Polymer turbulence drag reduction
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In 1948 Toms discovered by experiments that the addition of a small amount of polymer into a turbulent Newtonian solvent (parts per million by weight), which results in a Non-Newtonian fluid solution, can reduce the skin fictional drag on a stationary surface by up to 80% . This technology has been successfully implemented to reduce pumping cost for oil pipelines, to increase the flow rate in fire fighting equipments and to help irrigation and drainage (Sellin & Ollis, 1980; Khalil et al., 2002). It also has potential applications in the design of ship and submarine hulls to achieve an increased speed and reduced energy cost.
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[edit] On-going Research
The drag reducing mechanism of polymers on turbulent flows is yet to be fully understood, despite of the large body of researches on this topic.
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[edit] References
Toms, B. 1948 Observation on the flow of linear polymer solutions through straight tubes at large Reynolds numbers. Proc. Int’l Rheological Congress 2, 135–141
Sellin, R. H. J. & Ollis, M. 1980 Polymer drag reduction in large pipes and sewers: Results of recent field trials. Journal of Rheology
Khalil, M. F., Kassab, S. Z., Elmiligui, A. A. & Naoum, F. A. 2002 Applications of drag-reducing polymers in sprinkler irrigation systems: Sprinkler head performance. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Jin S 2007 Numerical simulations of a dilute polymer solution in isotropic turbulence PhD Thesis Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
