1
PETE 411
Well Drilling
Lesson 11 
Laminar Flow
2
Lesson 11 - Laminar Flow
 Rheological Models
 Newtonian
 Bingham Plastic
 Power-Law
 Rotational Viscometer 
 Laminar Flow in Wellbore
 Fluid Flow in Pipes
 Fluid Flow in Annuli
3
Read
ADE  Ch. 4 to p. 138
HW #5
ADE  Problems 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6
Due Friday, Sept. 27, 2002
4
Newtonian Fluid Model
Shear stress = viscosity * shear rate
                          
A
F
         ,
L
V
ally Experiment    =
     =
5
Laminar Flow of Newtonian Fluids
                        
A
F
 
L
V
 =
6
Newtonian Fluid Model
In a Newtonian fluid the shear stress is 
directly proportional to the shear rate (in 
laminar flow):
i.e.,
The constant of proportionality,     is the 
viscosity of the fluid and is independent of 
shear rate.
=
sec
1
2
  
cm
dyne
     =
.
7
Newtonian Fluid Model
Viscosity may be expressed in poise or 
centipoise.
poise 0.01 centipoise 1
s cm
g
1
cm
s - dyne
1 poise 1
2
=
= =
2
cm
sec dyne   
= 
.
8
Shear Stress vs. Shear Rate for a 
Newtonian Fluid
Slope of line = == =      
.
     =
9
Example  - Newtonian Fluid
10
Example 4.16
Area of upper plate = 20 cm
2
Distance between plates = 1 cm
Force reqd to move upper plate at 10 cm/s
= 100 dynes.
What is fluid viscosity?
11
Example 4.16
poise 5 . 0
cm
s dyne
5 . 0
10
5
2
  =
= =
1 -
2
sec 10/1
dynes/cm 20 / 100
/
/
rate shear
stress shear 
= = =
L V
A F
cp 50 = 
     =
12
Bingham Plastic Model
13
Bingham Plastic Model
   - if            
- if                        0
  if            
y y p
y y
y y p
 <      = 
     = 
 >   +   = 
   and    
y
are often expressed  in lbf/100 sq.ft
14
Bingham Plastic Model
2
2
2 2
48 . 30
sec
980 454
*
100 100
1
=
ft
cm
cm
lbf
g
ft
lbf
ft
lbf
2
2
dyne/cm 79 . 4
100
1   =
ft
lbf
(p.134)
1 dyne is the force that, if applied to a standard 1 gram body,   
would give that body an acceleration of 1 cm/sec
2
15
Example 4.17
{parallel plates again!}
Bingham Plastic Fluid
Area of upper plate  = 20 cm
2
Distance between plates       = 1 cm
1.  Min. force to cause plate to move     = 200 dynes
2.  Force reqd to move plate at 10 cm/s = 400 dynes
Calculate yield point and plastic viscosity
16
Example 4.17
Yield point,
2 2
y
y
cm
dynes
10
cm 20
dynes 200
A
F
= = = 
2 2
cm
dynes
79 . 4
ft 100
lbf
1   but   =
 
79 . 4
10
y
  = = 
2
ft lbf/100 09 . 2
+ =      
p y
17
Example 4.17
cp 100   . e . i
p
 = 
poise 1 1
10
10 20
2
  =
= 
cm
s dyne
p
+ =
cm 1
cm/s 10
cm 20
dynes 200
cm 20
dynes 400
2 2
  p
Plastic viscosity,
  p
+ =      
p y
by given  is
18
Power-Law Model
19
Power-Law Model
n = flow behavior index
K = consistency index
0 if       K
0 if           K
1 n
n
< =
 =
 
 
   
