Drag reducing agent is a kind of reagent which can reduce the resistance of fluid in transportation. Most of them are water-soluble or oil-soluble polymers.

Brief Introduction

For example, water soluble polyethylene oxide (PEO) can reduce the resistance of water in the pipeline by 75% with only 25mg / kg, and the water outflow rate can be increased several times, so it can be used for fire fighting or other emergency water use occasions; when the dosage of oil soluble polyisobutylene is 60 mg / kg, the transportation capacity of crude oil in the pipeline can be greatly improved, which plays the role of increasing transportation and energy saving.

The chemical agent used to reduce fluid flow resistance is called drag reducing agent (DRA). Drag reducer is widely used in crude oil and product oil pipeline transportation. It is an important means to improve pipeline circulation capacity and reduce energy consumption in specific areas. The friction resistance of fluid restricts the flow of fluid in the pipeline, resulting in the decrease of pipeline throughput and the increase of energy consumption. The polymer drag reduction method is to inject a small amount of polymer into the fluid to reduce the flow resistance in turbulent state.

History of development

At the end of 1960s, ZODR-101 drag reducing agent was developed by Conoco company of the United States. It was patented in 1972. From 1977 to 1979, it was first commercialized and applied to trans Alaska crude oil pipeline to cross station transportation and increase transportation capacity, and achieved great success. In 1981, ZODR-102 type drag reducer was successfully developed, and its performance is several times higher than ZODR-101. In the early 1980s, the drag reduction test of product oil pipeline was carried out, which was used for drag reduction of gasoline, kerosene, diesel oil, NGL and LPG, and was officially applied in the product oil pipeline in 1984. In the mid-1970s, shellco of the United States and shell Inc of Canada applied for the patent of drag reducer. In 1983, American Atlantic Richfield co company developed arcflo drag reducing agent, adding 5ppm can achieve 20% drag reduction effect. It is difficult to control the production conditions of drag reducing polymer. Only a few companies in the world monopolize this technology, such as Conoco company and Baker Hughes company in the United States. Their products basically represent the highest level and development direction of drag reduction agent production process in the world.

In 1982, Zhejiang University of China began to develop and test the domestic drag reducer. In 1985, the trial production of ZODR type drag reducer was carried out, and the medium-sized test was carried out on domestic crude oil pipeline. The product performance has reached the level of foreign countries in the early 1970s. In 1984, Chengdu University of science and technology also published the research and development results of ZODR type drag reducer. In the tests of the above two universities, diesel oil and kerosene were used. In recent years, the pipeline science and technology research center of Qingdao Zoranoc Oilfield Chemical company has carried out the research work of drag reduction agent, and has achieved success. The performance of ZODR series drag reducer products has reached the international level of similar products.