| Fully developed turbulent flow of water and drag reducing fluids through a horizontal flow loop with concentric annular geometry (inner to outer pipe radius ratio = 0.4) was investigated using the Particle Image Velocimetry technique. Experiments were conducted at solvent Reynolds numbers ranged from 17,700 to 66,900. Initially, the study was focused on analyses of the mean flow and turbulence statistics such as near wall velocity profile, Reynolds stress distribution, axial and radial velocity fluctuations, vorticity fluctuations and turbulent kinetic energy budget.;The hole cleaning experiments were also conducted using water and drag reducing fluids. Critical velocities for the initiation of cuttings movement with rolling, saltation/dunes, and suspension modes were determined and compared when using water and drag reducing fluids as a carrier fluid. Critical velocities for the initiation of cuttings movement were found to be lower with water than that of drag reducing fluid in all transport modes. |
