Experimental Studies on the Physics and Technology of Polymer Drag-Reduction
Abstract
Experimental studies of polymer drag-reduction were carried out in the laboratory of Thomas J. Hanratty. Companion studies were carried out in the polymer laboratory of Anthony J. McHugh so that the performance of drag-reducing polymer solutions can be related to their rheological and rheo-optical properties in simple non-turbulent flows. The work was influenced by the notion that aggregation of polymer molecules could be an important role. A remarkable finding is that molecular weight and molecular weight distribution need not change as the drag-reducing ability of the polymer solution degraded. Rheo-optical studies in a Couette device showed that effective polymer solutions develop turbidity over a range of shear rates characteristic of those used in the flow loop. This study shows that the drag reduction can be enhanced by using mixing and delivery procedures which enhance the formation aggregates.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA424502
Entities
People
- Anthony J. Mchugh
- Thomas J. Hanratty
Organizations
- University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign