Abstracts Chemistry

Drag reduction in hydrocarbon soap solutions.

by Ian Radin

"Turbulent flow pressure drop measurements were made for solutions of aluminum dioleate (soap) in toluene at concentrations of 0.2, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 per cent. Tube diameters ranged in size from 0.01 to 2.0 inches. The results of these measurements differed from those observed in aqueous systems. Higher concentrations (at least 0.75 per cent) were required before drag reduction was observed. Although fresh solutions were somewhat sensitive to shearing, once a solution was over about two weeks old it showed little further mechanical degradation. although in the toluene solutions, wall shear stresses were reached which were over an order of magnitude higher than those obtained in polar solvents, the critical shear stress where drag reduction is lost, observed in polar solvents, was never observed here. Viscosity measurements were used to determine that these solutions were sensitive to the initial concentration at which they were mixed. For the 1.0 per cent solution light scattering measurements gave a weight average soap agglomerate weight of about 7000" – Abstract, leaf viii.