Comparison of the Turbulent Drag Reduction Effectiveness of Polymers from Higher Olefin Monomers (Hexene, Octene, Decene, Dodecene) in the Production of Hydrodynamic Drag Reducing Agents for Transportation of Hydrocarbon Liquids

Abstract

Comparative studies (gel permeation chromatography and evaluation of turbulent drag reduction effectiveness on a turbulence rheometer) of ultra-high molecular weight polymers from a series of higher alpha-olefins (hexene, octene, decene, dodecene) used as hydrodynamic drag agents have been carried out. It was found that the activity of hexene in the polymerization on a titanium magnesium catalyst, if all other relevant factors remain unaltered, significantly exceeds the activity of octene, decene, and dodecene (the conversion of hexene in 24 h is almost 1.5 times higher than the conversion of other monomers over the same time), and the rates of polymerization of the latter differ slightly. The average molecular weights of all polymers differ only slightly: ~6 millions Da for polyhexene and ~5 millions Da for all the others. At the same time, the drag reduction effectiveness of the polymers showed a significant dependence on the nature of the initial monomers: the drag reduction effectiveness rapidly diminishes with an increase in the molecular weight of the corresponding alpha-olefin (3–4 times upon transition from polyhexene to polydodecene).