CATEGORY: PIPELINES
Energy Fuels, 2012, 26 (7), pp 4426–4437
Study
of Heavy Crude Oil Flows in Pipelines with Electromagnetic Heaters
Ricardo Dunia * and Thomas F. Edgar
rdunia@che.utexas.edu
Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin,
Texas 78712, United States
Abstract
The
electromagnetic heating of heavy crude oil in cylindrical pipes represents a
novel technique to reduce fluid viscosity and diminish the cost required for
its transportation. Authors solve the oil viscous fluid momentum and energy
balances, which include the effects of electromagnetic heating, variable
viscosity, and fluid dielectric properties, in cylindrical coordinates.
The electromagnetic energy absorbed by oil is converted into
sensible heat. This could significantly
reduce the viscosity of heavy crude oil fluids. The drop in fluid viscosity
diminishes flow pressure losses in pipelines, reducing the number and size of
pumping stations between oil producers and consumers.
Full Text Source (Subscription or Fee): http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ef300537e
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