Proppant transport in rough fracture networks using supercritical CO_(2)

Proppant transport within fractures is one of the most critical tasks in oil,gas and geothermal reservoir stimulation,as it largely determines the ultimate performance of the operating well.Proppant transport in rough fracture networks is still a relatively new area of research and the associated transport mechanisms are still unclear.In this study,representative parameters of rough fracture surfaces formed by supercritical CO_(2) fracturing were used to generate a rough fracture network model based on a spectral synthesis method.Computational fluid dynamics(CFD)coupled with the discrete element method(DEM)was used to study proppant transport in this rough fracture network.To reveal the turning transport mechanism of proppants into branching fractures at the intersections of rough fracture networks,a comparison was made with the behavior within smooth fracture networks,and the effect of key pumping parameters on the proppant placement in a secondary fracture was analyzed.The results show that the transport behavior of proppant in rough fracture networks is very different from that of the one in the smooth fracture networks.The turning transport mechanisms of proppant into secondary fractures in rough fracture networks are gravity-driven sliding,high velocity fluid suspension,and fracture structure induction.Under the same injection conditions,supercritical CO_(2)with high flow Reynolds number still has a weaker ability to transport proppant into secondary fractures than water.Thickening of the supercritical CO_(2)needs to be increased beyond a certain value to have a significant effect on proppant carrying,and under the temperature and pressure conditions of this paper,it needs to be increased more than 20 times(about 0.94 m Pa s).Increasing the injection velocity and decreasing the proppant concentration facilitates the entry of proppant into the branching fractures,which in turn results in a larger stimulated reservoir volume.The results help to understand the proppant transport and placement process in rough fracture networks formed by reservoir stimulation,and provide a theoretical reference for the optimization of proppant pumping parameters in hydraulic fracturing.

Evading strength−ductility trade-off of GH605 alloy using magnetic field-assisted undercooling treatment

Undercooling solidification under a magnetic field(UMF)is an effective way to tailor the microstructure and properties of Co-based alloys.In this study,by attributing to the UMF treatment,the strength−ductility trade-off dilemma in GH605 superalloy is successfully overcome.The UMF treatment can effectively refine the grains and increase the solid solubility,leading to the high yield strength.The main deformation mechanism in the as-forged alloy is dislocation slipping.By contrast,multiple deformation mechanisms,including stacking faults,twining,dislocation slipping,and their strong interactions are activated in the UMF-treated sample during compression deformation,which enhances the strength and ductility simultaneously.In addition,the precipitation of hard Laves phases along the grain boundaries can be obtained after UMF treatment,hindering crack propagation during compression deformation.

Elevated Neurosteroids in the Lateral Thalamus Relieve Neuropathic Pain in Rats with Spared Nerve Injury

Neurosteroids are synthesized in the nervous system from cholesterol or steroidal precursors imported from peripheral sources. These compounds are important allosteric modulators of γ-aminobutyric acid A receptors （GABAARs）, which play a vital role in pain modulation in the lateral thalamus, a main gate where somatosensory information enters the cerebral cortex. Using high-perfor mance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry, we found increased levels of neurosteroids （pregnenolone, progesterone, deoxycorticosterone, allopregnanolone, and tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone） in the chronic stage of neuropathic pain （28 days after spared nerve injury） in rats.The expression of the translocator protein TSPO, the upstream steroidogenesis rate-limiting enzyme, increased at the same time. In vivo stereotaxic microinjection of neurosteroids or the TSPO activator AC-5216 into the lateral thalamus （AP -3.0 mm, ML 4-3.0 mm, DV 6.0 mm） alleviated the mechanical allodynia in neuropathic pain, while the TSPO inhibitor PK 11195 exacerbated it. The analgesic effects of AC-5216 and neurosteroids were sig- nificantly attenuated by the GABAAR antagonist bicuculline. These results suggested that elevated neurosteroids in the lateral thalamus play a protective role in the chronic stage of neuropathic pain.