| abstract |
THIS INVENTION RELATESTO IMPROVED HYDRODYNAMIC DRAG REDUCING FORMULATIONS WHICH COMPRISE (A) PARTICULATE ETHYLENE OXIDE POLYMER, (B) AN INERT, NORMALLY-LIQUID, WATER-MISCIBE ORGANIC VEHICLE WHICH IS A NON-SOLVENT FOR SAIDETHYLENE OXIDE POLYMER SUCH AS PROPYLENE GLYCOL, (C) A SUSPENDING AGENT WHICH IS NON-REACTVE WITH SAID ETHYLENE OXIDE POLYMER AND SAID ORGANIC VEHICLE SUCH AS COLLOIDAL SILICA, AND (D) A SURFACE ACTIVE AGENT. THE USE OF THE SURFACE ACTIVE AGENT RESULTS IN SYSTEMS WHICH ARE CHARACTERIZED BY THEIR IMPROVED HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS FLUIDITY, PUMPABILITY, AND/OR POURABILITY. THOUGH THE VISCOSITY OFTHE SYSTEM IS SGNIFICANTLY DECREASED, THE HYDRODYNAMIC DRAG DEDUCTION EFFICIEOCY CHARACTERISTIC REMAINS PRACTICALLY UNAFFECTED. MOREOVER, AT SUCH DECREASED VISCOSITY LEVELS ONE CAN NOW INCREASE, TO A SIGNIFICANT EXTENT, THE CONCENTRATION OF ETHYLENE OXIDE POLYMER IN THE SYSTEM AND STILL MAINTAIN A VISCOSITY LEVEL WHICH IS NO GREATER THAN COMPARABLE SYSTEMS FORMULATED WITHOUT A SURFACE ACTIVE AGENT. |