Detection of Partial and Extended Blockages: A Case Study of Edible Oil Pipeline System

This work focuses on the development and implementation of a simulation-based approach for the detection of partial and extended blockages within an edible oil pipeline system. Blockages, whether partial or extended, pose a significant operational and safety risks. This study employs computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to model the flow behaviour of edible oil through pipeline under varying conditions. It leverages advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to analyze pressure, velocity, and temperature variations along the pipeline. By simulating scenarios with different blockage characteristics, there is establishment of distinctive patterns indicative of partial and extended obstructions. Through extensive analysis of simulation data, sensing element, and monitoring system, processing signal input and response output, the system can accurately pinpoint the location and severity of blockages, providing crucial insights for timely intervention. The detection system represents a significant advancement in pipeline monitoring technology, offering a proactive and accurate approach to identify blockages and mitigate potential risks and ensure the uninterrupted flow of edible oil, thereby enabling timely intervention and maintenance.

Blockage of the Deep-Sea Mining Pump Transporting Large Particles with Different Sphericity

The present study aims to plumb blockage of the deep-sea mining pump transporting large particles with different shapes. A numerical work was performed through combining the computational fluid dynamics(CFD) technique and the discrete element method(DEM). Six particle shapes with sphericity ranging from 0.67 to 1.0 were selected. A velocity triangle is built with the absolute, relative, and circumferential velocities of particles. Velocity triangles with absolute velocity angles ranging from 90° to 180° prevail in the first-stage impeller. With declining sphericity, more particles follow the velocity triangle with absolute velocity angles ranging from 0° to 90°, which weakens the ability of particles to pass through the flow passage. Furthermore, the forces acting on the particles traveling in the impeller passage are analyzed. Large particles, especially non-spherical ones, suffer from high centrifugal force and therefore move along the suction surface of the impeller blades. Non-spherical particles undergo great drag force as a result of large surface area. The distribution of drag force angles is featured by two peaks, and one vanishes due to blockage.As particle sphericity declines, both magnitude and angle of the pressure gradient force decrease. Variation of the drag force and the pressure gradient force causes clockwise deflection of the centripetal force, resulting in deflection and elongation of particle trajectory, which increases the possibility of blockage.

Detecting the backfill pipeline blockage and leakage through an LSTM-based deep learning model

Detecting a pipeline's abnormal status,which is typically a blockage and leakage accident,is important for the continuity and safety of mine backfill.The pipeline system for gravity-transport high-density backfill(GHB)is complex.Specifically designed,efficient,and accurate abnormal pipeline detection methods for GHB are rare.This work presents a long short-term memory-based deep learning(LSTM-DL)model for GHB pipeline blockage and leakage diagnosis.First,an industrial pipeline monitoring system was introduced using pressure and flow sensors.Second,blockage and leakage field experiments were designed to solve the problem of negative sample deficiency.The pipeline's statistical characteristics with different working statuses were analyzed to show their complexity.Third,the architecture of the LSTM-DL model was elaborated on and evaluated.Finally,the LSTM-DL model was compared with state-of-the-art(SOTA)learning algorithms.The results show that the backfilling cycle comprises multiple working phases and is intermittent.Although pressure and flow signals fluctuate stably in a normal cycle,their values are diverse in different cycles.Plugging causes a sudden change in interval signal features;leakage results in long variation duration and a wide fluctuation range.Among the SOTA models,the LSTM-DL model has the highest detection accuracy of98.31%for all states and the lowest misjudgment or false positive rate of 3.21%for blockage and leakage states.The proposed model can accurately recognize various pipeline statuses of complex GHB systems.

Experimental study on the mechanism of flow blockage formation in fast reactor

Various sources of solid particles might exist in the coolant flow of a liquid metal cooled fast reactor(e.g.,through chemical interaction between the coolant and impurities,air,or water,through corrosion of structural materials,or from damaged/molten fuel).Such particles may cause flow blockage accidents in a fuel assembly,resulting in a reduction in coolant flow,which potentially causes a local temperature rise in the fuel cladding,cladding failure,and fuel melt.To understand the blockage formation mechanism,in this study,a series of simulated experiments was conducted by releasing different solid particles from a release device into a reducer pipe using gravity.Through detailed analyses,the influence of various experimental parameters(e.g.,particle diameter,capacity,shape,and static friction coefficient,and the diameter and height of the particle release nozzle)on the blockage characteristics(i.e.,blockage probability and position)was examined.Under the current range of experimental conditions,the blockage was significantly influenced by the aforementioned parameters.The ratio between the particle diameter and outlet size of the reducer pipe might be one of the determining factors governing the occurrence of blockage.Specifically,increasing the ratio enhanced blockage(i.e.,larger probability and higher position within the reducer pipe).Increasing the particle size,particle capacity,particle static friction coefficient,and particle release nozzle diameter led to a rise in the blockage probability;however,increasing the particle release nozzle height had a downward influence on the blockage probability.Finally,blockage was more likely to occur in non-spherical particles case than that of spherical particles.This study provides a large experimental database to promote an understanding of the flow blockage mechanism and improve the validation process of fast reactor safety analysis codes.

