Nanoparticle-induced drag reduction for polyacrylamide in turbulent flow with high Reynolds numbers

doi:10.1016/j.cjche.2022.07.015

Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering ›› 2023, Vol. 56 ›› Issue (4): 290-298.DOI: 10.1016/j.cjche.2022.07.015

Nanoparticle-induced drag reduction for polyacrylamide in turbulent flow with high Reynolds numbers

Xiaoping Li¹, Jiaxin Pan¹, Jinwen Shi¹, Yanlin Chai¹, Songwei Hu¹, Qiaorong Han², Yanming Zhang², Xianwen Li², Dengwei Jing¹

1. State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering & International Research Center for Renewable Energy, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China;
2. Oil and Gas Technology Research Institute of Petrochina Changqing Oilfield Company, Xi'an 710018, China

Received:2022-03-09 Revised:2022-07-06 Online:2023-06-13 Published:2023-04-28
Contact: Jinwen Shi,E-mail:jinwen_shi@mail.xjtu.edu.cn;Dengwei Jing,E-mail:dwjing@xjtu.edu.cn
Supported by:
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial supports of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51961130386) the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (52025061). This work was also supported by the China Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.

Nanoparticle-induced drag reduction for polyacrylamide in turbulent flow with high Reynolds numbers

Xiaoping Li¹, Jiaxin Pan¹, Jinwen Shi¹, Yanlin Chai¹, Songwei Hu¹, Qiaorong Han², Yanming Zhang², Xianwen Li², Dengwei Jing¹

1. State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering & International Research Center for Renewable Energy, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China;
2. Oil and Gas Technology Research Institute of Petrochina Changqing Oilfield Company, Xi'an 710018, China

通讯作者: Jinwen Shi,E-mail:jinwen_shi@mail.xjtu.edu.cn;Dengwei Jing,E-mail:dwjing@xjtu.edu.cn
基金资助:
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial supports of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51961130386) the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (52025061). This work was also supported by the China Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.

Abstract

Abstract: Although having been increasingly studied, there is still controversy as to when the addition of nanoparticles could improve the drag reduction performance of polymer drag reducer and particularly what is the underlying mechanism from the fluid dynamics viewpoint. The drag reduction effects of adding SiO₂ nanoparticles to various polymer polyacrylamide (PAM) solutions were examined in this work. The optimal combination of SiO₂ nanoparticles with cationic polyacrylamide was confirmed. Interestingly, the addition of SiO₂ nanoparticles to cationic polyacrylamide solution was shown to be quite efficient for reducing drag, but only at higher flow rates with Reynolds numbers more than 6000, below which the nanoparticle addition is even negative. The addition of SiO₂ nanoparticles to the PAM solution is supposed to play a dual role. The first is an increase in flow resistance caused by the Brownian motion of nanoparticles, while the second is a decrease in flow resistance caused by acting as nodes to protect the polymer chain from shear-induced breaking under high shear action. At optimal nanoparticle concentration and under higher Reynolds numbers, the later effect is dominant, which could improve the drag reduction performance of polymer drag reducers. Our work should serve as a guide for the application of natural gas fracturing, where the flow rate is frequently very high.

Key words: Drag reduction, SiO₂ nanoparticle, Cationic polymer, Brownian motion

摘要： Although having been increasingly studied, there is still controversy as to when the addition of nanoparticles could improve the drag reduction performance of polymer drag reducer and particularly what is the underlying mechanism from the fluid dynamics viewpoint. The drag reduction effects of adding SiO₂ nanoparticles to various polymer polyacrylamide (PAM) solutions were examined in this work. The optimal combination of SiO₂ nanoparticles with cationic polyacrylamide was confirmed. Interestingly, the addition of SiO₂ nanoparticles to cationic polyacrylamide solution was shown to be quite efficient for reducing drag, but only at higher flow rates with Reynolds numbers more than 6000, below which the nanoparticle addition is even negative. The addition of SiO₂ nanoparticles to the PAM solution is supposed to play a dual role. The first is an increase in flow resistance caused by the Brownian motion of nanoparticles, while the second is a decrease in flow resistance caused by acting as nodes to protect the polymer chain from shear-induced breaking under high shear action. At optimal nanoparticle concentration and under higher Reynolds numbers, the later effect is dominant, which could improve the drag reduction performance of polymer drag reducers. Our work should serve as a guide for the application of natural gas fracturing, where the flow rate is frequently very high.

关键词: Drag reduction, SiO₂ nanoparticle, Cationic polymer, Brownian motion

Xiaoping Li, Jiaxin Pan, Jinwen Shi, Yanlin Chai, Songwei Hu, Qiaorong Han, Yanming Zhang, Xianwen Li, Dengwei Jing. Nanoparticle-induced drag reduction for polyacrylamide in turbulent flow with high Reynolds numbers[J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2023, 56(4): 290-298.

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Nanoparticle-induced drag reduction for polyacrylamide in turbulent flow with high Reynolds numbers

Nanoparticle-induced drag reduction for polyacrylamide in turbulent flow with high Reynolds numbers

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