F injector is able to give the system a significantly greater efficiency than when the 15F injector is used / Orientador: Sérgio Said Mansur / Coorientador: Edson Del Rio Vieira / Banca: André Luiz Seixlack / Banca: Ricardo Augusto Mazza / Mestre