Partial flow blockage analysis of the hottest fuel assembly in SNCLFR-100 reactor core

In this paper, we perform an unprotected partial flow blockage analysis of the hottest fuel assembly in the core of the SNCLFR-100 reactor, a 100 MW_(th) modular natural circulation lead-cooled fast reactor, developed by University of Science and Technology of China. The flow blockage shall cause a degradation of the heat transfer between the fuel assembly and the coolant potentially,which can eventually result in the clad fusion. An analysis of core blockage accidents in a single assembly is of great significance for LFR. Such scenarios are investigated by using the best estimation code RELAP5. Reactivity feedback and axial power profile are considered. The crosssectional fraction of blockage, axial position of blockage,and blockage-developing time are discussed. The cladding material failure shall be the biggest challenge and shall be a considerable threat for integrity of the fuel assembly if the cross-sectional fraction of blockage is over 94%. The blockage-developing time only affects the accident progress. The consequence will be more serious if the axial position of a sudden blockage is closer to the core outlet.The method of analysis procedure can also be applied to analyze similar transient behaviors of other fuel-type reactors.

Formation blockage risk analysis of geothermal water reinjection:Rock property analysis,pumping and reinjection tests,and long-term reinjection prediction

The blockage induced by particle migration and deposition is one of the main reasons for the decrease of reinjection capacity in the porous geothermal reservoir with a low and medium temperature.In this paper,a new drilled geothermal well in Xining basin China is taken as an example to investigate the formation blockage risk due to the movable clay and sand particles in pores.The physical properties of the reservoir rocks were analyzed,a series of pumping and reinjection tests were conducted,and the longterm reinjection performance of the well was predicted by numerical simulation based on the test fitting.The results show that the geothermal reservoir rocks are argillaceous and weakly cemented sandstones with a content of movable clay and sand particles up to 0.18–23.42 wt.%.The well presented a high productivity of 935–2186 m3?d-1 at a pressure difference of 0.7–1.62 MPa in the pumping tests associated with a large amount of clay and sand particles produced out,while in the reinjection test,only a low injectivity of 240–480 m3?d-1 was observed at an injection pressure of 0.2–0.6 MPa with the clay and sand particles near the wellbore move into deep.According to the prediction,under conditions of a blockage risk,the injectivity of the well will start to decline after 100 days of injection,and in the third year,it will decrease by 59.00%–77.09%.The influence of invasion of pretreated suspended particles and scale particles can be neglected.Under conditions of a high blockage risk,the injectivity of the well will decrease significantly in the first 20–30 days,with a decline of 75.39%–78.96%.Generally,the higher the injection pressure or rate,the greater the decrease in injectivity of the well caused by particle blockage.Pump lifting is an effective measure to remove the well blockage which can be used regularly.

Development of a subchannel code for blockage accidents of LMFRs based on the 3D fuel rod model

To predict the thermal-hydraulic(T/H)parameters of the reactor core for liquid-metal-cooled fast reactors(LMFRs),especially under flow blockage accidents,we developed a subchannel code called KMC-FB.This code uses a time-dependent,four-equation,singlephase flow model together with a 3D heat conduction model for the fuel rods,which is solved by numerical methods based on the finite difference method with a staggered mesh.Owing to the local effect of the blockage on the flow field,low axial flow,increased forced crossflow,and backflow occur.To more accurately simulate this problem,we implemented a robust and novel solution method.We verified the code with a low-flow(~0.01 m/s)and large-scale blockage case.For the preliminary validation,we compared our results with the experimental data of the NACIE-UP BFPS blockage test and the KIT19ROD blockage test.The results revealed that KMC-FB has sufficient solution accuracy and can be used in future flow blockage analyses for LMFRs.

Pharmacological blockage of CYP2E1 and alcohol-mediated liver cancer: is the time ready?

