Interfacial friction effects on sealing performances of elastomer packer

Elastomer sealing performance is of critical importance for downhole tools application including the use of fracturing(Frac)plugs during multi-stage hydraulic fracking.In practice sealing performances of such plugs are normally evaluated through pressure tests,and in numerical simulation studies,maximum contact stress,average contact stress and contact length data are used to determine sealing quality between a packer and casing.In previous studies,the impact of friction forces on sealing performance is often overlooked.This work aims to fill this knowledge gap in determining the influence of friction forces on elastomer packer sealing performances.We first determined the most appropriate constitutive hyperelastic model for the elastomers used in frac plug.Then we compared analytical calculation results with Finite Element Analysis simulation using a simplified tubular geometry and showed the significant influences on interfacial friction on elastomer packer stress distribution,deformation,and contact stress after setting.With the demonstration of validity of FEA method,we conducted systematic numerical simulation studies to show how the interfacial friction coefficients can affect the maximum contact stress,average contact stress,contact stress distribution,and maximum mises stress for an actual packer used in plug products.In addition,we also demonstrated how the groove in a packer can affect packer deformation and evolvement during setting with the consideration of interfacial stress.This study underscores the critical role that friction forces play in Frac plug performance and provides a new dimension for optimizing packer design by controlling interfacial interactions at the packer contact surfaces.

A DEMATEL Approach Based on Fuzzy Sets for Evaluating Critical Factors of Gas Turbine in Marine Engineering

In power production,gas turbines are commonly used components that generate high amount of energy depending on size and weight.They function as integral parts of helicopters,aircrafts,trains,ships,electrical generators,and tanks.Notably,many researchers are focusing on the design,operation,and maintenance of gas turbines.The focal point of this paper is a DEMATEL approach based on fuzzy sets,with the attempt to use these fuzzy sets explicitly.Using this approach,the cause–effect diagram of gas turbine failures expressed in the literature is generated and aimed to create a perspective for operators.The results of the study show that,"connecting shaft has been broken between turbine and gear box"selected the most important cause factor and"sufficient pressure fuel does not come for fuel pump"is selected the most important effect factor,according to the experts.

Design Analysis of a Lightweight Solar Powered System for Recreational Marine Craft

The design of a lightweight solar powered marine craft is considered in this report. Various design concepts were considered with respect to the hull type, resistance, aesthetics and the operating environment of the vessel. The planning hull-form catamaran was considered for the boat design. The resistance and other hydrodynamic characterization of boat were analyzed using the CAHI and Savitsky method. Detailed algorithm is developed for the sizing of the various components of the solar PV system for the boat. The hull resistance was found to be 740 N corresponding to the boat speed of 5?knot using the above stated methods. The motor power was obtained to be 2.239?kW (3 HP). Torqeedo outboard electric motor of 3?HP was selected for the boat propulsion. The battery bank was seized accordingly and four batteries of 235 AH and 12 V were selected for the storage of electric power for the boat propulsion. Hence, the solar PV module was sized. It was concluded that, due to the limited space for the installation of the PV module, additional source of power (land base) should be made available to completely charge the battery.

Numerical Simulation of the Flow around Marine Propeller Series

The objective of marine propeller design optimization study is to obtain a propeller with minimum power absorption, maximum efficiency and good materials resistance. In this study, results of numerical simulation carried out on the flow around a conventional marine propeller are presented. The investigation focused on the aspects related to the influence of skew magnitude, thickness and blade number on the propeller performances. First, open water performances of a conventional propeller model DTMB 4148 was estimated using RANS （Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes） method. The flow around rotating propeller model was analyzed in the steady state using RANS approach of the commercial CFD （computational fluid dynamics） code fluent. The results provide good agreement with literature data. Numerical results show that the number of blades has an influence on the open water performances of marine propellers. It＇s noticed that the best propeller has four or five blades from only the hydrodynamic aspect. The thickness blade effect has been studied for the same propeller model and compared to the blade with three different thickness values. Results of the calculation show that the blade thickness increases moderately the propeller efficiency. Finally, numerical simulation is performed to study the magnitude skew effect on the propeller blade performance, so three different models were generated. The results of the simulation show that the skew distribution has a positive effect on the open water performances of the marine propellers.