  
20
Power-Law Model
2
2
2
n
2
n
ft
cm
48 . 30
sec
cm
980
lbf
g
454
*
ft
s lbf
ft
s lbf
1
. poise . eq 479 cm / s dyne 479
ft
s lbf
1
2 n
2
n
=  =
. cp . eq 900 , 47
ft
s lbf
1
2
n
=
21
Example 4.18
Power-Law Fluid
Area of upper plate  = 20 cm
2
Distance between plates  = 1 cm
Force on upper plate = 50 dyne if   v = 4 cm/s
Force on upper plate = 100 dyne if v = 10 cm/s
Calculate consistency index  (K)  and 
flow behavior index  (n)
22
Example 4.18
v = 4 cm/s
(   )
n
n
n
4 4
4 K 5 . 2
1
4
K
20
50
K
=
=
 = 
  
Area of upper plate 
= 20 cm
2
Distance between plates 
= 1 cm
Force on upper plate
=50 dyne if   v = 4 cm/s
( (( (i) )) )
23
Example 4.18
v = 10 cm/s
(   )
n
n
n
10 10
10 K 5
1
10
K
20
100
K
=
=
 = 
  
Area of upper plate 
= 20 cm
2
Distance between plates 
= 1 cm
Force on upper plate
=100 dyne 
if   v = 10 cm/s
( (( (ii) )) )
24
Example 4.18
Combining Eqs. (i) & (ii):
5 . 2 log n 2 log
5 . 2
4 K 
10 K
5 . 2
5
n
n
n
=
= =
7565 . 0 n=
(   )
n
K 4 5 . 2   =   ( (( (i) )) )
( (( (ii) )) )
(   )
n
K 10 5  =
25
Example 4.18
From Eq. (ii):
poise eq. 8760 . 0
10
5
10
5
K
7565 . 0 n
  = = = 
cp. eq. 6 . 87 K =
(   )
n
K 10 5 =
  ( (( (ii) )) )
26
Apparent Viscosity
Apparent viscosity = ( / )
is the slope at each shear rate,
    
   . , ,
3 2 1
27
Apparent Viscosity
Is not constant for a pseudoplastic fluid
The apparent viscosity decreases with 
increasing shear rate
(for a power-law fluid)
(and also for a
Bingham Plastic fluid)
28
Typical Drilling Fluid Vs. 
Newtonian, Bingham and Power 
Law Fluids
0 00 0
(Plotted on linear paper)
29
Rheological Models
1.  Newtonian Fluid:
2.  Bingham Plastic Fluid:
=     
rate shear
 viscosity absolute
stress shear 
=
=
=
+ =       * ) (
  p y
 viscosity plastic
point yield
=
=
p
y
What if   
y
  = == =    0?
30
3.  Power Law Fluid:
 When n = 1, fluid is Newtonian  and  K = 
 We shall use power-law model(s) to 
calculate pressure losses (mostly).
n
) ( K
  
=    
K = consistency index
n = flow behavior index
Rheological Models
31
Figure 3.6
Rotating 
Viscometer
Rheometer
We 
determine 
rheological
properties 
of drilling 
fluids in 
this device
Infinite 
parallel 
plates
32
Rheometer (Rotational 
Viscometer)
Shear Stress = f (Dial Reading)
Shear Rate = f (Sleeve RPM)
Shear Stress = f (Shear Rate)
) ( f    =
BOB
sleeve
fluid
Rate Shear the (GAMMA), of value   
  the on depends Stress Shear the ), TAU (
33
Rheometer - base case
RPM sec
-1
3 5.11
6 10.22
100 170
200 340
300 511
600 1022
RPM * 1.703 = sec
-1
34
Example
A rotational viscometer containing a Bingham 
plastic fluid gives a dial reading of 12 at a rotor 
speed of 300 RPM and a dial reading of 20 at a rotor 
speed of 600 RPM 
Compute plastic viscosity and yield point
12 - 20     
300 600 p
=
 =     
cp 8
p
 = 
  
600 600 600 600
= 20
  
300 300 300 300
= 12
See Appendix A
35
Example
8 - 12     
p 300 y
=
 =     
2
y
ft lbf/100 4 = 
  