Chronic alcohol consumption is a major risk factor worldwide affecting significantly both mortality and years of life lost （YLL） （1）. Ca. 5% of the western world show risky alcohol consumption and in some countries such as China a regional yearly increase of alcohol consumption of over 400% has been observed recently （2,3）. The liver is the major target organ of alcohol. According to the recently published ＇Global Burden of Disease Study 2010, liver cirrhosis and liver cancer are ranked at position 12 and 16 in the global deaths statistics （1）. Thus, in 2010, ca. 1 million people died from liver cirrhosis with one third directly attributable to alcohol. This is a considerable number when comparing with coronary heart disease with 7 million deaths and the leading cause of mortality. In central Europe, liver cirrhosis even ranks at the fourth position in YLL. Hepatocellular cancer （HCC） is now the most common fatal complication of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. Moreover, it shows the second fastest increase of all tumors worldwide after kidney tumors and alcohol-associated HCC ranks on third position after HCCs caused by viral hepatitis B and C.

Blockage effects on viscous fluid flow and heat transfer past a magnetic obstacle in a duct

The effect of lateral walls on fluid flow and heat transfer is investigated when a fluid passes a magnetic obstacle. The blockage ratio β that represents the ratio between the width of external magnet M y and the spanwise width L y is employed to depict the effect. The finite volume method （FVM） based on the PISO algorithm is applied for the blockage ratios of 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4. The results show that the value of Strouhal number St increases as the blockage ratio β increases, and for small β , the variation of St is very small when the interaction parameter and Reynolds number are increasing. Moreover, the cross-stream mixing induced by the magnetic obstacle can enhance the wall-heat transfer and the maximum value of the overall heat transfer increment is about 50.5%.

Numerical and Experimental Study of Blockage Effect Correction Method in Towing Tank

When a ship model test is performed in a tank, particularly when the tank is small and the ship model is relatively large, the blockage effect will inevitably occur. With increased ship model scale and speed, the blockage effect becomes more obvious and must be corrected. In this study, the KRISO 3600 TEU Container Ship (KCS) is taken as a model and computational fluid dynamics techniques and ship resistance tests are applied to explore the mechanism and correction method of the blockage effect. By considering the degrees of freedom of the sinkage and trim, the resistance of the ship model is calculated in the infinite domain and for blockage ratios of 1.5%, 1.8%, 2.2%, and 3.0%. Through analysis of the free surface, pressure distribution, and flow field around the ship model, the action law of the blockage effect is studied. The Scott formula and mean flow correction formula based on the average cross sectional area are recommended as the main correction methods, and these formulas are improved using a factor for the return flow velocity correction based on comparison of the modified results given by different formulas. This modification method is verified by resistance test data obtained from three ship models with different scale ratios.

Influence of asymmetric blockage of the drainage system of a deep-buried tunnel on water gushing

Asymmetric blockage of drainage systems occasionally occurs,which seriously threatens the safety of tunnel operation.Based on theoretical analysis,a calculation expression of tunnel water inflow involving clogging parameters was derived.Degradation of the analytical solution was analysed with the Taylor equation and series expansion theorem,and a tunnel under construction was considered to conduct field tests to verify the rationality of the established model and correctness of the derived expression.Studies have demonstrated that with increasing drainage system blockage degree,the amount of water inflow in the nonblocked area slowly increases,and the total amount of water in the tunnel gradually decreases.The hydrodynamic pressure in the blocked area non-linearly decreased,and the water inrush velocity and hydraulic gradient in the non-blocked area gradually increased.When the drainage system was not blocked,the result of tunnel water inflow calculated by the formula derived in this paper was 8.3% higher than the measured value.When the drainage system was blocked,the theoretical water inflow was 10.5% higher than the measured value.The difference between the measured value and the theoretical value is small,which verifies the effectiveness of the calculation formula of water inflow deduced in this paper.

Flume Experiment on Stream Blockage by the Debris Flow From Tributary

Stream blockage by the debris flow from tributary valleys is a common phenomenon in mountainous area,which takes place when large quantities of sediment transported by debris flow reaches a river channel causing its complete or partial blockage.The dam formed by debris flow may causes upstream and downstream flooding,and presents great threat to people and property.Because of the catastrophic influence on people and property,debris-flow dam has attracted many attentions from the researchers and local adm...

Study on Calculating Blockage Probability and Entry Angle Error of Intelligence Missile to Runway

The blockage effectiveness problem for the runway cut-blanked modes of intelligence missile is described using probability integral method,when entry angle error and open cabin position error exist. On the condition of determined open cabin position error,the allowable range of entry angle error is inversely calculated with interdiction probability. The calculated results indicate that the method mentioned can estimate the intelligence missile interdiction efficiency to the runway and the range of entry angle error,which provides available basis for analyzing the intelligence missile attack assignment on the way.

