Efeitos da incorporação de sólidos no escoamento de emulsões em um poço utilizando a fluidodinâmica computacional.

Abstract

This work aimed to study the flow of invert olefinic emulsions incorporated with different solids (bentonite clay, calcium carbonate and sand) in the annular of a vertical well, and the head loss generated by this flow, using Computational Fluid Dynamics. For this, it was considered a vertical well with a length of 5 meters and a concentric annular, with steady state regime and laminar flow. The head loss was analyzed according to the concentration of solids and the properties of the emulsions. The results showed that the shear rate profiles were consistent with the literature, with maximum value near the walls, and zero in the proximities of the central region when the flow was fully developed, and that the numerical viscosities curves showed an excellent fit with the experimental curves. Furthermore, for the emulsions incorporated with sand and calcium carbonate, the increase in head loss was not very significant when the concentration went from 5 to 10%. They also showed that with increasing density, head loss also increased. Only for emulsions incorporated with clay, the behavior index (n) showed a direct correlation with the head loss. In addition, the consistency index (k) was the parameter that exerted the greatest influence on head loss, with the emulsion with the highest value of k presenting the greatest head loss. The head loss increased with the increase in flow, and the relationship between the two variables was linear. The pump hydraulic horsepower varied depending on the circulated emulsion and the volumetric flow, with a maximum difference of 1.63 hp for the emulsions E0 and EA15 circulating with the highest flow rate. Finally, the presence of solids incorporated into the emulsions caused an increase in head loss, with clay being the solid that most impacted this hydraulic parameter.