An Evaluation of Human Error Probabilities for Critical Failures in Auxiliary Systems of Marine Diesel Engines

Human error,an important factor,may lead to serious results in various operational fields.The human factor plays a critical role in the risks and hazards of the maritime industry.A ship can achieve safe navigation when all operations in the engine room are conducted vigilantly.This paper presents a systematic evaluation of 20 failures in auxiliary systems of marine diesel engines that may be caused by human error.The Cognitive Reliability Error Analysis Method(CREAM)is used to determine the potentiality of human errors in the failures implied thanks to the answers of experts.Using this method,the probabilities of human error on failures were evaluated and the critical ones were emphasized.The measures to be taken for these results will make significant contributions not only to the seafarers but also to the ship owners.

Analysis of Marine Pollution of Ports and Jetties in Rivers State, Nigeria

Ports and jetties complex operations come with various forms of pollutions. The analysis of marine pollution from ports becomes very necessary and complicated due to the various types of pollution, sources, effects and different characteristics. The sources of environmental pollution other than ships and from industrial activities in port and jetties were critically looked at and analyzed. A complete review of the environmental pollution in ports and the tools to assess and minimize such negative environmental impact are analyzed. The instrument of questionnaires was employed and distributed among two seaports and one jetty;Onne, Okrika and Port Harcourt to collect respondents’ opinions on effects, sources and causes of marine pollution. The chi-square test for independence was used with 180 respondents from Onne port, Port Harcourt port and Okrika jetty. Water sample was collected from Onne seaport and pollution contents such as total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH), bio-chemical oxygen demand (BOD), turbidity, pH and salinity were tested in the laboratory. The result shows that Onne water had a salinity level of 20,790 (mg/l) which under the salinity range of water is considered saline, a turbidity level of 4.00 (NTU) which was considered average comparing with a 5.00 (NTU) bench mark, BOD5 level of 0.48 (mg/l) which was considered pristine because most pristine seawater will have BOD below 1 (mg/l), pH level of 7.77 which falls under the range of sea water being alkaline (7.2 - 8.4), TPH level of 2.98 (mg/l) since all conditions of sampling and sample preservations were observed and the value is less than the DPR limit (10 mg/l). It was concluded that the activities in Onne port are within the acceptable limits. It was also observed from the questionnaire that a larger population of respondents in Onne, Okrika and Port Harcourt ports where conscious of the sources and effects of environmental pollution from their respective ports.

Effect of an Inclined Slots on the Power Consumption and Vortices Size in a Rushton Turbine Agitated Tank

Mechanical agitation in baffled vessels with turbines plays a vital role in achieving homogeneous fluid mixing and promoting various transfer operations.Therefore,designing vessels with optimal energy efficiency and flow dynamics is essential to enhance operational performance and eliminate flow perturbations.Hence,the present research focuses on a numerical investigation of the impact of inclined slots with different angles installed at the side-wall of a cylindrical vessel equipped with a Rushton turbine.This study explores power consumption and vortex size while considering various rotation directions of the impeller with different rotation speeds.The numerical simulations are conducted for Reynolds numbers ranging from 104 to 105,using the RANS k-εturbulence model to govern the flow inside the stirred vessel,accounting for mass and momentum balances.The results have shown that the installation of slots reduces power consumption and vortex size compared to conventional vessel configu-rations.Moreover,increasing the slot angle from 0 to 32.5°further reduces energy consumption and vortex size,especially with negative rotation speeds.On the other hand,increasing the Reynolds numbers leads to a decrease in power consumption and an increase in vortex size.The present research therefore proposes a design for con-structing Rushton-turbine stirred vessels offering optimal operation,characterized by reduced energy consumption and minimized vortex size.

Assessment of the stiffened panel performance in the OTEC seawater tank design:Parametric study and sensitivity analysis

Ocean thermal energy conversion(OTEC)is a process of generating electricity by exploiting the temperature difference between warm surface seawater and cold deep seawater.Due to the high static and dynamic pressures that are caused by seawater circulation,the stiffened panel that constitutes a seawater tank may undergo a reduction in ultimate strength.The current paper investigates the design of stiffening systems for OTEC seawater tanks by examining the effects of stiffening parameters such as stiffener sizes and span-over-bay ratio for the applied combined loadings of lateral and transverse pressure by fluid motion and axial compression due to global bending moment.The ultimate strength calculation was conducted by using the non-linear finite element method via the commercial software known as ABAQUS.The stress and deformation distribution due to pressure loads was computed in the first step and then brought to the second step,in which the axial compression was applied.The effects of pressure on the ultimate strength of the stiffener were investigated for representative stiffened panels,and the significance of the stiffener parameters was assessed by using the sensitivity analysis method.As a result,the ultimate strength was reduced by approximately 1.5%for the span-over-bay ratio of 3 and by 7%for the span-over-bay ratio of 6.

