SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF POLYMER-POLYMER MIXTURES AS DRAG REDUCING AGENTS ON OIL-WATER FLOWS

Abstract

The synergistic effect of natural and synthetic polymers as drag reducing agents in water phase during horizontal oil-water flows was studied in 12 mm internal diameter (ID) unplasticised polyvinylchloride (uPVC) pipe. Partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM; trade name as magnafloc 1011 or Separan), polyethylene oxide (PEO; trade name as Polyox WSR 310), Aloe Vera mucilage (AVM; as Aloe barbadensis miller), mixture of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide and Aloe Vera mucilage and polyethylene oxide and Aloe Vera mucilage (HPAM-AVM and PEO-AVM) were used. Mixture Reynolds number of 62923, master solution of 2000 ppm and 20000 ppm, and total concentration (TC) of 30 ppm and 400 ppm were investigated using diesel oil (ρ = 832 kg/m3, µ = 1.66 cP) and water (ρ = 1000 kg/m3, µ = 0.89 cP) as test fluids. The results show that the drag reduction (DR) of 65.39 and 69.23%, and 69.23 and 70.77% were obtained for HPAM-AVM and PEO-AVM mixtures respectively, at mixing ratios of 3:1 and 1:19, for 25% oil input fraction and water phase Reynolds number (Rew) of 47192. These values were found to be higher than the DR obtained by individual polymer alone at the same conditions. Drag reduction decreased with increase in the oil input fraction due to the decrease in the water phase Reynolds number. The result implies drag reduction efficiency can be enhanced by combining natural and synthetic polymers.