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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Pressure falloff testing to characterize CO 2 plume and dry-out zone during CO 2 injection in saline aquifers

The fluid mobilities and the lateral extent of the CO 2 plume and the dry-out zone are among important unknowns required to effectively manage CO 2 storage in saline aquifers projects. These unknowns can be derived from pressure falloff testing which has been widely used to characterize the subsurface. This paper provides a three-region analytical solution for falloff pressure during the infinite-acting period of CO 2 injection in saline aquifers. The solution is derived using Laplace transformation technique of the governing diffusivity equations and the accompanying initial and boundary conditions. The exact solution is validated against numerical results obtained from a black-oil reservoir simulator for two cases. The solution is approximated into simple forms in real-time domain considering different time periods. Then, a graphical semi-log analysis technique based on the approximate solutions is provided as an interpretation tool of falloff tests where the fluid mobilities and the extents of dry-out zone and CO 2 plume can be inferred. The interpretation technique is applied to synthetic falloff test data to investigate its potential and reliability.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2021

NRAP-Open-IAM Analytical Reservoir Model: Development and Testing

Geological carbon sequestration (GCS) is a key technology for reducing global carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions. Over the last decade, the U.S. Department of Energy has invested in understanding the science base, developing practical implementation methods, and demonstrating secure GCS technologies to mitigate the environmental impacts associated with the atmospheric release of CO 2 . As part of the National Risk Assessment Partnership, a systems-level risk assessment tool, called the NRAP-Open-IAM, has been developed to conduct risk assessment and enable safe operations at a GCS site. The current NRAP-Open-IAM contains a simple reservoir model component that calculates the evolution of CO 2 saturation and fluid pressure in a storage reservoir during CO 2 injection operations. This report presents the development and testing of a new analytical reservoir reduced-order model (ROM), which is extended from an existing semi-analytical model for estimation of CO 2 and brine leakage along legacy wells, and enhances the capability of the NRAP-Open-IAM to simulate more types of reservoir conditions. The developed model is validated against three reference studies, and the results indicate that the new ROM predicts the behavior of the two-phase fluids (brine and injected CO 2 ) well and is applicable to different reservoir simulation boundary conditions (i.e., constant pressure boundary and infinite-acting boundary) without a priori user specification of the boundary type. Sensitivity analysis for a set of model parameters is performed using 4,000 synthetic cases prepared via a fully automated process and using machine-learning-based feature selection. The stochastic analysis identifies gravitational number (i.e., ratio of gravitational forces to viscous force) and distance between the injection well and observation location as the most impactful parameters for matching the pressure and CO 2 saturation, respectively, between the numerical simulations and the ROM. This report details the possible ROM uncertainties and serves as a guide for users to understand the use and limitations of this ROM. The code implementation of the model will be released as a module within the NRAP-Open-IAM.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Pellet triggering of edge localized modes in low collisionality pedestals at DIII-D

Edge localized modes (ELMs) are triggered using deuterium pellets injected into plasmas with ITER-relevant low collisionality pedestals, and the resulting peak ELM energy fluence is reduced by approximately 25%–50% relative to natural ELMs destabilized at similar pedestal pressures. Cryogenically frozen deuterium pellets are injected from the low-field side of the DIII-D tokamak at frequencies lower than the natural ELM frequency, and heat flux is measured by infrared cameras. Ideal MHD pedestal stability calculations show that without pellet injection, these low collisionality pedestals were limited by their current density (peeling-limited) rather than their pressure gradient (ballooning-limited). ELM triggering success correlates strongly with pellet mass, consistent with the theory that a large pressure perturbation is required to trigger an ELM in low collisionality discharges that are far from the ballooning stability boundary. For sufficiently large pellets, both instantaneous and time-integrated ELM energy deposition measured by infrared cameras is reduced with respect to naturally occurring ELMs at the inner strike point, which is the position where it is largest for natural ELMs. Energy fluence at the outer strike point is less effected. Cameras observing both heat flux and D-alpha emission often find significant toroidally asymmetric striations in the outboard far scrape-off layer resulting from ELMs that are triggered by pellets. Toroidal asymmetries at the inner strike point are similar between natural and pellet-triggered ELMs, indicating that the reduction in peak heat flux and total fluence at that location is robust for the conditions reported here.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Multi-injection investigation of a high-volatility diesel in advanced compression ignition combustion for NO x control