Corrosion-Based Integrity Analysis of Offshore Pipeline for Hydrocarbon Transportation

Conventional pipeline corrosion assessment methods result in failure pressure predictions that are conservative, especially for pipelines that are subjected to internal pressure and axial compressive stress. Alternatively, numerical methods may be used. However, they are computationally expensive. This paper proposes an analytical equation based on finite element analysis (FEA) for failure pressure prediction of a high toughness corroded pipeline with a single corrosion defect subjected to internal pressure and axial compressive stress. The equations were developed based on the weights and biases of an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model trained with failure pressure from finite element analysis (FEA) of a high toughness pipeline for various defect depths, defect lengths, and axial compressive stresses. The proposed model was validated against actual burst test results for high toughness materials and was found to be capable of making accurate predictions with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.99. An extensive parametric study using the proposed model was subsequently conducted to determine the effects of defect length, defect depth, and axial compressive stress on the failure pressure of a corroded pipe with a single defect. The application of ANN together with FEA has shown promising results in the development of an empirical solution for the failure pressure prediction of pipes with a single corrosion defect subjected to internal pressure and axial compressive stress.

Highly Accurate Golden Section Search Algorithms and Fictitious Time Integration Method for Solving Nonlinear Eigenvalue Problems

This study sets up two new merit functions,which are minimized for the detection of real eigenvalue and complex eigenvalue to address nonlinear eigenvalue problems.For each eigen-parameter the vector variable is solved from a nonhomogeneous linear system obtained by reducing the number of eigen-equation one less,where one of the nonzero components of the eigenvector is normalized to the unit and moves the column containing that component to the right-hand side as a nonzero input vector.1D and 2D golden section search algorithms are employed to minimize the merit functions to locate real and complex eigenvalues.Simultaneously,the real and complex eigenvectors can be computed very accurately.A simpler approach to the nonlinear eigenvalue problems is proposed,which implements a normalization condition for the uniqueness of the eigenvector into the eigenequation directly.The real eigenvalues can be computed by the fictitious time integration method(FTIM),which saves computational costs compared to the one-dimensional golden section search algorithm(1D GSSA).The simpler method is also combined with the Newton iterationmethod,which is convergent very fast.All the proposed methods are easily programmed to compute the eigenvalue and eigenvector with high accuracy and efficiency.

人工神经网络与遗传算法预测液体晃荡参数的比较

This paper develops a numerical code for modelling liquid sloshing.The coupled boundary element-finite element method was used to solve the Laplace equation for inviscid fluid and nonlinear free surface boundary conditions.Using Nakayama and Washizu’s results,the code performance was validated.Using the developed numerical mode,we proposed artificial neural network(ANN)and genetic algorithm(GA)methods for evaluating sloshing loads and comparing them.To compare the efficiency of the suggested methods,the maximum free surface displacement and the maximum horizontal force exerted on a rectangular tank’s perimeter are examined.It can be seen from the results that both ANNs and GAs can accurately predict η_(max) and F_(max).

Aerodynamic drag reduction of heavy vehicles using append devices by CFD analysis

Improving vehicle fuel consumption,performance and aerodynamic efficiency by drag reduction especially in heavy vehicles is one of the indispensable issues of automotive industry.In this work,the effects of adding append devices like deflector and cab vane corner on heavy commercial vehicle drag reduction were investigated.For this purpose,the vehicle body structure was modeled with various supplementary parts at the first stage.Then,computational fluid dynamic(CFD) analysis was utilized for each case to enhance the optimal aerodynamic structure at different longitudinal speeds for heavy commercial vehicles.The results show that the most effective supplementary part is deflector,and by adding this part,the drag coefficient is decreased considerably at an optimum angle.By adding two cab vane corners at both frontal edges of cab,a significant drag reduction is noticed.Back vanes and base flaps are simple plates which can be added at the top and side end of container and at the bottom with specific angle respectively to direct the flow and prevent the turbulence.Through the analysis of airflow and pressure distribution,the results reveal that the cab vane reduces fuel consumption and drag coefficient by up to 20 % receptively using proper deflector angle.Finally,by adding all supplementary parts at their optimized positions,41% drag reduction is obtained compared to the simple model.