Experimental Investigation of Yarn Twist Blockage

In twisting a yarn running over a guide surface, the twist inserted into the part in front of the guide is impeded to transmit freely to the part behind the contact zone. A new device has been set up for investigating twist blockage and yarn torque - twist simultaneously. Measurements of twist blockage in relationship to different parameters have been carried out by using a monofilament yarn and a multifilament yarn. The factors under consideration include the wrap angle, yarn tension and input twist.

Effects of potassium channel blockage on inverse stochastic resonance in Hodgkin-Huxley neural systems

Inverse stochastic resonance(ISR)is a phenomenon in which the firing activity of a neuron is inhibited at a certain noise level.In this paper,the effects of potassium channel blockage on ISR in single Hodgkin-Huxley neurons and in small-world networks were investigated.For the single neuron,the ion channel noise-induced ISR phenomenon can occur only in a certain small range of potassium channel blockage ratio.Bifurcation analysis showed that this small range is the bistable region regulated by the external bias current.For small-world networks,the effect of non-homogeneous network blockage on ISR was investigated.The network blockage ratio was used to represent the proportion of potassium-channel-blocked neurons to total network neurons.It is found that an increase in network blockage ratio at small coupling strengths results in shorter ISR duration.When the coupling strength is increased,the ISR is more significant in the case of a large network blockage ratio.The ISR phenomenon is determined by the network blockage ratio,the coupling strength,and the ion channel noise.Our results will provide new perspectives on the observation of ISR in neuroscience experiments.

Debris Fan Produced by Failure of Canyon-Blocking Pyroclastic Flows

Ash-rich pyroclastic flows from the cataclysmic eruption of Mount Mazama (~7700 yr. B. P.), Cascade volcanic arc, Oregon, entered and blocked the narrow, bedrock-lined canyon of the Williamson River approximately 35 to 44 km from the source volcano. The blockage impounded a body of water which then released producing four stratigraphic units in the downstream debris fan. The four stratigraphic units are a boulder core comprised of locally sourced bedrock boulders and three sand-rich units including a fine-grained sand unit, a sandy pumice gravel (±basalt/hydrovolcanic tuff) unit, and a pumice pebble-bearing, crystal-rich sand unit. Hand-drilled auger holes up to ~1.6 m deep were used to obtain samples of the sand-rich units. Units were delimited using surface and down-hole observations, composition and texture, estimated density, statistical parameters of grain size, and vertical and lateral distribution of properties. Overtopping followed by rapid incision into the ash-rich pyroclastic flows progressively cleared the canyon, but a bedrock knickpoint near the head of the canyon limited the volume of debris available for transport to about 0.04 km3 to 0.08 km3. Co-deposition of bedrock boulders and lithic-rich sand was followed by rapid deposition with minimal reworking of remobilized pyroclastics. Continued draining of the impounded lake sent hyperconcentrated flows onto the debris fan depositing pumice-rich gravels that graded upward to crystal-rich sands.

Hydrate Prevention Strategies and the Associated Cost in the Gulf of Mexico

With the petroleum industry endeavoring to develop promising oil and gas in deeper water, gas hydrates prevention is a serious concern for oil and gas producing companies producing at conditions in the hydrate region. This paper details lessons learned from the successful field deployment of AA LDHI and proper implementation strategies used for 3 different practical fields as case studies in the Gulf of Mexico. From the 3 field experiences, the AA LDHI has been used to replace the conventional thermodynamic hydrate inhibitor due to its numerous benefits during steady state operations and transition operations where AA LDHI is injected prior to extended shut in and restart for fields producing at low water cut. However, the strategy to develop a cost effective chemical management of hydrates for fields producing at high water cut is by pumping methanol or diesel to push down the wellbore fluid below the mud line during planned and unplanned shut-ins to delay water production, it also secures the riser with non hydrate fluids. This illustrates how the AA LDHIs are used in conjunction with more conventional hydrate management approaches to reach an optimal cost effective field hydrate management solution. However, this shows that the key to overall success of hydrate prevention is a full integration of a good front end design, a comprehensive deployment and an effective down hole monitoring system.

