Rheological Characteristics of Surfactant-Based Fluids: A Comprehensive Study

Author(s):  
Ahmed H. Kamel

Surfactant-based fluids, SB fluids exhibit complex rheological behavior due to substantial structural change caused by the molecules self-assembled colloidal aggregation. Various factors affect their rheological properties. Among these factors, surfactant concentration, shear rate, temperature, and salinity are investigated. One of the most popular surfactants, Aromox® APA-T viscoelastic surfactant (VES) is examined. The study focuses on four different concentrations (1.5%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) over a shear rate ranging from 0.0526 sec−1 to 1944 sec−1 using Bohlin rheometer. For salinity effects, two brine solutions are used; 2 and 4% KCl while for temperature effects, a wide range from ambient temperature of 72°F up to 200°F is covered. The results show that SB fluids exhibit a complex rheological behavior due to its unique nature and the various structures form in the solution. In general, SB fluids at all concentrations exhibit a non-Newtonian pseudo-plastic shear thinning behavior. As the surfactant concentration and/or shear increases, a stronger shear thinning behavior can be seen. Increasing solution salinity promotes formation of rod-like micelles and increases its flexibility. Salinity affects micelles’ growth and their rheological behavior is very sensitive to the nature and structure of the added salt. Different molecular structures are formed; spherical micelles occur first and then increased shear rate and/or salinity promotes the formation of rod-like micelles. Later, rod-like micelles are aligned in the flow direction and form a large super ordered structure of micellar bundles or aggregates called shear induced structure (SIS). Different structures implies different rheological properties. Likewise, rheology improves with increasing temperature up to 100°F. Further increase in temperature reverses the effects and viscosity decreases. However, the effects of temperature and salinity diminish at higher shear rates. Furthermore, a rheology master curve is developed to further understand the rheological behavior of SB fluids and correlate rheological properties to its microscopic structure.

Author(s):  
Ahmed H. Kamel ◽  
Ahmed Alzahabi

Abstract Surfactant-based, SB fluids exhibit complex rheological behavior due to substantial structural changes caused by the molecules self-assembled colloidal aggregation. Temperature and salinity affect their rheology and flow properties. In this study, both rheological and viscoelastic properties for the optimum concentration, 4%, of Aromox® APA-T viscoelastic surfactant (VES) were investigated using two brine solutions; 2 and 4% KCl and wide range of temperatures (72°F – 200°F). Flow properties were examined using a 1/2-in. straight and coiled tubing (CR = 0.019). The results show that increasing solution salinity promotes formation of rod-like micelles and increases its flexibility. Salinity affects micelles growth and their rheological and viscoelastic behavior is very sensitive to the nature and structure of the added salt. Different molecular structures are formed; spherical micelles occur first and then increased temperature and/or salinity promotes the formation of rod-like micelles. Later, rod-like micelles are aligned in the flow direction and form a large super ordered structure of micellar bundles or aggregates called shear induced structure (SIS). Different structures implies different rheological and flow properties. Likewise, rheology improves with increasing temperature up to 100°F. Further increase in temperature reverses the effects and viscosity decreases. In addition, drag reduction and flow characteristics of SB fluids are improved by the addition of salt and/or increasing temperature up to 100°F. Results obtained are in full agreement with rheological and viscoelastic behavior of SB fluids for both salinity and temperature.


2011 ◽  
Vol 233-235 ◽  
pp. 1998-2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming Zhao ◽  
Xiao Zhong Lu ◽  
Kai Gu ◽  
Xiao Min Sun ◽  
Chang Qing Ji

The rheological behavior of PA6/montmorillonite(MMT) by reactive extrusion was investigated using cone-and-plate rheometer. The experimental results indicated that PA6/MMT exhibited shear-thinning behavior. The shear stress of both neat PA6 and PA6/MMT increased with the increase in the shear rate. The reduction of the viscous activation energy with the increase of shear stress reflected PA6/MMT can be processed over a wider temperature.


Polimery ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 53 (07/08) ◽  
pp. 507-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
BERENIKA HAUSNEROVA ◽  
NATALIE HONKOVA ◽  
ANEZKA LENGALOVA ◽  
TAKESHI KITANO ◽  
PETR SAHA

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina Masalova ◽  
Alexander Ya. Malkin

