Development of an ultra-high-pressure rotary combined dynamic seal and experimental study on its sealing performance in deep energy mining conditions

With the continuous development of deep oil and gas,minerals,geothermal resources,and other resources,there are increasingly more stringent requirements for equipment.In particular,the ultra-highpressure dynamic seals of deep mining device need to be developed.Therefore,considering the use of dynamic seals in unique deep mining environments,an ultra-high-pressure rotating combined dynamic seal was designed and developed and its sealing performance was experimentally measured and analyzed.The results show that the experimental device can operate stably under a pressure of up to150 MPa and a rotating speed of 76 r/min,and can also operate normally under a rotating speed of up to 140 r/min and a sealing pressure of 120 MPa.During the operation of the ultra-high-pressure rotating combined dynamic seal,the sealing ring does not show obvious damage,which vouches for its sealing performance.No leakage of flow and pressure was detected in the all seal structures within the sealing pressure range of 0-150 MPa.Therefore,the dynamic sealing performance of the device is intact under ultra-high-pressure conditions and can be applied in deep mining environments at a certain depth.The research and development of this device can aid future deep energy exploration and exploitation.

REVIVING CHERMAYEFF’S PATIO HOUSE: A DEEP ENERGY RETROFIT AND RENOVATION OF AN ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN HOME

Buildings in the mid-twentieth century were conceived within a bubble of expectation of boundless energy, a situation that was short-lived, and a mindset set that is hard to comprehend these days. Nowadays, it is easy to understand that the thermally flimsy products of this era require some dramatic invention-what we often call a “deep energy retrofit” (DER)-and there is an emerging set of standard responses to such envelope enhancement. But some of these buildings have high architectural significance, and deserve a more design-oriented solution than simply wrapping them in an insulative swaddle. This is the story of one such building.

Wellhead anti-frost technology using deep mine geothermal energy

The auxiliary shaft is an important location for coal mine heating in the winter, where the main purpose of heating is to prevent icing of the shaft. Wellhead heating requires characteristics of openness, no-noise and big heat loads. The original coal-fired boiler heating mode causes significant waste of energy and environmental pollution due to the low efficiency of the heat exchange. Therefore, to solve these prob- lems, we will use deep mine geothermal energy to heat the wellhead by making full use of its negative pressure field and design a low-temperature water and fan-free heating system. Through numerical cal- culations we will simulate temperature fields, pressure fields and velocity fields under different air sup- ply temperatures, as well as different air supply outlet locations and varying number of radiators in the wellhead room of a new auxiliary shaft to find the proper layout and number of radiators that meet well- head anti-frost requirements from our simulation results, in order to provide guidelines for a practical engineering design. Tests on the Zhangshuanglou auxiliary shaft wellhead shows good, look promising and appear to resolve successfully the problem of high energy consumption and high pollution of well- head heating by a coal-fired boiler.

An Energy Saving Glass Deep Processing Line Put into Production in Hubei

On July 16, 2013, the first low-E energy saving glass deep processing line of Hubei Zhongyi Glass Co., Ltd. was put into production in Changyang County of Hubei Province. Low-E glass is a kind of new glass featured with good lighting, thermal insulation, and ultraviolet radiation resistance. So far contracts worth about CNY 50 million have been signed.

Deep convolutional Ritz method: parametric PDE surrogates without labeled data

The parametric surrogate models for partial differential equations(PDEs)are a necessary component for many applications in computational sciences,and the convolutional neural networks(CNNs)have proven to be an excellent tool to generate these surrogates when parametric fields are present.CNNs are commonly trained on labeled data based on one-to-one sets of parameter-input and PDE-output fields.Recently,residual-based deep convolutional physics-informed neural network(DCPINN)solvers for parametric PDEs have been proposed to build surrogates without the need for labeled data.These allow for the generation of surrogates without an expensive offline-phase.In this work,we present an alternative formulation termed deep convolutional Ritz method(DCRM)as a parametric PDE solver.The approach is based on the minimization of energy functionals,which lowers the order of the differential operators compared to residualbased methods.Based on studies involving the Poisson equation with a spatially parameterized source term and boundary conditions,we find that CNNs trained on labeled data outperform DCPINNs in convergence speed and generalization abilities.The surrogates generated from the DCRM,however,converge significantly faster than their DCPINN counterparts,and prove to generalize faster and better than the surrogates obtained from both CNNs trained on labeled data and DCPINNs.This hints that the DCRM could make PDE solution surrogates trained without labeled data possibly.

