Study on the influence of non-newtonian fluid characteristics on the hydraulic performance and internal flow field of multiphase pump

• Published in: Chemical engineering research & design Vol. 202; pp. 178 - 190
• Main Authors: Chen, Long, Yang, Yingxin, Song, Xin, Zhang, Xiaodong, Gong, Yan, Peng, Cancan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-02-2024
• Subjects: Apparent viscosity; Multiphase pump; Non-Newtonian fluid; Viscous Newtonian fluid; Multiphase pump; Viscous Newtonian fluid; Apparent viscosity; Non-Newtonian fluid
• ISSN: 0263-8762
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2023.12.022

As a pivotal prospective clean energy source, the secure and efficient extraction of natural gas hydrate has emerged as a forefront concern within the global oil drilling industry in recent years. In this study, a self-developed multiphase pump adapted to "gas-liquid-solid" three-phase mixing is used to extract natural gas hydrate slurries which have non-Newtonian characteristics. Prior research on pumps has primarily focused on water, introducing a significant disparity in handling slurries containing hydrates. This paper investigates the hydraulic performance and flow field variations of a multiphase pump using three different concentrations of Herschel-Bulkley non-Newtonian fluids that exhibit rheological properties similar to natural gas hydrate slurries. Additionally, a viscous Newtonian fluid with seawater as the liquid phase medium is studied for comparison. The results show that the shear-thinning properties of the non-Newtonian fluid improve the efficiency of the pump. However, excessive concentration negatively affects the hydraulic properties. The flow field characteristics such as apparent viscosity and turbulent kinetic energy are closely related to the pump structure and fluid properties. Compared with viscous Newtonian fluid, the non-Newtonian fluid's also have a greater effect on the distribution of gas-solid phases.
[Display omitted]
•Paper analyzes 'gas-liquid-solid' multiphase pump for transporting non-Newtonian fluids in gas hydrate exploitation, using experimental and numerical methods.•Non-Newtonian fluids enhance multiphase pump efficiency but concentrated ones may harm transportation efficiency.•Study compares internal flow in multiphase pump, analyzing viscosity, turbulent energy, and pressure during non-Newtonian and viscous Newtonian fluid transport.•Paper examines multiphase pump's hydraulic performance and internal flow with varying speeds during non-Newtonian fluid transport.