Известия Томского политехнического университета: Инжиниринг георесурсов (May 2019)
Influence of high molecular elastomers on a turbulent flow of hydrocarbon liquids
Abstract
To increase the capacity of pipelines and reduce energy costs for movement of fluid volume unit the traditional ways of reducing viscosity are used. They are heating, dilution and add of low-viscosity solvent depressants. The above techniques require high energy and material costs, and they are effective only for the laminar flow regime, in which the volumetric flow rate is inversely proportional to viscosity. However, in most cases when pumping oil and petroleum products by pipeline the turbulent flow mode is implemented. In this case the volumetric flow rate weakly depends on viscosity. Therefore, in recent years the energy-saving technologies of pipelines with application of anti-turbulent additives are widely used. Dosing very low portions of polymer additives (a few grams per ton) into oil flow increases its flow rate by 20-30 %. Relevance of the research is caused by the need to reduce energy costs for oil and petroleum products (gasoline, kerosene, etc.) transportation through pipelines. The main aim of the study is to evaluate the possibility of applying natural and synthetic rubbers as agents reducing hydrodynamic drag on the main oil pipelines. The methods used in the study. The authors have studied the structure of macromolecules samples of natural and synthetic rubber, and butadiene and styrene butadiene rubber by IR-spectroscopy, viscosity method and gel-permeation chromatography. Turboreometry method was used to investigate anti-turbulent effectiveness of the samples in a variety of solvents. The results. The authors determined the most effective elastomer capable of reducing flow resistance; defined optimum concentration of elastomer required for maximum Toms effect; calculated the volume of macromolecular coils in various solvents. The paper demonstrates the effect of solvents on their size and on amount of reduction of hydrodynamic resistance of elastomers. Molar mass of the samples were calculated by different methods.
