PHPA as a Frictional Pressure Loss Reducer and Its Pressure Loss Estimation

Ozbayoglu M. E., Ercan C.

PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, vol.28, no.6, pp.625-631, 2010 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 28 Issue: 6
  • Publication Date: 2010
  • Doi Number: 10.1080/10916460903070371
  • Journal Name: PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.625-631
  • Keywords: drag, drag reducer, drag reduction, friction, PHPA, polymer, pressure loss, pressure reducer, turbulent, FLOW
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This article analyzes the performance of a liquid polymer emulsion containing partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide/polyacrylate (PHPA) copolymer as a circulating system pressure loss (drag) reducer. Straight cylindrical pipe flow experiments were performed at different concentrations of solutions for measuring frictional pressure losses. Comparison of measured and theoretical frictional pressure loss values showed that as the PHPA concentration increased, considerable drag reduction (as high as 60%) was achieved and the optimum PHPA concentration for drag reduction purposes was estimated as 0.0020 (v/v). A friction factor is developed as a function of PHPA concentration and Reynolds number, and the results show that the pressure losses can be estimated with an error less than 15% by using the proposed friction factor.