What is a Flow Loop?

A flow loop enables the end user to test, quantify, and evaluate the performance of a friction reducer by monitoring the pressure losses of a fluid in a pipe in the turbulent flow regime. The effect of friction reducers on both flow rate and pressure are analyzed and reported.

At Obsidian Chemical Solutions, our flow loop provides fast, accurate, and reliable results which provide great insight into our understanding of friction reducers. The system circulates test fluid through two different diameter test sections to generate differential pressure versus flow rate data.

The test fluid injection system comprises a mixing tank to thoroughly mix and homogenize the additives in the test fluid, and a low-shear pump whose flow rate is controlled by a flow meter. High-accuracy differential pressure transducers are implemented in each tubing diameter allowing multiple data readings per test.

Additives can be injected into the flow stream via a metering pump or directly added into the mixing tank. Differential pressure, pressure, temperature, flow rate, and Reynolds number are computed in real-time. The system can be operated as an open or closed circuit, i.e. recirculation.