Traditional selective catalytic reduction aftertreatment technologies used to reduce [Formula: see text] are very limited at exhaust temperatures below [Formula: see text]. Therefore, under these low engine load conditions, having effective in-cylinder control of [Formula: see text] emissions is important. Previous work by the authors explored the effect of fuel physical properties on the ability to control [Formula: see text] in-cylinder. That work was limited to one direct injection near top dead center. Modern diesel high-pressure fuel systems have the capability of five or more injections in one engine cycle. A higher-volatility diesel fuel and high amounts of exhaust gas recirculation to delay ignition could provide an opportunity for reduction in engine-out [Formula: see text] through an increased level of fuel premixing. By appropriately timing multiple short injections, a more optimal distribution of fuel in-cylinder may be achieved, which could reduce [Formula: see text] while maintaining an efficient combustion phasing. A computational fluid dynamics model previously validated against experimental data was used to explore several injection strategies with increased levels of fuel premixing to assess the potential trade-offs between [Formula: see text] and CO/unburned hydrocarbon (UHC) emissions and thus reduce reliance on the aftertreatment system for [Formula: see text] control. The results show that the devised injection strategies resulted in an increased level of fuel premixing. However, none of the attempted injection strategies resulted in significant [Formula: see text] reductions, and all strategies showed a significant increase in CO and UHC emissions.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Modeling of fluid injection-induced fault reactivation using coupled fluid flow and mechanical interface model

The present study is aimed at developing a numerical model to reproduce coupled hydro-mechanical processes associated with fault reactivation by fluid injection in low permeability rock, as part of the DECOVALEX-2019 project Task B. We proposed a modeling approach for simulating the processes using the TOUGH-FLAC simulator, and modeled a fault reactivation experiment conducted at Mont Terri Rock Laboratory in Switzerland. The first step of the study involved benchmark calculations considering a simplified fault plane and geometry. Fluid flow along a fault was modeled using elements of aperture-sized thickness on the basis of Darcy's law and the cubic law in TOUGH2, whereas the mechanical behavior of a single fault was represented by zero-thickness interface elements in FLAC3D upon which a slip and/or separation is allowed. A methodology to connect a TOUGH2 volume element to a FLAC3D interface element was developed for handling the hydro-mechanical interactions on the fault during fluid injection. Two different fault models for describing the evolutions of hydraulic aperture by elastic fracture opening and failure-induced aperture increase were considered in the benchmark calculations. In the coupling process, the changes in geometrical features and hydrological properties induced by mechanical deformation were continuously updated. The transient responses of the fault and host rock to stepwise pressurization were examined during the simulation. The hydro-mechanical behavior, including the injection flow rate, pressure distribution around the borehole, stress conditions, and displacements in normal and shear directions were monitored in the surrounding rock and along the fault. The results of benchmark calculations suggest that the developed model reasonably represents the hydro-mechanical behavior of a fault and the surrounding rock. This modeling approach was applied to the fault reactivation experiment of the Mont Terri Rock Laboratory. In this interpretive modeling, a parametric study was conducted to examine the effects of input parameters regarding in situ stress and fault properties on the hydro-mechanical responses of the fault to water injection. Then, an optimal parameter set to reproduce the field experiment results was chosen by trial-and-error. The injection flow rate and pressure response during fault reactivation closely matched those obtained at the site, which indicates the capability of the model to appropriately capture the progressive pathway evolution during fault reactivation tests at the site. Finally, the anchor displacements were overestimated by the model, but a fair agreement was obtained in terms of the order of magnitude and the variation tendency.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Design of a High-Pressure Fuel System for Use with Dimethyl Ether

