Energy-Savings Modeling of Oil Pipelines That Use Drag-Reducing Additives

New data are presented for drag reduction in a 307 mm in inner diameter × 84 km in length commercial pipeline using 12−25 vppm of a drag-reducing additive (DRA) gel that induced 36−45% drag reduction (DR) in diesel fuel flowing at Reynolds numbers from 60 000 to 160 000. These data were correlated by Hinkebein’s method for scaling drag reduction onset and slope parameters on Prandtl−Karman coordinates to form a model that simulates oil flow with DRA in pipelines. Also, energy savings from DRA use were obtained in two ways: first by the power reduction at constant fuel flow rate and second from the increase in fuel flow rate at constant power. At conditions corresponding to a fuel flow rate of 320 m3/h, the use of 20 vppm DRA can provide either a 42.6% reduction in energy or a 43.0% increase in flow rate.