Tube transportation of highly concentrated emulsions is an important technological process in mining works. Emulsions used for this particular type of application are so-called “liquid explosives” — highly concentrated dispersions of aqueous droplets in a continuous oil phase. The concentration of droplets reaches 96w. %. The width of the inter-phase layers in such a multi-phase system is of the order of nano-level. The length of tube transportation in a real manufacturing process can be of the order of several miles. Hence, the design of the transportation line is of primary technical interest. The practical calculations are based upon comprehensive studies of the rheological properties of highly concentrated emulsions, including an understanding of the role of droplet size, concentration of disperse phase, temperature and time effects (stability of emulsions). Direct measurements were carried out in a wide shear rate range. The results of the measurements indicated that the emulsions under study are rheopectic liquids (viscosity increases over time at a constant shear rate). Their steady flow curve is typical for a visco-plastic medium and is well fitted by the Hershel-Bulkley model. The yield stress is of the order of several tens Pa. The choice of a rheological model is however not crucial for application, since transportation in real technological regimes takes place at high flow rates where the power-type model of flow curves dominates. Systematic studies demonstrated that wall slip is absent over the entire range of the shear stresses under study. This type of rheological behavior was then used for tube transportation design. A more careful examination (based on rheological as well as direct optical observations) also showed that inflation could be observed on the flow curve. It was proven that this type of rheological behavior is related to the two-step mechanism of the flow of a multi-phase liquid. Measurements of normal stresses in shear flows are in accordance with this model of flow. Aqueous droplets in the emulsions under study are super-cooled water solutions of nitrate salts, with the concentration of the latter being of the order of 85%. This system is thermodynamically unstable. The study of time effects (“aging”) showed that slow crystallization in dispersed droplets takes place. This leads to the evolution of the rheological properties of emulsions that can be treated as an emulsion-to-suspension transition. The work was carried out in the Flow Process Research Center, Engineering Faculty, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, Republic of South Africa.


2020 ◽  
Vol 143 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lionel Talley Fogang ◽  
Muhammad Shahzad Kamal ◽  
Mohamed Mahmoud

Abstract Viscosified acids are desired in several oilfield applications such as in acid diversion and acid fracturing operations. The study aimed to delineate the rheological properties of a novel amine type surfactant and viscosified acid-surfactant solutions. The steady shear and dynamic rheological properties were evaluated by varying the surfactant, acid, and salt concentration. Such a study is required to gauge the suitability of the viscosifying agent in acid stimulation jobs. The surfactant solutions without acid showed shear-thinning behavior, whereas those with acid showed a Newtonian plateau over a wide shear rate range before undergoing shear thinning. This means that over a wide shear rate range, the acid-surfactant solutions become independent of applied shear. At low shear rates, the viscosity of the surfactant was higher compared with the surfactant-acid solution. However, at high shear rates, the viscosity of the surfactant was lower compared with the viscosity of the surfactant-acid solution. There was an optimal salt concentration that improved the viscosity and elasticity of the acid-surfactant solutions. Thus, the rheology of the surfactant solution can be improved by adding both acid and salt. The elastic properties of acid-surfactant solutions were also better compared with the elastic properties of pure surfactant. The addition of acid improved the elastic properties of the surfactant solutions. Constant viscosity over a range of shear rate is a suitable application for acid fracturing operations in which the acid leak-off will be minimal due to the high viscosity. Also, brines in most of the carbonate formation consist of high loading of calcium chloride which was found to have a positive effect on the viscosity. Increasing the calcium chloride leads to an increase in viscosity, and then subsequently decreases the viscosity. This shows that the acid and salt concentration plays a role in modifying the rheological properties of the surfactant solutions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liuhua Yang ◽  
Hongjiang Wang ◽  
Aixiang Wu ◽  
Hong Li ◽  
Arlin Bruno Tchamba ◽  
...  

Abstract Cemented paste backfill (CPB) is considered to be a concentrated suspension in which tailings are bonded together by the hydraulic binder and water, and it has a high solid volume concentration (≥50 vol.%). Although the shear thinning and thickening of CPB has been extensively reported in literature, the shear history effects have been ignored in previous studies. In this paper, by using rheometer and Focused Beam Reflectance Measurement, the relationship between the rheological properties and microstructure of the paste under different shear histories was studied. The results have shown that at a low shear rate, CPB revealed shear thinning, low yield stress and low index parameters; while exhibited shear thickening, high yield stress and high consistency index when at high shear rates of shear history. This agreed with the general trends shown in the FBRM analysis. It was proposed that the action of shear is beneficial to particle dispersion, whereas a high shear rate history tends to promote the aggregation of particles. It was revealed that both shear thinning and thickening of paste are related to the situation of particles (flocculation, dispersion and aggregation), and shear history effects play an important role in rheological properties of CPB.


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 4322-4339
Author(s):  
Salah Hamza

Knowledge of rheological properties of polymer and their variation with temperature and concentration have been globally important for processing and fabrication of polymers in order to make useful products. Basheer et al. [1] investigated, experimentally, the changes in rheological properties of metallocene linear low density polyethylene (mLLDPE) solutions by using a rotational rheometer model AR-G2 with parallel plate geometry. Their work covered the temperature range from  to  and  concentration from  to . In this paper, we reconsider Basheer work to describe the rheological behavior of mLLDPE solutions and its dependence on concentration and temperature.Until now, several models have been built to describe the complex behavior of polymer fluids with varying degrees of success. In this article, Oldroyd 4-constant, Giesekus and Power law models were tested for investigating the viscosity of mLLDPE solution as a function of shear rate. Results showed that Giesekus and power law models provide the best prediction of viscosity for a wide range of shear rates at constant temperature and concentration. Therefore, Giesekus and power law models were suitable for all mLLDPE solutions while Oldroyd 4-constant model doesn't.A new proposed correlation for the viscosity of mLLDPE solutions as a function of shear rate, temperature and concentration has been suggested. The effect of temperature and concentration can be adequately described by an Arrhenius-type and exponential function respectively. The proposed correlation form was found to fit the experimental data adequately.