The paper documents the modeling and experimental work on a common rail fuel injection system for Dimethyl Ether, a potential diesel substitute with a low carbon intensity signature. The DME fuel system is deployed on a light duty 2.2L compression ignition engine. The paper describes the injector optimization to shift to higher flows to account for the lower heating value and density of the DME when compared to diesel. The type of the injection system used for the DME application is an advanced rendering of the Common rail noted for a one-piece piston-needle injector construction and a solenoid driven spill valve featuring a pressure balanced poppet. A dedicated high-pressure fuel pump designed to pressurize DME is used. The design results in a fast acting open and close injection event, reduced leakage, with reduced cavitation in the fuel injector volume. Design parameters for system optimization included fill and spill orifices, needle lift, bias spring, and injector hole size. The design model provides good correlation of the instantaneous rates of injection with experiments across a wide range of pressure and injection timings. Proposed performance milestones for the design included similar DME injection duration to the diesel counterpart for same fuel energy injected into the cylinder to retain high engine cycle efficiency. Here, the dedicated DME design provided reduced hydraulic delays of 50%. Tests demonstrated sustained operation at pressures of 1000 bar, with capability to reach 1500bar. Durability tests showed no cavitation-deterioration over a 200-hour test cycle by means of spray imaging and hardware inspection.

De Ojeda, William [WM International Engineering, L↗
DOE OSTI2020

Electrically conductive proppant and methods for detecting, locating and characterizing the electrically conductive proppant

Electrically conductive proppants and methods for detecting, locating, and characterizing same are provided. The electrically conductive proppant can include a substantially uniform coating of an electrically conductive material having a thickness of at least 500 nm. The method can include injecting a hydraulic fluid into a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein, injecting into the fracture a fluid containing the electrically conductive proppant, electrically energizing the earth at or near the fracture, and measuring three dimensional (x, y, and z) components of electric and magnetic field responses at a surface of the earth or in an adjacent wellbore.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2021

Electrically conductive proppant and methods for detecting, locating and characterizing the electrically conductive proppant

Electrically conductive proppants and methods for detecting, locating, and characterizing same are provided. The electrically conductive proppant can include a substantially uniform coating of an electrically conductive material having a thickness of at least 500 nm. The method can include injecting a hydraulic fluid into a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein, injecting into the fracture a fluid containing the electrically conductive proppant, electrically energizing the earth at or near the fracture, and measuring three dimensional (x, y, and z) components of electric and magnetic field responses at a surface of the earth or in an adjacent wellbore.

Cannan, Chad↗
DOE OSTI2020

Subtask 1.5 – CO2 Injection Monitoring with an Optimized Scalable, Automated, Semipermanent Seismic Array

