Drag reducing polymers for low molecular weight liquids applications

1. A method for reducing the pressure drop associated with the turbulent flow of a low molecular weight fluid through a pipeline, said method comprising:

(a) introducing a drag reducing polymer into said low molecular weight fluid to form a mixture comprising said low molecular weight fluid and said drag reducing polymer;

(b) heating to partially vaporize said mixture comprising said low molecular weight fluid and said drag reducing polymer in a vaporization vessel, wherein said vaporization vessel contains a high molecular weight liquid that is miscible with said mixture and contacts said mixture, such that said low molecular weight fluid enters a gas phase and said high molecular weight liquid remains in a liquid phase;

(c) transferring said drag reducing polymer into said high molecular weight liquid from said mixture comprising said low molecular weight fluid and said drag reducing polymer to form (i) a drag reducer-containing high molecular weight liquid and (ii) a substantially drag reducer-free low molecular weight vapor; and

(d) recovering said substantially drag reducer-free low molecular weight vapor,

wherein said drag reducing polymer is a polymer selected from the group consisting of alpha-olefins, acrylamides, acrylamide acrylic acid copolymers (and salts thereof), acrylic esters, and methacrylic esters;

wherein said low molecular weight fluid is low molecular weight non-hydrocarbon fluids or low molecular weight hydrocarbon fluid; and

wherein said drag reducing polymer is a high molecular weight polymer having a weight average molecular weight greater than about 4 million.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of:

(e) recirculating said drag reducer-containing high molecular weight liquid through a high-shear device back into said vaporization vessel.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said drag reducing polymer is in a solution.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said low molecular weight fluid is a low molecular weight non-hydrocarbon fluid selected from the group consisting of ammonia (NH 3 ), hydrochloric acid (HCl), hydrofluoric acid (HF), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), silicon tetraflouride (SiF 4 ), hydrogen (H 2 ), borane (B 2 H6), freons, and mixtures thereof.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said low molecular weight fluid is a low molecular weight hydrocarbon fluid selected from the group consisting of natural gas liquids, liquid petroleum gases, and mixtures thereof.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said high molecular weight liquid is selected from the group consisting of diesels, gasolines, kerosenes, motor oils, crude oils, and mixtures thereof.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein a vaporization temperature within the vaporization vessel is within a range of about −50° F. and 250° F.

8. A method to separate a drag reducing polymer from a low molecular weight fluid, said method comprising:

(a) introducing a mixture comprising said low molecular weight fluid and said drag reducing polymer into a vaporization vessel, wherein said vaporization vessel contains a high molecular weight liquid that is miscible with said mixture and contacts said mixture, such that said low molecular weight fluid enters a gas phase and said high molecular weight liquid remains in a liquid phase;

(b) heating to partially vaporize said mixture to vaporize said low molecular weight fluid in said vaporization vessel;

(c) transferring said drag reducing polymer from said low molecular weight fluid to form (i) a substantially drag reducer free low molecular weight vapor and (ii) a high molecular weight liquid comprising a drag reducing polymer; and

(d) recovering said substantially drag reducer free low molecular weight vapor,

wherein said drag reducing polymer is a polymer selected from the group consisting of alpha-olefins, acrylamides, acrylamide acrylic acid copolymers (and salts thereof), acrylic esters, and methacrylic esters;

wherein said low molecular weight fluid is low molecular weight non-hydrocarbon fluids or low molecular weight hydrocarbon fluid; and

wherein said drag reducing polymer is a high molecular weight polymer having a weight average molecular weight greater than about 4 million.

9. The method in accordance with claim 8 further comprising the step of:

(e) recirculating said high molecular weight liquid comprising a said drag reducing polymer through a high shear device back into said vaporization vessel.

10. The method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said drag reducing polymer is in a solution.

11. The method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said low molecular weight fluid is a low molecular weight non-hydrocarbon fluid selected from the group consisting of ammonia (NH 3 ), hydrochloric acid (HCl), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), hydrofluoric acid (HF), silicon tetraflouride (SiF 4 ), hydrogen (H 2 ), borane (B 2 H 6 ), freons, and mixtures thereof.

12. The method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said low molecular weight fluid is a low molecular weight hydrocarbon fluid selected from the group consisting of natural gas liquids, liquid petroleum gases, and mixtures thereof.

13. The method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said high molecular weight liquid is selected from the group consisting of diesels, gasolines, kerosenes, motor oils, crude oils, and mixtures thereof.

14. The method in accordance with claim 8 wherein a vaporization temperature within the vaporization vessel is within a range of about −50° F. and 250° F.