Effect of Temperature on Turbulent Flow of Herschel–Bulkley Polymeric Solutions in Pipes

Abstract

Fluid temperature is one of the most important parameters influencing the rheological properties of non-Newtonian fluid flow in pipes. If the change in fluid temperature is not considered, it can cause problems in correctly calculating pressure losses and selecting appropriate pump systems. The flow characteristics of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), xanthan gum (XG), and partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (PHPA) solutions flowing through rough pipes under various fluid temperatures are experimentally studied in this study. A comprehensive experimental study has been conducted using two different CMC solutions for three different pipe diameters, as well as two different XG solutions and two different PHPA solutions for an 80 mm pipe diameter, for fluid temperatures from 20°C to 60°C, and for Reynolds number ranges from 3×103 to 9.7×104. A new friction factor correlation is developed in fully developed turbulent flow as a function of the generalized Reynolds number, the Prandtl number, and the relative roughness to calculate the pressure loss and to select proper pump systems, considering the fluid temperature. The proposed equation obtained from the regression analysis of experimental data shows better prediction with wide ranges of Reynolds numbers and Prandtl numbers than Reed and Pilehvari’s (1993) equation. Increasing the accuracy of pressure loss predictions and pump system selection, particularly in diverse temperature conditions, is of paramount importance for efficient fluid transport systems.