The scalable, automated, semipermanent seismic array (SASSA) method is a flexible and relatively cost-effective surface geophysical method for regular time-lapse monitoring of the movement of injected carbon dioxide (CO2) in a reservoir for CO2 enhanced oil recovery (EOR) or geologic CO2 storage operations. It has the advantages of a low-environmental-footprint while monitoring regions of a reservoir from the surface without the need for a regular grid distribution of receivers. Automated data collection is possible. As only time-lapse amplitude changes at the reservoir level due to CO2 movement within the reservoir are monitored, the turnaround time to deliver results from the SASSA method can be short, without the need for long, time-consuming data-processing workflows. As data is collected and processed, incremental information can be provided to the field operator. The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) conducted a SASSA field test from September 2018 to November 2020 in a portion of the Bell Creek Field in Montana, which implemented new CO2 EOR field activities during the study period. Lessons learned from a proof-of-concept study were incorporated to improve the data quality of the SASSA method and demonstrate the viability of the technology. The EERC implemented several enhancements to improve data quality, including 1) an iterative survey design, which allowed placing the receivers in strategic locations where the movement of the CO2 in the reservoir could be tracked with minimum interference by the cultural noise in the study area; 2) the use of powerful seismic sources in the form of surface orbital vibrators, and 3) data acquisition during optimal periods. History-matched reservoir simulation was performed to predict gas saturation and pressure response induced by CO2 injection in the study area. The results were compared with the SASSA-measured responses to CO2 injection as a partial validation technique. A match between the two methods was observed for most of the SASSA points predicted to have intersected a CO2 saturation change. The validated results provide confidence that the SASSA method can be used independently as a CO2 saturation monitoring technique. As data are collected and processed, incremental information can be provided to the field operator. The critical components of the SASSA workflow for a successful application of the method are the following: Iterative survey design with information about CO2 injection activities from the oilfield operator. A detailed CO2 injection plan is the key driver to select the strategic monitoring location of the SASSA sensors. After this information is incorporated in the initial distribution of sources and receivers in the study area, high-resolution satellite images are used to identify ground locations not affected by cultural noise sources, such as power lines, pipelines/flow lines, or roadways. In the next iteration of the survey design, a scouting trip to the study area is needed to understand more details of the noise sources identified in the previous step and the intensity of the field activities that can also generate noise during the monitoring. Integrating the information from the scouting trip into the survey design to select the optimum source and receiver locations is the final step. Noise attenuation. The variety of noise types during seismic monitoring of an oil field is enormous. Tailored noise characterization and processing at a node-by-node level can enhance the performance and sensitivity of the SASSA technique. Future advancements that could improve the efficiency and application of the SASSA technology include: Gaining a better understanding of the noise field produced by the seismic source to aid the choice of receiver location. Surface noise from the source can overwhelm the small signal changes due to CO2 that the SASSA method measures. Improved data-processing workflow to automatically analyze and adapt to dynamic noise conditions associated with industrial settings. This subtask was funded through the EERC–DOE Joint Program on Research and Development for Fossil Energy-Related Resources Cooperative Agreement No. DE- FE0024233.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Wellbore injectivity response to step-rate CO 2 injection: Coupled thermo-poro-elastic analysis in a vertically heterogeneous formation

Safe and permanent carbon geological storages require an elaborate analysis of geomechanical stability. Subsurface injection of CO 2 changes the local temperature and pore pressure and, further, alters the stress due to thermo-poro-elastic responses. A permanent CO 2 storage testing was conducted in the water leg of Cranfield reservoir in Mississippi, USA, where hosted CO 2 enhanced-oil recovery activities. During CO 2 injection, the injection rate was ramped up twice but the bottom-hole pressure did not increase with the imposed injection rates as expected. This unexpected field observation suggests the possibility of an open-mode fracture development at the injector. However, the injector response and potential fracture development have not been rigorously interpreted with detailed near-wellbore temperature and pore pressure change upon the CO 2 injection. In this study, we performed history matching of CO 2 injection using coupled thermo-poro-elastic reservoir simulation to examine the possibility of fracturing. We built a reservoir model including vertical heterogeneity in both petrophysical and geomechanical properties estimated from well-logging analysis and laboratory experiments. The simulation results show that CO 2 injection changes stresses and support the hypothesis of development of an open-mode fracture at the injector during the Cranfield test. The near-injector region exhibits a large temperature reduction up to 55 °C with ensuing effective horizontal stress reduction up to 9.1 MPa. However, a caprock integrity issue is unlikely because of the horizontal stress contrast within layers and low hydraulic communication with the injection zone. This work indicates that the injectant temperature should be considered in the design of high-rate CO 2 injector.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

