Abstract

Abstract Five linear, water-soluble, sulfonated polyacrylamides of relatively high molecular weights were used to investigate drag reduction in oil–water multiphase flow through a horizontal, 30.6-mm pipe. The polymers were negatively-charged due to the presence of different density of the acrylamido tert-butyl sulfonic acid, ATBS, side groups along with acrylamide. They have different molecular weights and sulfonation degrees to investigate the effect of these polymer parameters in drag reduction during oil–water multiphase flow. Tap water was used as the aqueous phase and model oil with a density of 0.886 g/cm3 and a viscosity of 18.6 cP at 30 °C was used as the oil phase. The two phases were used in the tests at different oil fractions and mixture velocities to achieve a dispersed flow pattern. The maximum drag reduction was obtained for polymer concentrations higher than 20 ppm in the test section. Drag reduction effectiveness was negatively affected by the increase in oil fraction in the test section leading to negative drag reduction when the oil is initially the continuous phase. Moreover, drag reduction increased with the increase in mixture velocity especially above 1.0 m/s for polymer concentrations higher than 10 ppm. Using this family of polymers, it was concluded that flexibility (or rigidity) of polymer chains in solution is a primary factor in polymer's effectiveness as a drag reducing agent. In this study, drag reduction was higher for more flexible polymer chains, which was enhanced by using higher molecular weight polymers and lower charge density.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.