Mechanical Engineering ETDs

Publication Date

Spring 4-6-2017

Abstract

In the study, a drilling fluid with known properties is analyzed and simulated in the laminar regime through a pipe with dimensions of 1.5m in length and 0.02m in diameter. The purpose of the conducted analysis is to demonstrate the advantages of the Herschel-Bulkley model currently used in the oil and gas industry for analyzing non-Newtonian drilling fluids.

For comparison, the analysis is also performed using more simple models for non-Newtonian fluids such as the Bingham Plastic model and the Power Law model and for a Newtonian fluid (water). In addition to analytical models, computations are conducted using commercial computational fluid dynamics software: Star-CCM+ and Solidworks Flow Simulation.

The comparison of the model results are mainly considered in the pipe entrance region, because this flow area is of importance for drilling processes. The differences between the fluid models is largely apparent in this region.

Keywords

Simulation, Herschel-Bulkley, entrance, boundary, layer, pipe

Degree Name

Mechanical Engineering

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Mechanical Engineering

First Committee Member (Chair)

Svetlana Poroseva

Second Committee Member

Randall Truman

Third Committee Member

Peter Vorobieff

Document Type

Thesis

Language

English

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