Title: Experimental Investigation on the Rheology of Foams
Author(s):Luis Fernando Bonilla, Universidad Surcolombian, Neiva, Huila, Columbia, and Subhash N. Shah, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
Presentation: 2000 SPE/CERI Gas Technology Symposium
Location: Calgary, Alberta Canada
Date: April 3-5, 2000
Abstract: In this study, the rheology of foams was investigated using aqueous foams and gelled foams and employing a pipe type viscometer. Water was used as the liquid phase for the aqueous foams while guar was used as the gelling agent for the gelled foams. Surfactant at 0.5% (vol.) concentration was used as the foaming agent. The flow data showed that foams behave like Herschel-Bulkley model fluids. New empirical correlations have been developed from the experimental data to predict foam fluid apparent viscosity. These correlations are function of liquid phase properties and foam quality and are applicable to the foam systems tested in the wide range of shear rates and temperatures investigated. The use of these new correlations will provide more accurate estimation of the foam fluid rheological properties.