An Aerothermal Study of Influence of Blockage Ratio on a Supersonic Tube Train System

Evacuated tube transportation is an important development direction for the high-speed transportation technology of the future.However,a train running at supersonic speed in a closed tube can create an unstable aerothermal phenomenon,causing the temperature to rise sharply inside the tube and endangering the safe operation of trains and equipment.The blockage ratio is one of the key factors affecting the aerodynamic characteristics in the tube.In this paper,a 2 D axisymmetric model and Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation(DDES)based on the Shear Stress Transport(SST)k-ωturbulence model are used to study the aerothermal environment in the tube.The calculation method used in this paper was verified by a wind tunnel experiment.The aerothermal phenomenon and distribution of the flow field in the tube with different blockage ratios were compared and analysed.The results show that the aerothermal environment is significantly affected by the blockage ratio.A choking limit formed in the flow field will aggravate the aerodynamic phenomenon as the blockage ratio increases,which further deteriorates the aerothermal environment of the tube.Moreover,the existence of the choking limit,shock wave,and Mach disk make the flow field in the tube more complicated.

A new strategy for tube leakage and blockage detection using bubble motion-based solid-liquid triboelectric sensor

Exploring a rapid, reliable, and practical means to detect blockages and leakages in liquid pipelines and accurately locate their positions is of great importance in practical engineering applications. Here, we report a bubble motion-based triboelectric sensor(BM-TES) for detecting and locating the blockages and leaks inside a plastic tube. This simple-designed, environment-friendly,non-damaging sensor is composed of several ring-shaped Cu electrodes distributed on a polytetrafluoroethylene tube. The selfpowered movement of the bubble under the action of buoyancy makes the inner wall of the tube change from the original solidliquid phase to the gas-solid-liquid phase, which results in a short-term contact and separation between the liquid and the wall.Based on the fractional triboelectric effect of the liquid-solid contact, an obvious real-time stable voltage peak will be generated where the detection bubble passes. The obvious peaks of the open-circuit voltage with respect to time correspond with the electrode distribution. Then, the peaks can be utilized as a robust and sensitive indicator for detecting blockage and leakage, as the number of obvious peaks of the open-circuit voltage is directly related to the blockage and leakage location. The blockage and leakage in a fluid tube were successfully detected using the BM-TES with an accuracy of 10 cm. In addition, the BE-TES was able to detect the water flow velocity in the pipe. The experimental results showed that BM-TES can provide a new strategy and method for liquid tube monitoring and has great potential application value in related fields.

Comparative study of well soaking timing(pre vs.post flowback)for water blockage removal from matrix-fracture interface

Water blockage after hydraulic fracturing is one of the major challenges in shale oil recovery which affects the optimal production from the reservoir.The water blockage represents a higher water saturation near the matrixfracture interface,which decreases the hydrocarbon relative permeability.The removal of water blockage in the field is typically carried out by soaking the well(i.e.,shut-in)after hydraulic fracturing operation is finished.This soaking period allows water redistribution,which decreases the water saturation near the matrix-fracture interface.However,previous field reports show that there is not a strong consensus on whether shut-in is beneficial in terms of production rate or ultimate oil recovery.Due to the large number of parameters involved in hydraulic fracturing and tight formations,it is challenging to select which parameter plays the dominant role in determining the shut-in performance.Furthermore,literature on field case studies does not frequently report the parameters which are of researchers’interest.In other words,the challenge of evaluating shut-in performance not only lies on the complexity of parameters and effects involved within the reservoir,but also the limited number of field case studies which report a comprehensive list of fracturing and reservoir parameters.This paper aims to investigate the effect of well soaking timing on shut-in performance.This idea to investigate the shut-in timing effect is motivated by the fact that in the field,shut-in can take place either immediately after hydraulic fracturing but before the first flowback(i.e.,pre-flowback)or sometime after the first flowback(i.e.,post-flowback).The timing of shut-in is believed to influence the production performance,because it dictates how much water is allowed to imbibe from the fractures to the matrix before the extended production.A numerical model is built and validated by a successful history match with numerous data from core-flood experiments.Our previous study shows that shut-in performance depends heavily on the desiccation state of the formation:in non-desiccated formations,longer shut-in(pre-flowback)results in a lower regained hydrocarbon relative permeability,but in desiccated formations,longer shut-in(pre-flowback)does not affect the regained hydrocarbon relative permeability.In this study,our model further demonstrates that shut-in performed after the first flowback(i.e.,postflowback)can help ensure a higher regained oil relative permeability than shut-in performed before the first flowback(i.e.,pre-flowback)in such non-desiccated formations.A mechanistic analysis on the water blockage mitigation from these two shut-in timings is also presented.As a result,this study proposes that flowback should be carried out immediately following hydraulic fracturing,even if an extended shut-in is to be performed later.