Gelled Crude Oil Particle Deformation under Hydraulic Suspension Transport Investigated by Numerical Simulation

Abstract

In hydraulic suspension transport, the gelled crude oil particles are known to change shape in response to local flow conditions. The phase field method is used to simulate the deformation for the gelled crude oil particle with the same internal and external fluid viscosities. For this purpose, an Image Pro Plus software records the major and minor axises and thus, analyzes digitally its deformation degree. Initially spheroidal oil droplet is simulated and it is shown that the gelled crude oil particle exhibits deformation behavior as the movement and its final stable shape close to oval. The deformation behavior is response to shear stress with a time of 0.08s delayed. In the range of delayed time, the gelled crude oil particle deforms with a little degree and after the delayed time, the deformation degree increases seriously.