Flow Direction-Dependent Elastic Instability in a Symmetry-Breaking Microchannel

This paper reports flow direction-dependent elastic instability in a symmetry-breaking microchannel. The microchannel consisted of a square chamber and a nozzle structure. A viscoelastic polyacrylamide solution was used for the instability demonstration. The instability was realized as the viscoelastic flow became asymmetric and unsteady in the microchannel when the flow exceeded a critical Weissenberg number. The critical Weissenberg number was found to be different for the forward-directed flow and the backward-directed flow in the microchannel.

Laboratory studies of shear strength of sands pervaded by polyacrylamide solution

Представлены результаты исследования сопротивления песчаных грунтов сдвигу, а также сопротивления сдвигу по контактной поверхности «бетон – грунт» при заполнении пор грунта полиакриламидными полимерными растворами.

Temperature Dependence of the Shear-Thinning Behavior o Partially Hydrolyzed Polyacrylamide Solution for Enhanced Oil Recovery

The viscosity of injection fluid is a critical parameter that should be considered for the design and evaluation of polymer flood, which is an effective and popular technique for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). It is known that the shear-thinning behavior of EOR polymer solutions is affected by temperature. In this study, temperature dependence (25–70 °C) of the viscosity of a partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide solution, the most widely used EOR polymer for oil field applications, was measured under varying conditions of the polymer solution (polymer concentration: 500–3000 ppm, NaCl salinity: 1000–10,000 ppm). Under all conditions of the polymer solution, it was observed that the viscosity decreases with increasing temperature. The degree of temperature dependence, however, varies with the conditions of the polymer solution. Martin model and Lee correlations were used to estimate the dependence of the viscosity of the polymer solution on the polymer concentration and salinity. In this study, we proposed a new empirical model to better elucidate the temperature dependence of intrinsic viscosity. Analysis of the measured viscosities shows that the accuracy of the proposed temperature model is higher than that of the existing temperature model.

Using free radical polymerization and Mannich reaction, synthesis and characterization of cationic polyacrylamides having similar molecular weight but different charge densities

Using free radical solution polymerization technique and Mannich reaction, five different polyacrylamides with similar molecular weight but variable charge densities were synthesized. High molecular weight polyacrylamides were synthesized using potassium persulfate and N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine system as initiators. This was achieved by increasing the concentration of acrylamide monomer. They were then characterized by infrared spectroscopy, viscosity measurements and glass transition temperature measurement. These compounds with various cationic charge densities from 48.2, 161.7, 355, 425 and 485 C/g were prepared through Mannich reaction. The results indicate, by increasing the acidity of the polyacrylamide solution using sulfuric acid, the pH of the polyacrylamide solution decreases correspondingly. As a result, the positive charges increased resulting in the enrichment of charge densities.