Micromachines ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mira Cho ◽  
Sun Ok Hong ◽  
Seung Hak Lee ◽  
Kyu Hyun ◽  
Ju Min Kim

Viscoelastic fluids, including particulate systems, are found in various biological and industrial systems including blood flow, food, cosmetics, and electronic materials. Particles suspended in viscoelastic fluids such as polymer solutions migrate laterally, forming spatially segregated streams in pressure-driven flow. Viscoelastic particle migration was recently applied to microfluidic technologies including particle counting and sorting and the micromechanical measurement of living cells. Understanding the effects on equilibrium particle positions of rheological properties of suspending viscoelastic fluid is essential for designing microfluidic applications. It has been considered that the shear-thinning behavior of viscoelastic fluid is a critical factor in determining the equilibrium particle positions. This work presents the lateral particle migration in two different xanthan gum-based viscoelastic fluids with similar shear-thinning viscosities and the linear viscoelastic properties. The flexibility and contour length of the xanthan gum molecules were tuned by varying the ionic strength of the solvent. Particles suspended in flexible and short xanthan gum solution, dissolved at high ionic strength, migrated toward the corners in a square channel, whereas particles in the rigid and long xanthan gum solutions in deionized water migrated toward the centerline. This work suggests that the structural properties of polymer molecules play significant roles in determining the equilibrium positions in shear-thinning fluids, despite similar bulk rheological properties. The current results are expected to be used in a wide range of applications such as cell counting and sorting.


2018 ◽  
Vol 917 ◽  
pp. 134-139
Author(s):  
Fan Liu ◽  
Guang Cheng Jiang ◽  
Kai Wang ◽  
Jin Xi Wang

In this paper, we demonstrated an artificial nanoparticles, Laponite, as a high performance rheological modifier in water-based drilling fluids. We made a comparison between Laponite nanoparticle and bentonite as rheological modifier in polyanionic cellulose (PAC) solution and weitghted water-based drilling fluids. In viscosity-shear rate test, both Laponite and bentonite could translate 0.5 wt.% PAC solution from Newton fluids to yield-pseudoplastic fluid. However, 1 wt.% Laponite was better in improving the shear-thinning behavior compared with 4 wt.% bentonite. In the stress-shear rate test, the results were fit with Bingham model with a high R2, and 1 wt.% Laponite/0.5 wt.% PAC suspension had a yield point of 5.19 Pa, which was higher than that of 4 wt.% bentonite/0.5 wt.% PAC suspension (3.13 Pa). Similarly, 1 wt.% Laponite/0.5 wt.% PAC suspension maintained a G’ of 12 Pa in the oscillation frequency sweep test, whereas G’ of 4%bentonite/0.5%PAC suspension was nearly 5 Pa. Particularly, 0.5 wt.% PAC /Laponite suspensions could maintain higher gel structure, yield point and better shear-thinning behaviors after 120°C hot rolling. The TEM image revealed that nanoscaled Laponite could form a “star network” with PAC in water, which explained the good rheological properties of PAC/LAP mixed suspensions. Besides, in the weighted drilling fluids, 1 wt.% Laponite could maintained a much higher gel strength compared with 4 wt.% bentonite.As the unique rheological properties, Laponite nanoparticles can greatly enhance abilities of water-based drilling fluids in circulating cuttings and making the borehole clean.


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pasquale M. Falcone ◽  
Elisa Sabatinelli ◽  
Federico Lemmetti ◽  
Paolo Giudici

The molecular structure of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar (TBV) undergoes shear-induced and time-dependent jamming transitions due to the high solute concentration and self-assembling phenomena of high molecular size melanoidins with very-long relaxation times (12 years at least or more than 25). The purpose of this work was to perform a descriptive and quantitativeevaluation of relationships between rheological properties, vinegar composition, and perceptual assessment of sensory properties according to the official sensory procedure. With this aim, vinegars having quality traits matching legal requirements for the PDO designation were analyzed for their reducing sugars (glucose and fructose), volatile acidity, fixed acidity, pH, Brix degree, and density as well as for their flow behaviour and dynamic viscosity over a wide range of shear rates. Results showed that flow behaviour of TBV was affected by jamming properties over wide-scale ranges of shear rate producing flow instability below a shear rate of 60s-1. Homogeneous, continuous flow was found at medium-high shear rates with thickening and/or thinning traits. A common onset for the structure scaling was mathematically estimated to occur close to when the density was 1.32 gmL-1. Comparative analysis of rheological, compositional and sensory properties suggested that the colloidal jamming of the vinegar melanoidins dominated the total olfactive and gustative stimuli, and determined the classification of the vinegars that had a higher dynamic viscosity but more homogeneous flow as being of the highest commercial quality category. A robust statistical model was proposed encoding for the top-down decision-making process for quality assignment according to the official sensory procedure, using composition and flow properties as predictor variables. 


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