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ISSN Online: 2377-424X

ISBN Print: 0-85295-345-3

International Heat Transfer Conference 10
August, 14-18, 1994, Brighton, UK

THE MIXED CONVECTION FLOW OF NEWTONIAN AND NON NEWTONIAN FLUIDS IN A VERTICAL FRACTURE

Get access (open in a dialog) DOI: 10.1615/IHTC10.3460
pages 591-596

Abstract

Hydraulic fracturing is a process used in the oil industry to enhance the production level of an oil well. A fracture is created in the rock formation by pumping a fluid at high pressures down the well-bore. The fluid contains particles (normally sand), called proppant, which settle downwards so that the fracture remains open when the fluid is removed at the end of the process. Free and mixed convection effects occur due to the temperature of the fluid being less than the temperature of the rock formation and these effects are believed to be detrimental to the settling process of the proppant particles. A computational approach is used to obtain an approximate solution for the temperature distribution and velocity profiles of the fluid in the fracture using typical oilfield parameters. It is concluded that heat transfer is an important factor in the settling process of the proppant particles.