A Type B Drag Reduction in pipe flows using Complex Mixtures

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to measure the drag reduction of the complex mixtures in the pipe flow. The friction factor was measured for bio-polymer solutions and aqueous suspensions of fine solid matter. The results indicated that the experimental data points of the test solutions diverged from the maximum drag reduction asymptote at and above Re√f ≅ 200 and aligned parallel to those of Newtonian fluids. Type B drag reduction was observed. The velocity profile in turbulent pipe flow was predicted using a semi-theoretical equation, in which the friction factors were determined using the difference between the experimental results of the tested solutions and Newtonian fluids.