EVALUATION OF HYDRAULIC AND THERMAL LOSSES IN OIL PIPELINES IN COLD AREAS

Abstract

This article considers the problem of reducing energy costs for transportation of oil with high paraffin content in cold areas. A theoretical calculation of the thermal losses in the oil pipeline was carried out, depending on the speed of the oil movement through the pipe, the material and the thickness of the thermal insulation, and the ambient temperature. Theoretical research of the temperature influence and the speed of oil movement on the pressure drop along the length of the pipeline was carried out. The options for maintaining the oil temperature along the length of the pipeline by installing a fuel element on the surface of the pipeline under thermal insulation in order to create a condition for blocking the heat flow from oil to the thermal insulation of the main pipeline by counter heat flow from an additional source of heat located on the inside of the thermal insulation. Although such a solution eliminates the reduction of thermal losses from thermal insulation to the environment, however, the temperature and viscosity of oil along the pipeline will not change, which ultimately leads to a reduction in hydraulic losses and energy costs for oil transportation. This caused a reduce in pressure losses in the oil pipeline, which lead to an increase in the distance between the oil pumping stations.