Dynamic Characteristics of Marine Risers Conveying Fluid

The lateral vibration differential equation for a marine riser conveying fluid is derived by use of the small deflection theory, and the effect of internal flow velocity and top tension on the natural frequency of the riser is studied by use of FEM. At the same time, the preliminary relationship between the natural Frequency and riser span under different internal flow velocities is obtained, the effect of riser supports on the vibration frequency is computed. It is found that the natural frequency of the marine riser increases with the increase of top tension, however decreases with the increase of internal flow velocity. In addition, the Frequency decreases drastically with the increase of riser span.

Fluid Inclusion and Geochemistry Studies of Calcite Veins in Shizhu Synclinorium,Central China:Record of Origin of Fluids and Diagenetic Conditions

Calcite veins in carbonate fracture have been investigated by petrographic, fluid inclusion, geochemical analyses and coupled with basin modeling techniques to provide useful insights into fluid activity and deformation conditions of the Cambrian to Triassic Shizhu synclinorium from the western region of Mid-Yangtze, central China. The results of the fluid inclusion microthermometry show a wide range of homogenization temperatures（78.6–215.5 °C） and salinities（0.18–23.11 wt.% NaCl equivalent）, indicating the formation under diverse fluid conditions. All the calcite veins have negative Ce anomalies, which are the typical characteristic of marine carbonate sediments; it is therefore plausible that calcite veins were precipitated from the marine basin fluid. The stable carbon isotopic compositions of calcites（δ^（13）CV-PDB=-2.5‰–4.26‰） and host limestones（δ^（13）CV-PDB=-3.56‰–5.80‰） are very similar with a correlation coefficient of 0.86, however, four calcites from the Lower Permian and Lower Triassic show lower δ^（13）C values relative to the host limestones, and they are depleted in total REE concentrations（∑REE ratio varies from 0.74 to 2.06）, suggesting the derivation of dissolved carbon from marine carbonates hosting the calcite veins and, less commonly, from the degradation of organic matter. Calculated δ^（18）O of the fluids-precipitating calcites（δ^（18）OV-SMOW=-0.41‰–14.42‰）, ^（87）Sr/^（86）Sr ratios varying in the range of coeval seawater and the distinct REE pattern simultaneously suggest calcite-forming fluids in each stratigraphic unit could have formed from the involvement of fluids that originated from coeval seawater and evolved through different degrees of water rock interaction. However, the presence of more radiogenic ^（87）Sr/^（86）Sr ratios than coeval seawater and pronounced positive Eu anomalies in calcites of Lower to Middle Ordovician rocks indicate that terrestrial input from upper strata mudstone and siliciclastic rocks could be involved in the precipitation of the Ordovician calcite. Fluid-inclusion data combined with burial and thermal history modeling indicate there was large-scale flow of evolved basinal fluids through the carbonate formation fractures spanning a time frame from 135 to 50 Ma（Early Cretaceous–Eocene）. Therefore, the geochemical characteristics of calcite veins can provide the basis for deformation events in Late Yanshanian and Early Himalayan orogeny.

A new biomimicry marine current turbine: Study of hydrodynamic performance and wake using software OpenFOAM

Inspired by Dryobalanops aromatica seed, a new biomimicry marine current turbine is proposed. Hydrodynamic performance and wake properties are two key factors determining whether a new marine current turbine design is practical or not. Thus, a study of hydrodynamic performance and wake of the proposed biomimicry turbine is conducted. The computational fluid dynamics（CFD） software, Open FOAM is used to generate the required results for the mentioned study. The hydrodynamic performance and wake properties of the proposed biomimicry turbine is compared to two conventional turbines of Bahaj et al. and Pinon et al. respectively. The simulation results showed that the proposed biomimicry marine current turbine gives optimum power output with its power coefficient, 0.376 PC ≈ at the tip speed ratio（TSR） of 1.5. Under the same boundary conditions, the maximum torque produced by the proposed biomimicry turbine at zero rotational speed is 38.71 Nm which is 1110% greater than the torque generated by the turbine of Bahaj et al.. The recovery distance for the wake of the biomimicry turbine is predicted to be 10.6% shorter than that of IFREMER-LOMC turbine. The above-mentioned results confirm the potential application of the proposed biomimicry marine current turbine in the renewable energy industry.