Experimental Investigation of Friction Reduction in Transport of Fluids Using Surfactants

This paper presents the results of the influence of surfactants in reducing friction while driving fluid in pipes. Experimental research was conducted with water-surfactant mixtures which were tested three types of these additives: anionic, cationic and nonionic surfactants. Was designed and built an experimental facility in which the test area was acrylic pipe with an inner diameter of D = 19 mm and a length of 300 D. The concentrations of surfactants in the mixtures were 150, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 ppm, added according to a pilot program that took into account the amount and type of additive added in different liquid mass fluxes. Pressure losses were compared against those obtained when flow is the same water flows through the installation. The results obtained show a reduction of up to 43.9% of the friction which is achieved with a Re = 11243 and surfactant concentrations of 250 ppm (cetyl trimethyl chloride ammonium), to which was added as a stabilizer for the micro structure of the surfactant, sodium salicylate, which applies only to the cationic type surfactants. The results are promising but left to study such issues as: the injection and recovery of surfactant, more efficient mixing, the mechanisms that lead to a reduction of friction and the effect of temperature among others.