Drag Reduction Behavior of Aloe Vera in Horizontal Pipe with Variable Temperature

Authors: Ibrahim Y, Gimba MM, Edomwonyi-Otu LC

DOI Info: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7496582

ABSTRACT

The drag force found in turbulent fluid flow in process industries dissipate the energy supplied by pumps in pipeline flow consequently leading to high utility cost. An environmentally friendly and low-cost material (Aloe vera mucilage, (AVM)) can reduce such cost by reducing the drag force in fluid flow. The drag-reducing characteristics of AVM in single-phase water flow (spwf) and multiphase flow was tested at ambient conditions (25 ^oC, 1 atm) and variable temperature (5-60 ^oC) in a 20 mm diameter pipe. The flow rig of 20 mm pipe ID was used for the experiment and the test fluid was water (viscosity, ?_w of 0.91 mPa.s, density, ?w of 1000 kg/m³ at room temperature of 25 ^oC) and diesel (?_o of 1.664 mPa.s, ?_o of 832 kg/m³ at 25 ^oC). Different AVM concentration (50-500 ppm), oil volume input fraction (Ovif), Reynolds number (12,917 – 48,872) and mixture velocity (um) were used. Maximum drag reduction (DR) of 50% at 25 ^oC, 59% at 5 ^oC and 41% at 60 °C in spwf at Re of 37,773 were obtained. The decrease in DR with increasing temperature and Ovif in multiphase flow observed may be due to change in AVM molecule structure or conformation and decrease in water phase mixture velocity.

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