Friction Flow Loop - the PSL Turbulence Rheometer
Quality control of flow improver in pipelines
The Friction Flow Loop of PSL calls Turbulence Rheometer and is a fully automated laboratory instrument for analysis of flow behavior in pipelines. The Friction Flow Loop is used to analyze all kinds of flow improver e.g. drag reducers (DRA), friction reducers or viscosity reducers and is used for testing slick water and fracking fluid.
A Friciton Flow Loop with a small footprint
The Turbulence Rheometer TR, a friction flow loop, enables significant time-savings in test series and has a compact design with a footfprint of 1,5 m². An integrated PC with operating software allows for an easy handling, supervision and evaluation of test series.
The measurement principle of this laboratory instrument is a hydraulic piston which moves the sample piston. Thus, every contact between sample fluid and hydraulic fluid is prevented.
The sample is pumped through a test capillary with small diameter. This enables test conditions with variable flow rates and in a wide range of Reynolds numbers. Only a small volume of 3 litres and a test duration of 90 seconds are needed to run Reynolds number ramps of 0 to 120,000. This saves approximate one month compared to other test methods.
Flow improver reduce flow resistance
The effects of drag reducer, friction reducer or viscosity reducer can be observed by direct pressure measuring or calculation of the differential pressure-loss in separate segments of the capillary. By comparing the pressure-loss with or without Drag Reducing Agents (DRA)-addition its influence results directly. Different Reynolds numbers can be analyzed in one test run by variating flow rates. Repetitive tests enable check on long-term stability of flow improver.
To guarantee best measurement results the TR was designed without edges or changes in diameter. Special geometries of the piston and piston head enable constant acceleration values at the injection and thereby minimize shear forces. By hydraulic filling and emptying of the test capillary pumps were made obsolete. Test capillary, sample cylinder and sample container are thermostated. Depending on sample viscosity different capillary length and diameters are usable.
The recorded measuring data can be imported and evaluated in Excel. The evaluation can be alleviated by an optional available software tool.