DIMENSIONLESS METHODS FOR THE STUDY OF PARTICLE SETTLING IN NON-NEWTONIAN FLUIDS

A systematic study of particle settling in polymer solutions and crosslinked gels used in the oil industry has been conducted. Friction factors obtained with falling sphere experiments and a newly developed direct drag-force measurement technique are correlated to two dimensionless groups. One group is the Reynold's number, N-Re, defined by the steady shear rheogram of the test fluids. Another group, N-ve is defined by the viscoelastic parameters of the polymer systems. Unique methods of obtaining parameters for these two dimensionless groups are discussed and an algorithm for the prediction of particle settling is introduced.