Turbulent Drag Reduction in Oil Pipelines Using Mixed Surfactant and Polymer Additives

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Drag reduction in pipeline flows is of great interest in petroleum and other industries. When a fluid such as oil flows in a pipeline, there occurs a significant dissipation of mechanical energy due to friction in fluid. As the power consumption of pumps, and hence the cost associated with pumping of fluids, is directly related to the frictional energy loss in a pipeline system, the reduction of frictional energy loss is highly desirable. One of the best alternatives to reduce the frictional energy loss in pipeline flows is to use drag-reducing additives such as certain types of polymers and surfactants. The addition of a small amount of an additive to fluid flow can reduce the friction factor and increase the pipeline capacity significantly. The drag reducing additives, especially surfactants, are also helpful in reducing corrosion of pipelines. The proposed research work will explore ways to reduce the pumping energy requirements by reducing friction/drag with the help of mixed polymer-surfactant additives. The thrust of the proposed research is to discover and explore synergistic effects of mixed polymer and surfactant additives on drag reduction. Upon completion of the proposed research, strategies will be recommended to minimize the cost of pumping hydrocarbon liquids. The proposed research will be highly beneficial to Canadian pipeline companies in reducing the pumping costs of hydrocarbons.