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Abstract

This thesis describes the effects of the 4-lobe swirl-inducing pipe on pressure drops for water, sand-water slurry and carboxymethyl cellulose fluids. The pressure drops were measured for two 4-lobe swirl-inducing pipe combined, one 4-lobe swirl-inducing pipe and without swirl-inducing pipe. The swirling pipe applications were installed before a bend on radius-to-diameter (R/D) ratio of 4. The pressure drops were measured on three different locations, before and after the 4-lobe swirl-inducing pipe, and after the bend.

Swirling flow behaviours were observed for sand-water slurry at different concentrations. Reynolds number indicated water and sand-water slurries in turbulent regimes. The sand particles were evenly distributed when induced with swirling flow, which caused less wear effect on a pipe-cross section. Results indicated that the swirl-inducing pipe increased the pressure drop for higher concentrations.

The 4-lobe swirl-inducing pipe caused an increased in pressure drop over horizontal pipe and a reduction in pressure drop over the bend. Results showed that the overall pressure drops across pipe (after swirl and bend) were increased with swirl-inducing pipe.