On August 1, 2013, STWA entered into an Agreement with TransCanada Keystone Pipeline to test the effectiveness of the AOT technology and equipment on an operating pipeline with a flow of 20,000 gallons per minute. The first full test of the AOT equipment on the Keystone pipeline was performed in July 2014, with preliminary data analyzed and reported by Dr. Rongjia Tao of Temple University.
” Flows through pipes, such as crude oil through pipelines, are the most common and important method of transportation of fluids. To enhance the flow output along the pipeline requires reducing viscosity and suppressing turbulence simultaneously and effectively. Unfortunately, no method is currently available to accomplish both goals simultaneously. Here we show that electrorheology provides an efficient solution. When a strong electric field is applied along the flow direction in a small section of pipeline, the field polarizes and aggregates the particles suspended inside the base liquid into short chains along the flow direction. Such aggregation breaks the rotational symmetry and makes the fluid viscosity anisotropic. In the directions perpendicular to the flow, the viscosity is substantially increased, effectively suppressing the turbulence. Along the flow direction, the viscosity is significantly reduced; thus the flow along the pipeline is enhanced. Recent field tests with a crude oil pipeline fully confirm the theoretical results."
The suppressed turbulence is a bonus that was not considered or advertised when TransCanada signed a deal to test the AOT in 2013. Also an independent laboratory performed viscosity measurements at the TransCanada facility during subsequent testing in September 2014 and submitted a report which concluded that data indicated a decrease in viscosity of crude oil flowing through the TransCanada pipeline due to AOT treatment of the crude oil.
So why are we not seeing sales?
The July 2014 results showed reduced viscosity of the crude oil, but also determined that the efficacy of the AOT technology was constrained due to the limitations of the electric field applied by the power supply installed. STWA and TransCanada mutually agreed that this initial test was flawed due to, among other factors, the short term nature of the test, the inability to isolate certain independent pipeline operating factors such as fluctuations in upstream pump station pressures. TransCanada is still under NDA with STWA for a reason and I suspect there will be more tests. A company thinking of spending millions on a new technology will want to be absolutely sure the device performs consistently with changing oil types, variable air temperature, and has the potential to be relied on for many years.
When TC decided to stop testing the AOT they did assign an engineer to work with STWA (I remember reading this somewhere, but I could not find a reference). Because of the NDA we do not know for sure what they are doing. Logically the AOT is being fitted with a device that can be calibrated allowing the unit to adapt to as many variables as possible. The AOT will then need to be tested thoroughly and it's ability to adapt refined to produce the optimum electric field as oil type changes before any contract is signed.