DECOVALEX-2023: Task A Final Report

Task A, also known as HGFrac, examines the fracturing processes that may occur in the Callovo-Oxfordian claystone (COx) in the context of the high-level (HLW) and intermediate-level long-lived (ILW-LL) radioactive waste repository in France. Understanding these processes and improving numerical models to reproduce them will aid in the design, optimization, and safety of the repository. Heat and gas fracturing are studied in two independent subtasks following a stepwise approach: laboratory tests/benchmark exercises, in-situ experiment, and finally, an application case. The in-situ heater experiment aimed to thermally induce a hydraulic fracture; temperature and pore pressure were monitored to detect any evidence of fracturing. The in-situ gas injection experiment aimed to study the effect of the stress orientation and gas injection kinetics on the gas fracturing process. The occurrence of fracturing was monitored by gas pressure measured in the injection interval. In both experiments, the excavation-induced fracture network around the heater/injection boreholes played an important role in the reduction of the compressive stress state, leading to both a tensile and shear failure response of the COx. During the first two years of the project, the research teams working on each task developed and/or proposed numerical approaches for reproducing the occurrence of fracturing in the in-situ experiments. The failure criteria were defined by reproducing the measurements from laboratory extension tests for the heat fracturing subtask. In the gas fracturing subtask, their approaches were used for simulating several benchmark exercises, and an inter-comparison between models was carried out. In both tasks, the developed approaches were compared with a simplified approach considering poro-elasticity for the mechanical behaviour of the COx. Most of the developed approaches are based on a continuous medium that takes into account variations in hydraulic properties due to mechanical degradation, such as plastic deformation or damage. Other approaches implicitly modelled weak planes or embedded discontinuities to reproduce fracture propagation. The potential for fracture initiation was also studied through of a discrete approach. In the second half of the project, the research teams mainly focused on interpretative modelling of two in-situ experiments and a blind prediction exercise to test their respective approaches. The models developed by the research teams were also applied at the repository scale to evaluate fracture initiation in a case study under vi unfavourable conditions, particularly in terms of spacing between High-Level Waste cells. The results showed that the poro-elasticity approach could be an efficient tool for understanding the main processes occurring in the COx. One example is the explicit representation of the excavation-induced fracture network around the boreholes, which yielded acceptable results compared to the measurement data. However, advanced approaches were needed to evaluate the potential increase of the excavation-induced fracture network extend and better understand fracture initiation. The stress analyses carried out by the teams revealed that hydraulic boundary conditions had a strong impact on fracture initiation in the heater experiment. Furthermore, in most cases, the results required higher pore pressure increments to reach fracturing than those measured in the experiment. This implies that the measurements may have been biased by the packer’s capacity to fully isolate the piezometric chambers, leading to lower pressures. On the contrary, there was no agreement on the fracturing mode, as some reported either shear or tensile fracturing, while others reported a combination of the two modes. In the case of gas fracturing, the research teams were limited to the comparison of a single point, which complicated their task. Nonetheless, the numerical results were able to reproduce the measurements and capture processes such as longitudinal gas flow through the excavation-induced fracture network, as suggested by some evidence in the observation piezometric chambers. The numerical models also agreed with the measurements in the sense of higher probability of developing along the injection borehole than radially towards the sound rock. The approaches developed by the research teams showed that they are capable of analysing and reproducing fracture initiation in the COx. However, areas of future work should focus on the fracture propagation and fracture aperture, which were out of the scope of this task. To this end, additional data must be gathered for the parameter characterisation and validation of the numerical models. Nonetheless, various approaches showed promising results as they were able to reproduce fracture development under certain conditions.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Nitrogen-seeded divertor detachment in TCV L-mode plasmas