Wear and corrosion resistance of laser-cladded Fe-based composite coatings on AISI 4130 steel

The wear and corrosion resistance of Fe_（72.2）Cr_（16.8）Ni_（7.3）Mo_（1.6）Mn_（0.7）C_（0.2）Si_（1.2） and Fe_（77.3）Cr_（15.8）Ni_（3.9）Mo_（1.1）Mn_（0.5）C_（0.2）Si_（1.2） coatings laser-cladded on AISI 4130 steel were studied.The coatings possess excellent wear and corrosion resistance despite the absence of expensive yttrium,tungsten,and cobalt and very little molybdenum.The microstructure mainly consists of dendrites and eutectic phases,such as duplex（γ＋α）-Fe and the Fe–Cr（Ni）solid solution,confirmed via energy dispersive spectrometry and X-ray diffraction.The cladded Fe-based coatings have lower coefficients of friction,and narrower and shallower wear tracks than the substrate without the cladding,and the main wear mechanism is mild abrasive wear.Electrochemical test results suggest that the soft Fe_（72.2）Cr_（16.8）Ni_（7.3）Mo_（1.6）Mn_（0.7）C_（0.2）Si_（1.2） coating with high Cr and Ni concentrations has high passivation resistance,low corrosion current,and positive corrosion potential,providing a better protective barrier layer to the AISI 4130 steel against corrosion.

An experimental study on thermal characteristics of nanofluid with graphene and multi-wall carbon nanotubes

High-thermal conductivity enhancement of nanofluid is one of the promising topics of the nanoscience research field. This work reports the experimental study on the preparation of graphene(GN) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes(MWCNTs) based nanofluids with the assistance of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate(SDBS) and sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS) surfactants, and their thermal behaviors. The present work suggests not a solution, but a solution approach and deduces a new conclusion by trying to resolve the agglomeration problem and improve the dispersibility of nanoparticles in the base fluid. The analysis results of FESEM, thermal conductivity, diffusivity, effusivity and heat transfer coefficient enhancement ratio of nanofluid with surfactants SDS and SDBS expose strong evidence of the dispersing effect of surfactant on the making of nanofluid.

Design of an optimal active stabilizer mechanism for enhancing vehicle rolling resistance

Improving rollover and stability of the vehicles is the indispensable part of automotive research to prevent vehicle rollover and crashes.The main objective of this work is to develop active control mechanism based on fuzzy logic controller(FLC) and linear quadratic regulator(LQR) for improving vehicle path following,roll and handling performances simultaneously.3-DOF vehicle model including yaw rate,lateral velocity(lateral dynamic) and roll angle(roll dynamic) were developed.The controller produces optimal moment to increase stability and roll margin of vehicle by receiving the steering angle as an input and vehicle variables as a feedback signal.The effectiveness of proposed controller and vehicle model were evaluated during fishhook and single lane-change maneuvers.Simulation results demonstrate that in both cases(FLC and LQR controllers) by reducing roll angle,lateral acceleration and side slip angles remain under 0.6g and 4° during maneuver,which ensures vehicle stability and handling properties.Finally,the sensitivity and robustness analysis of developed controller for varying longitudinal speeds were investigated.

Real-time Monitoring of Subsea Gas Pipelines,Offshore Platforms,and Ship Inspection Scores Using an Automatic Identification System

The aim of this research is to develop an algorithm and application that can perform real-time monitoring of the safety operation of offshore platforms and subsea gas pipelines as well as determine the need for ship inspection using data obtained from automatic identification system(AIS).The research also focuses on the integration of shipping database,AIS data,and others to develop a prototype for designing a real-time monitoring system of offshore platforms and pipelines.A simple concept is used in the development of this prototype,which is achieved by using an overlaying map that outlines the coordinates of the offshore platform and subsea gas pipeline with the ship’s coordinates(longitude/latitude)as detected by AIS.Using such information,we can then build an early warning system(EWS)relayed through short message service(SMS),email,or other means when the ship enters the restricted and exclusion zone of platforms and pipelines.The ship inspection system is developed by combining several attributes.Then,decision analysis software is employed to prioritize the vessel’s four attributes,including ship age,ship type,classification,and flag state.Results show that the EWS can increase the safety level of offshore platforms and pipelines,as well as the efficient use of patrol boats in monitoring the safety of the facilities.Meanwhile,ship inspection enables the port to prioritize the ship to be inspected in accordance with the priority ranking inspection score.

