Development of an Experimental Apparatus for Studying the Effects of Acoustic Excitation on Viscosity

• Author / Creator

  Evans, Marc David

• An experimental apparatus was developed capable of measuring changes in fluid viscosity occurring
  due to acoustic stimulation. Controls allowed measurements at simulated oil sand reservoir
  pressures and temperatures with near real-time data visualization. Calibration was performed using
  NIST-traceable viscosity standards. Parametric acoustic excitation experiments were performed on
  bitumen, bentonite slurries, and viscosity standards at 500psi static pressure, 20-80°C
  temperatures, ±100-400psi acoustic pressures, and 5-20Hz sinusoidal frequencies.
  The viscosities of bitumen and NIST standards were unaffected by excitation at any of these
  amplitudes/frequencies. Bentonite showed viscosity reductions as large as 75% with a positive
  correlation observed between acoustic excitation amplitude and magnitude of reduction.
  Frequency variation had minimal to no effect on viscosity. Bentonite viscosities quickly approached
  minimum values after the start of stimulation but took hours to plateau. Once stimulation ceased,
  slurries recovered to their pre-stimulated viscosities. Viscometer damage that occurred during
  testing prevented collection of results for oil sand.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Pressure
  • Oil sands
  • Viscosity
  • Bitumen
  • Excitation
  • Bentonite
  • Acoustic

• Graduation date

  Fall 2012

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3JS5N

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.