CFD simulation of the surface pumping of heavy crude oil in eastern Ecuador

Abstract

The research addresses the study of heat exchange between heavy crude oil and the environment during surface pumping, specifically of a crude oil with an API gravity of 17.5, under the particular atmospheric conditions of Eastern Ecuador. The main objective of the study is to evaluate the temperature loss in a 50-meter segment of SCH-80 pipe, with a diameter of 4 inches, used for the transportation of heavy crude. This aims to understand how heavy crude loses temperature and to determine the convective coefficient, knowing that the heat loss from the fluid to the environment occurs mainly by convection. This is to determine what the temperature losses will be in longer pipe sections. For this purpose, a methodology using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation was employed, a key tool for predicting the thermal behavior of crude in interaction with the environment. It was determined that the convective coefficient is 52 W/m2.K, and there is a temperature loss of 3.2 K in the 50-meter section. With this data, future research could evaluate potential heating technologies that facilitate the transport of heavy crude oil. This approach would allow for exploring innovative solutions to improve efficiency and effectiveness in managing heavy crude, facing one of the main challenges in its transport: managing its high viscosity