Comparative Effects of Drag-Reducing Polymers. An Experimental Report
Abstract
The experiments described in this report were performed within the framework of the overall ASTI Team effort in polymer science. The underlying predicate of this program has been to achieve a basis for understanding the shear viscosity of dilute polymer solutions through a detailed description of the molecular interactions. Interaction descriptions must include water/polymer, water/surface and polymer/surface contributions to provide understanding of the mechanisms determining the shear viscosity and related noise and drag reduction effects. Although certain anionic polymeric drag reduction effects observed herein are not dramatic compared to those achieved with the standard polyethylene-oxide, these types of polymers offer the potential for drastically altering the interaction between the surface and adjacent layers of water molecules. It can be assumed that the water layer/surface interaction is dependent on the nature of the surface potential and the presence of strongly interacting species in that region. Thus, any mechanism reducing the concentration of such active species near the surface should reduce the overall strength of the interaction. However, drag reduction actually increased for polyacrylamide changing from deionized water to 'instant ocean' (salt water environment). This suggests the role of ions in determining polymer effectiveness may be complex.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 09, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA254001
Entities
People
- G. Murphree