FLOW OF SOLUTIONS OF HYDROXYPROPYL GUAR POLY(ETHYLENE OXIDE) MIXTURESTHROUGH A POROUS-MEDIUM

In flow through porous media, solutions of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEG) exhibit extension thickening, whereas hydroxypropyl guar (HPG) solutio ns are shear-thinning at high concentrations. The results show that th e extension-thickening exhibited by PEO solutions becomes less critica l with increasing flow rate as the concentration of HPG in the solutio n is increased. At high concentrations of HPG, the presence of PEO inh ibits the shear-thinning behaviour, without increasing the apparent vi scosity of the solution. The presence of HPG reduces the rate and exte nt of degradation of PEO in the flowing solution.