Most of the detachment experiments done to date on the tokamak à configuration variable (TCV), both in standard and alternative divertor geometries, focused on L-mode integrated core density ramps. In view of extending these studies to high-power, high-confinement regimes, where impurity seeding will be necessary for detachment, the properties of nitrogen seeded L-mode detachment in TCV are assessed here with the extensive set of edge and divertor diagnostics and similarities and differences with integrated core density ($\langle n_e \rangle$) ramp detachment experiments are elucidated. It is found that in high current, reversed field plasmas, detachment at the outer target is achieved with N 2 -seeding and density ramps, with target heat flux reductions of up to 90%, while the inner target only detaches with seeding. The Scrape-Off Layer radiation fraction reaches values of 60%–80% and in all situations, a stable radiator can form around the X-point. In this work, the most striking difference between seeding and density ramp is the behavior of the upstream quantities. During the $\langle n_e \rangle$-ramp, a broadening of the upstream density profile (density ‘shoulder’) occurs, concurrent with the outer target ion flux roll-over, while no such behavior occurs during nitrogen seeded detachment. Separatrix density, electron temperature and pressure also evolve strongly with increasing density, and are largely unaffected by the injection of nitrogen. Comparison of upstream and target pressures reveals that, in all cases, the outer target ion flux reduction coincides with the development of a parallel gradient of the total pressure. Common to all cases is also a reduction of energy confinement time with detachment, although this effect is weak for seeding at relatively high density. Studying the impact of the ∇B-drift direction in both nitrogen seeding and core density ramps reveals that drifts mainly affect the behavior at the inner strike point, highlighting the need to include them in edge transport simulations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Foam Fracturing Study for Stimulation Development of Enhanced Geothermal Systems

The large thermal gradients and high subsurface temperatures of the western region of the U.S. hold great potential for the implementation of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). The development of these potential EGS resources requires stimulation of the reservoir to enhance permeability and it has been widely reported that a substantial amount of water will be required should conventional hydraulic stimulation be used. This presents a huge challenge and a high risk to the geothermal development because the water stress1 in these areas is already high or extremely high. The use of foam, a gas/liquid mixture predominantly composed of gas, in fracturing is considered and explored in this project as a potential approach to address water concerns with hydraulic stimulation in the development of EGS. This project, led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in collaboration with Temple University, was awarded in an open lab call in 2018, and was part of the DOE GTO waterless stimulation initiative. The goal of the project was to demonstrate the feasibility of foam fracturing for EGS development through two primary tasks: Task 1: Laboratory study of the effectiveness of foam fracturing for representative geological materials, including cyclic pressurization using foam (led by ORNL) and Task 2: High temperature foam material selection and characterization (led by Temple University). In FY19, ORNL finished the critical review on serval issues associated with foam fracturing and the implementation of the proposed tasks in a lab study (Wang, et al., 2019), and completed the foam fracturing testing using cement as a model material (Wang, et al, 2020a). The work at ORNL was geared up to develop a brand-new foam testing system in FY20. The purchase of main components for the new system was finished in the first half of the FY20. The assembly of the foam testing system and foam fracturing testing were completed in the second half of the FY20 (Wang, et al., 2021a). Task 1 required the development of a test system which can be used to perform hydraulic fracturing of geological specimens with both water and foamed liquids at pressure up to 6,000 psi (41.4 MPa). The system possesses several capabilities that conventional injection systems lack for hydraulic fracturing. In addition to its ability to generate foam with controlled quality, it is capable of cycling pressure levels between specified values up to frequencies of 50 Hz. The latter capability was developed to evaluate the hypothesis that cyclic loading of samples would produce enhanced fracturing. The system consists of two sections: one for foam generation and another for foam injection. The foam is generated through separate control and pressurization of liquid and gas phases with controlled flow rates. The injection section is equipped with a low-flow Coriolis flow that monitors the density of foam to ensure the injection is in the range of target foam quality2. Experimental results of foam fracturing are reported for cylindrical granite specimens using water and aqueous N2 foam as the fracturing fluids. All experiments were performed for unconfined conditions. The effects of injection mode (i.e., monotonic vs cyclic pressurization) on breakdown pressure and failure response sample were investigated using water alone as a fracturing fluid and foams with a range of compositions. It was found that in the case of monotonic injection, the breakdown pressure of granite specimens tended to be slightly higher when fracturing with foam. Additionally, with a foam quality of 90%, the water use can be reduced by 50 to 84%, depending on hole size. On the other hand, it was observed that the breakdown pressure can be brought down to 70% of the monotonic breakdown pressure by using low cycle fatigue. Finally, discussions are presented regarding injectivity and water use reduction.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Utah FORGE: Wells 16A(78)-32 and 16B(78)-32 Stimulation Program Report - May 2024

