Title
Long-term degradation of high molar mass poly(ethylene oxide) in a turbulent pilot-scale pipe flow
Abstract
The long-term drag reduction capability of poly(ethylene oxide) with a nominal molar weight of M-w = 4 x 10(6 )g/mol dissolved in water was investigated in a pilot-scale pipe flow device (inner diameter of test section 26 mm) at a Reynolds number of 10(5). A total loss of the initially high (75%) drag reduction capability was observed over a flow distance of several similar to 10 km while the molar weight of the polymer was still M-w similar to 5 x 10(5) g/mol. Mechanical degradation in the turbulent flow as well as ageing of the polymer dissolved in water caused this loss in drag reduction capability. A simple ansatz of two independent, statistical polymer chain scission mechanisms was used to describe the polymer degradation empirically using a modified Brostow model. This empirical description was applied successfully and suggested that the polymer exhibited at least 15 cleavage points for mechanical degradation.
Keywords
Gel permeation chromatographyFlow controlFlow rate measurementRheometerPolymer solution flowsTurbulent flowsViscosity measurementsBayesian inferenceRegression analysis
Object type
Language
English [eng]
Persistent identifier
https://phaidra.univie.ac.at/o:2040181
Appeared in
Title
Physics of Fluids
Volume
35
Issue
2
ISSN
1070-6631
Issued
2023
Publisher
AIP Publishing
Date issued
2023
Access rights
Rights statement
© 2023 Author(s)
University of Vienna | Universitätsring 1 | 1010 Vienna | T +43-1-4277-0