600 600 600 600
= 20
  
300 300 300 300
= 12
(See Appendix A)
36
Rotational Viscometer, Power-Law Model
Example: A rotational viscometer containing 
a non-Newtonian fluid gives a dial reading of 
12 at 300 RPM and 20 at 600 RPM.
Assuming power-law fluid, calculate the flow 
behavior index and the consistency index.
37
Example
cp eq. 67 . 61
511
12 * 510
511
510
7370 . 0
12
20
  log 322 . 3 log 322 . 3
7372 . 0
300
300
600
= = =
=
=
n
K
n
n
  
600 600 600 600
= 20
  
300 300 300 300
= 12
38
Gel Strength 
39
Gel Strength 
= shear stress at which fluid movement begins
 The yield strength, extrapolated from the 
300 and 600 RPMreadings is not a good 
representation of the gel strength of the fluid
 Gel strength may be measured by turning  the 
rotor at a low speed and noting the dial 
reading at which the gel structure is broken
(usually at 3 RPM)
40
Gel Strength
In field units,
In practice, this is often approximated to
    06 . 1
g
 =
2
ft 100 / lbf
2
ft 100 / lbf
The gel strength is the maximumdial reading 
when the viscometer is started at 3 rpm.
  
g
=   
max,3
41
Velocity Profiles
(laminar flow)
Fig. 4-26. Velocity profiles for laminar flow: 
(a) pipe flow and (b) annular flow
42
 It looks like concentric rings of fluid 
telescoping down the pipe at different velocities
3D View of Laminar Flow in a pipe 
- Newtonian Fluid
43
Table 4.4 - Summary of Laminar Flow 
Equations for Pipes and Annuli
Fictional Pressure Loss Shear Rate at Pipe Well
Newtonian
Pipe Pipe
Annulus Annulus
2
_
f
d 500 , 1
v
dL
dp   
=
2
1 2
_
f
) d d ( 000 , 1
v
dL
dp
=
  
d
v 96
_
w
  =
) d d (
v 144
1 2
_
w
44
Table 4.4 - Summary of Laminar Flow 
Equations for Pipes and Annuli
Fictional Pressure Loss Shear Rate at Pipe Wall
Bingham Plastic
Pipe Pipe
Annulus Annulus
d 225 d 500 , 1
v
dL
dp
y
2
_
p
f
   
+ =
) d d ( 200 ) d d ( 000 , 1
v
dL
dp
1 2
y
1 2
_
p
f
=
   
p
y
_
w
7 . 159
d
v 96
   + =
p
y
1 2
_
w
5 . 239
) d d (
v 144
45
Table 4.4 - Summary of Laminar Flow 
Equations for Pipes and Annuli
Fictional Pressure Loss Shear Rate at Pipe Well
Power-Law
Pipe Pipe
Annulus Annulus
n
n
n
f
  n
d
v K
dL
dp
  +
=
+
0416 . 0
/ 1 3
000 , 144
1
_
n
n
n
f
  n
d d
v K
dL
dp
=
+
0208 . 0
/ 1 2
) ( 000 , 144
1
1 2
_
) n / 1 3 (
d
v 24
_
w
  + =
) n / 1 2 (
d d
v 48
1 2
_
w
  +
46
Table 4.3 - Summary of Equations 
for Rotational Viscometer
Newtonian 
Model
N a
N
300
 = 
N
r
066 . 5
2
= 
300 a
   = 
or               
47
Table 4.3 - Summary of Equations for 
Rotational Viscometer
300
N
or
1
p N y
1
        =
rpm 3 at
max g
      =
Bingham Plastic Model
300 600 p
        =
) (
N N
300
or
1 2
N N
1 2
p
       
=
p 300 y
        =
or 
or               
48
Table 4.3 - Summary of Equations for 
Rotational Viscometer
Power-Law Model
=
1
2
N
N
N
N
log
log
n
1
2
n
300
) 511 (
  510
K
  
=
n
N
) N 703 . 1 (
  510
K
or
=
or
or               
) log( 322 . 3 n
300
600
=
or