Well Drilling Engineering
Rheology models &
Viscometer
Dr. DO QUANG KHANH
1
Rheological Models
• Newtonian
• Bingham Plastic
• Power-Law
Rotational Viscometer
2
Read
ADE Ch. 4
HW #
ADE 4.24, 4.29, 4.31
3
Rheological Models
1. Newtonian Fluid
2. Bingham Plastic Fluid
3. Power Law Fluid
4
Newtonian Fluid Model
F V
Experimentally ,
A L
Shear stress = viscosity * shear rate
5
F V
A L
Laminar Flow of Newtonian Fluids
6
Newtonian Fluid Model
In a Newtonian fluid the shear stress is
directly proportional to the shear rate (in
laminar flow):
. dyne 1
cm 2
sec
i.e.,
The constant of proportionality, is the
viscosity of the fluid and is independent of
shear rate.
7
Newtonian Fluid Model
dyne sec
.
cm 2
Viscosity may be expressed in poise or
centipoise.
dyne - s g
1 poise 1 1
cm 2
cm s
1 centipoise 0.01 poise
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 cm2
Distance between plates = 1 cm
Force req’d to move upper plate at 10 cm/s
= 100 dynes.
What is fluid viscosity?
11
Example 4.16
2
shear stress F / A 100 / 20 dynes/cm
shear rate V / L 10/1 sec -1
5 dyne s
0 .5 2
0 .5 poise
10 cm
50 cp
12
Bingham Plastic Model
13
Bingham Plastic Model
p y if y
0 if - y y
p y if - y
and y are often expressed in lbf/100 sq.ft
14
Bingham Plastic Model
g cm
454 980 2
lbf lbf lbf sec
1 2
2
* 2
100 ft 100 ft cm
30.48
ft
lbf
1 2
4.79 dyne/cm 2
(p.134)
100 ft
1 dyne is the force that, if applied to a standard 1 gram body,
would give that body an acceleration of 1 cm/sec2
15
Example 4.17
{parallel plates again!}
Bingham Plastic Fluid
Area of upper plate = 20 cm2
Distance between plates = 1 cm
1. Min. force to cause plate to move = 200 dynes
2. Force req’d to move plate at 10 cm/s = 400 dynes
Calculate yield point and plastic viscosity
16
Example 4.17
y p
Yield point,
Fy 200 dynes dynes
y 2
10
A 20 cm cm 2
lbf dynes
but 1 2
4 .79 2
100 ft cm
10
y 2 . 09 lbf/100 ft 2
4.79
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Example 4.17
Plastic viscosity, p is given by
y p
400 dynes 200 dynes 10 cm/s
p
1 cm
2 2
20 cm 20 cm
20 10 dyne s
p 1 2
1 poise
10 cm
i.e. p 100 cp
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Power-Law Model
19
Power-Law Model
n
K if 0
n 1
K if 0
n = flow behavior index
K = consistency index
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Power-Law Model
g cm
454 980 2
lbf s n
lbf s n
lbf sec
1 2
2
* 2
ft ft cm
30.48
ft
lbf s
n
1 2
479 dyne s / cm 479 eq. poise.
n 2
ft
lbf s n
1 2
47,900 eq. cp.
ft
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Example 4.18
Power-Law Fluid
Area of upper plate = 20 cm2
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
Area of upper plate
n = 20 cm2
4 K 4 Distance between plates
= 1 cm
Force on upper plate
n
50 4 = 50 dyne if v = 4 cm/s
K
20 1
2.5 K 4 ) i)
n
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Example 4.18
v = 10 cm/s Area of upper plate
= 20 cm2
10 K 10
n
Distance between plates
= 1 cm
Force on upper plate
n = 100 dyne
100 10
K if v = 10 cm/s
20 1
5 K 10 ) ii)
n
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2 .5 K 4 ) i)
Example 4.18 n
5 K 10 ) ii)
n
Combining Eqs. (i) & (ii):
5 K 10 n
2.5 n
2.5 K 4n
log 2 n log 2.5
n 0 .7565
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Example 4.18
5 K 10 ) ii)
n
From Eq. (ii):
5 5
K n 0.7565 0 .8760 eq. poise
10 10
K 87 . 6 eq. cp.
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Apparent Viscosity
Apparent viscosity = ( / )
is the slope at each shear rate, 1, 2 , 3 .
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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)
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Typical Drilling Fluid Vs. Newtonian,
Bingham and Power Law Fluids
(Plotted on linear paper)
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Summary: Rheological Models
1. Newtonian Fluid: shear stress
absolute viscosity
shear rate
2. Bingham Plastic Fluid:
y ( p ) * y yield point
p plastic viscosity
What if y 0?
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Summary: Rheological Models
3. Power Law Fluid:
n K = consistency index
K ( ) n = flow behavior index
When n = 1, fluid is Newtonian and K =
We shall use power-law model(s) to
calculate pressure losses (mostly).
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Rotational Viscometer
Rheological Models
• Newtonian
• Bingham Plastic
• Power-Law
Rotational Viscometer
Laminar Flow in Wellbore
• Fluid Flow in Pipes
• Fluid Flow in Annuli
32
Rotating Figure 3.6 Rheometer
Viscometer
We
determine
rheological
properties Infinite
of drilling parallel
fluids in plates
this device
33
Rheometer (Rotational
Viscometer)
sleeve
BOB f ( )
fluid
Shear Stress = f (Dial Reading)
Shear Rate = f (Sleeve RPM)
Shear Stress = f (Shear Rate)
(TAU), the Shear Stress depends on the
value of (GAMMA), the Shear Rate
34
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
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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
600 = 20
p 600 300 300 = 12
20 - 12
p 8 cp See Appendix A
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Example 600 = 20
300 = 12
y 300 p (See Appendix A)
12 - 8
y 4 lbf/100 ft 2
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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.
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600 = 20
Example 300 = 12
600 20
n 3.322 log 3.322 log
300 12
n 0.7370
510 300 510 *12
K n
0.7372
61.67 eq. cp
511 511
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Gel Strength
40
Gel Strength
= shear stress at which fluid movement begins
The yield strength, extrapolated from the
300 and 600 RPM readings 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)
41
Gel Strength
The gel strength is the maximum dial reading
when the viscometer is started at 3 rpm.
In field units, g 1 .06 lbf / 100 ft 2
In practice, this is often approximated to
g = max,3 lbf / 100 ft 2
42
Table 4.3 - Summary of Equations
for Rotational Viscometer
Newtonian a 300
Model
300
or a N
N
5 .066
2
N
r
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Table 4.3 - Summary of Equations for
Rotational Viscometer
Bingham Plastic Model
oror
p 60 0 30 0 p
300
( N 2 N1 )
N 2 N1
or
or
y 300 p N1
y N1 p
300
g max at 3 rpm
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Table 4.3 - Summary of Equations for
Rotational Viscometer
Power-Law Model
or N2
600 or log
n 3.322 log( ) N
300 n 1
N2
log
N1
or or
510 300
K 510 N
(511) n
K
(1.703N ) n
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