This dataset consists of a comprehensive report documenting the stimulation program conducted in May 2024 on Utah FORGE wells 16A(78)-32 and 16B(78)-32. It includes detailed accounts of operational and scientific objectives, stimulation methodologies, and testing outcomes. The report describes the hydraulic fracturing activities, equipment setups, proppant and fluid usage, and the execution of a nine-hour circulation test. It also includes observations from seismic and fiber optic monitoring systems, providing data on microseismic activity and fracture propagation. Detailed parameters for each stimulation stage are provided, alongside operational challenges and solutions. The dataset includes analyses of injection and production rates, well temperatures, and pressure data, supported by graphical illustrations and logs.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Image processing methods for Rayleigh scattering measurements of diesel spray mixing at high repetition rate

This work describes the diagnostic implementation and image processing methods to quantitatively measure diesel spray mixing injected into a high-pressure, high-temperature environment. We used a high-repetition-rate pulse-burst laser developed in-house, a high-speed CMOS camera, and optimized the optical configuration to capture Rayleigh scattering images of the vaporized fuel jets inside a constant volume chamber. The experimental installation was modified to reduce reflections and flare levels to maximize the images’ signal-to-noise ratios by anti-reflection coatings on windows and surfaces, as well as series of optical baffles. Because of the specificities of the high-speed system, several image processing techniques had to be developed and implemented to provide quantitative fuel concentration measurements. We find that these methods involve various correction procedures such as camera linearity, laser intensity fluctuation, dynamic background flare, as well as beam-steering effects. Image inpainting was also applied to correct the Rayleigh scattering signal from large scatterers (e.g. particulates). The experiments demonstrate that applying planar laser Rayleigh scattering at high repetition rate to quantitatively resolve the mixing of fuel and ambient gases in diesel jets is challenging, but possible. The thorough analysis of the experimental uncertainty and comparisons to past data prove that such measurements can be accurate, whilst providing valuable information about the mixing processes of high-pressure diesel jets.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2020

An experimental system and procedure of unsteady-state relative permeability test for gas hydrate-bearing sediments

Reliable estimations of the relative permeability of gas and water in hydrate-bearing sediments (HBS) and the dependency of the relative permeability on hydrate saturation are critical to predict the productivity of a hydrate reservoir. Yet, this remains poorly estimated owing to lack of experimental data associated with difficulties in conducting multiphase flow experiments in HBS. Recognizing the experimental challenges, this study intends to develop and validate a new experimental system and procedure of unsteady-state relative permeability test that can generate reliable and reproducible flow measurements in HBS. Furthermore, gas hydrate is considered as a part of solid matrix in the sediment, so one of the challenges is to maintain a constant hydrate saturation, which is achieved in this experimental study using tight pressure-temperature (P-T) control near the hydrate stability boundary. The measured differential pressure across the specimen, methane injection flow rate, and volume of displaced brine are used to calculate the relative permeability by adopting a conventional Buckley-Leverett theory-based interpretation method. Residual brine saturation calculated for the hydrate-bearing specimen is higher than that of hydrate-free specimen, presumably due to decrease in pore size, increase in heterogeneity of solid matrix, and increase in size distribution of solid matrix and pore in the presence of hydrates. Further studies are necessary to represent the results of the unsteady-state flow experiment in HBS with a gas hydrate-dependent relative permeability model.

03 NATURAL GAS↗