Structural optimization of disperser in polymer flooding distribution tank based on venturi pulse injection

ABSTRACT

Polymer was carried by liquid in conventional polymer dispensing tank of polymer flooding in oilfield. Polymer particles often gather in the process of polymer blending, resulting in blockage of ground pipelines and formation. To reduce this phenomenon, finite element method was used. Optimization of polymer tank carrier based on venturi tube gas pulse injection. The polymer particles were carried into the liquid distribution tank by the injection method of pulse airflow to realize efficient carrying. Study on the effect of different pulse intensity and pulse waveform on cohesion. The results showed that the combined effect of strong pulse difference and pulse gap could make the airflow have strong carrying capacity for difficultly migrated polymer particles. Optimized the shortest pulse time and got the shortest time of triangle wave, sawtooth wave, square wave, and sine wave under simulated conditions. Time was 5.1 s, 6.3 s, 6.2 s, 6.2 s, respectively. The corresponding pulse frequencies were 20 times/s, 15 times/s, 10 times/s and 30 times/s, respectively. Properly increasing pulse intensity could enhance the carrying capacity of pulse airflow to polymer and reduced the carrying time of polymer. The optimal pulse parameters were triangular wave with pulse intensity of about 120 m/s and pulsed frequency of 20 times/s. Established the phenomenon and reason of indoor experiment. The viscosity of polymer solution after stirring was higher than that of liquid flow carried by gas phase pulse. This shows that the polymer system was more fully dissolved under the condition of gas phase pulse carrying. Pulsed airflow injection could effectively reduce polymer aggregation and shear action of agitator to protect polymer structure. Pulse airflow injection also plays an important role in safe operation of ground pipelines and stable seepage in porous media.

KEYWORDS:

• Polymer flooding
• Fluid-structure interaction
• venturi jet
• pulse intensity
• efficient carrying
• shear test

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51974088).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [No. 51974088].