Numerical Prediction of Form Factor and Wave Interference of A Trimaran for Different Outrigger Positions

Trimaran hydrodynamics have been an important research topic in recent years.Trimarans have even been chosen for naval surface combatants.In this case,investigation of a trimaran with different outrigger positions is important and necessary for better hydrodynamic performance.This paper focuses on the numerical investigation of trimaran hydrodynamics.The trimaran model used in this study is a 1/80 scale high-speed displacement frigate-type concept developed by the Center for Innovation in Ship Design(CISD)at Naval Surface Warfare Center,Carderock Division(NSWCCD).The numerical simulations were conducted for different outrigger positions at low and moderate Froude numbers by using commercial CFD software solving URANS equations.A verification and validation study was carried out for the numerical method in one configuration and one ship velocity.The existing experimental results for the trimaran resistance in the literature were used for validation.Five different outrigger positions were analyzed and the form factor of each configuration was calculated by the Prohaska method.The total resistance was decomposed to its components using the form factor.The interference factor was calculated for each configuration in terms of total resistance,residual resistance and wave resistance.Also,wave profiles using the longitudinal wave cuts in different locations were obtained both numerically and experimentally.It was concluded that the outrigger position had different effects on the interference,total resistance and wave profile at different Froude numbers.It was also shown that the CFD results were in good agreement with the experimental data in all configurations.In conclusion,this study presents the results of interference effects for different trimaran configurations in terms of wave resistance in addition to the total resistance and residual resistance.The numerical method was validated not only with the total resistance test data but also the longitudinal wave profiles along the hull.

Estimation of Springing Response for 550 000 DWT Ore Carrier

The desire to benefit from economy of scale is one of the major driving forces behind the continuous growth in ship sizes. However, models of new large ships need to be thoroughly investigated to determine the carrier's response in waves. In this work, experimental and numerical assessments of the motion and load response of a 550,000 DWT ore carrier are performed using prototype ships with softer stiffness, and towing tank tests are conducted using a segmented model with two schemes of softer stiffness. Numerical analyses are performed employing both rigid body and linear hydroelasticity theories using an in-house program and a comparison is then made between experimental and numerical results to establish the influence of stiffness on the ore carrier's springing response. Results show that softer stiffness models can be used when studying the springing response of ships in waves.

Grinding Characteristic of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes-alumina Composite Particle

The synthesis of new materials containing multi-walled carbon nanotubes （MWCNTs） and the microstructure of alumina particles were investigated and characterized. The MWCNTs and alumina particles were ground under both the dry and wet conditions with various rotation speeds （200 - 400 r/min） in planetary ball milling machine, and their combination characteristics were described. The experimental results were examined by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, transmission electron microscopy （TEM） and particle sizing analysis （PSA）. SEM result revealed that the combination of MWCNTs - Alumina particles mixed quite well under both the dry and wet grinding with rotation speed of 400 r/rain. XRD characterization indicated the better result could get in ground samples at a rotation speed of 400 r/min. PSA result showed the particle size decreased with increase the grinding speeds. From the overall results, we observed that the grinding method can be used to synthesize new material with high efficiency.

Dispersion of Axisymmetric Longitudinal Waves in A Bi-Material Compound Solid Cylinder Made of Viscoelastic Materials

The paper studies the dispersion of axisymmetric longitudinal waves in the bi-material compound circular cylinder made of linear viscoelastic materials.The investigations are carried out within the scope of the piecewise homogeneous body model by utilizing the exact equations of linear viscoelasto-dynamics.The corresponding dispersion equation is derived for an arbitrary type of hereditary operator and the algorithm is developed for its numerical solution.Concrete numerical results are obtained for the case where the relations of the constituents of the cylinder are described through fractional exponential operators.The influence of the viscosity of the materials of the compound cylinder on the wave dispersion is studied through the rheological parameters which indicate the characteristic creep time and long-term values of the elastic constants of these materials.Dispersion curves are presented for certain selected dispersive and non-dispersive attenuation cases under various values of the problem parameters and the influence of the aforementioned rheological parameters on these curves is discussed.As a result of the numerical investigations,in particular,it is established that in the case where the rheological parameters of the components of the compound cylinder are the same,the viscosity of the layers’materials causes the axisymmetric wave propagation velocity to decrease.