Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Porosity”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 523 records · Page 29

Permeability and porosity of hydrate-bearing sediments in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Hydrate-bearing sands are being actively explored because they contain the highest concentrations of hydrate and are the most economically recoverable hydrate resource. However, relatively little is known about the mechanisms or timescales of hydrate formation, which are related to methane supply, fluid flux, and host sediment properties such as permeability. We used logging-while-drilling data from locations in the northern Gulf of Mexico to develop an effective medium theory-based model for predicting permeability based on clay-sized sediment fraction. The model considers permeability varying between sand and clay endpoint permeabilities that are defined from laboratory data. We verified the model using permeability measurements on core samples from three boreholes, and then used the model to predict permeability in two wells drilled in Walker Ridge Block 313 during the Gulf of Mexico Gas Hydrate Joint Industry Project Leg II expedition in 2009. We found that the cleanest sands (clay-sized fraction <0.05) had intrinsic (hydrate-free) permeability contrasts of 5-6 orders of magnitude with the surrounding clays, which is sufficient to provide focused hydrate formation due to advection of methane from a deep source or diffusion of microbial methane from nearby clay layers. In sands where the clay-sized fraction exceeds 0.05, the permeability reduces significantly and focused flow is less pronounced. In these cases, diffusion of dissolved microbial methane is most likely the preferred mode of methane supply for hydrate formation. In conclusion, our results provide important constraints on methane supply mechanisms in the Walker Ridge area and have global implications for evaluating rates of methane migration and hydrate formation in hydrate-bearing sands.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Role of side-chain length on gas transport of CO 2 /CH 4 mixtures in polymers with side-chain porosity

Polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) are traditionally formed from ladder backbones, but recent synthetic advances have allowed for the formation of non-traditional PIMs using a poly(ladder) motif, whereby rigid PIM-like sidechains are appended onto more flexible backbones. The effect of side-chain length on free volume and gas transport properties was recently evaluated for a methoxy-functionalized poly(ladder) (OMe-ROMP). In this study, we elaborate on the role of side-chain length and its influence on mixed-gas performance and plasticization stability for OMe-ROMP. Pure-gas sorption results are also reported, including hysteresis effects from CO 2 conditioning. Taken together, this study reveals the role of side-chain length on gas sorption, diffusion, and plasticization for CO 2 /CH 4 separations. Finally, we conclude that the length of a rigid side chain in the poly(ladder) motif is a valuable structural parameter to control sorption, diffusion, and stability towards plasticization for gas separation membrane materials.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