Comparative Study of Drag Reducers for Light Hydrocarbon Flow

摘要

The study of drag reduction is very important for the transport of hydrocarbons through long pipelines. The reduction in pressure drop along the pipeline leads to larger volumes transported for the same pumping energy, or lower power pumps can be used to carry the same flow rate. In this study, two drag reducer agents were tested on commercial diesel. The experiments were run in rheometer and pipe in order to compare their relative capability to reduce torque and pressure drop, respectively. Despite the different flow mode and turbulence level in both methods, a qualitative correlation between their results could be established. The experiments conducted in a rheometer allow quickly selecting the best drag reducer agent with small sample volume and good accuracy. The limitations of this technique are also highlighted by comparison of the drag reduction measured using the two techniques.