HEMS technique for heat-harm control and geo-thermal utilization in deep mines

With the increasing exploitation scope and intensity,the shallow resources would be exhausted in the future;and the deep mining will become an essential choice.In deep tunnel engineering,the heat-harm becomes one of the mainbariers.Investigations on high temperature coal mine have been done in Nothem China,with the construting of threemodels of high temperature mines suffering heat-harm,at the Jiahe mine,Sanhejian mine and Zhangshuanglou mine.Thedomestic and abroad cooling technologies of the mine respectively are also summarized after comparatively analyzing theadvantages and disadvantages of each technology.Finally,we find that the high temperature exchange machinery system(HEMS)technology that use mine discharge as the cold source,is excellent to heat-ham control in deep mines.Taking theJiahe coal mine as an example,we systematically introduce this teclnology by disposing three main workstations.HEMStechnology with its operations and functions in different exploitation levels are accomplished,including the extraction ofrefrigerating output,the transportation of chilled water by closed circulation line,the decompression of circulation linesand equipment by pressure transformation machine,and the heat exchange and cooling of workplace by heat exchangebetween wind stream and the chilled water.The exchanged heat source from the workplace is taken to ground heating bythe circulating water which acts as a carrier.It shows that the HEMS-technology benefit in environment protection andemission reduction.Results of this project illustrate that it is efficient in heat-ham control with the temperature decrease ofthe workplace down to 26-29℃,and being 4-6℃ lower than the original,and the relative humidity 5%-15%lowerthan before.It greatly improves the working environment of underground workplace suffering heat-ham of high tem-perature and high humidity.In addition,by the extracting of deep geothermal enery,ground fired boiler for heating hasbeen replaced,reducing environmental pollution.This technology is worth generalization in deep mines and related fields.

Some important scientific problems in current lithospheric physics research in China

China has achieved much during recent years in the area of lithospheric physics research and promoted the development of the geosciences （Teng, 2004）. However, in the 21^st century, national needs and policy challenges the science of lithospheric physics. I suggest a general analysis, research, and development direction for lithospheric physics and point out clearly the content, core problems, and key scientific problems in this field. The realization of the earth and the discovery of the basic mechanisms of mountains, basins, minerals, and natural disasters depend basically on high-resolution observations of geophysics, the delineation of the fine structure of crust and mantle （2D and 3D） inside the lithosphere, substance and energy exchanges in the deep earth, the process of deep physical, mechanical, and chemical actions, and deep dynamical response. Therefore, geophysics should be the pioneer in the geosciences field in the first half of the 21^st century. I end with an analysis and discussion of some problems and difficulties in the research of lithospheric physics.

Cooling Systems for Borehole Tools

Since 2012 the work on a cooling system for borehole probes is going on at the IAI. It is supposed to allow the usage of standard electronics, as a first approach in borehole environments at 5 km depth, with 200℃ and 600 bar. Within ZWERG, the cooling system serves as base to realize different measurement operations without time limitations. Therefore it contains an insulation to reduce outer heat input, an active cooling system to cool down components which are sensitive to heat inside, like electronics, as well as a cooled room where the electronic can be installed. The first approach based on the example borehole in Soultz-sous-f6ret, France （5 km, 200℃） shall initiate further project in this field, with the perspective to conduct measurement operations in even hotter boreholes. Alternative methods of heat management in borehole probes investigated and developed at IAI, are high temperature electronics and PCM-systems.

PHOENIX’S FIRST NET-ZERO ENERGY OFFICE RETROFIT: A GREEN AND LEAN CASE STUDY

Many in the construction industry view lean practices as a means for reducing cost and schedule while maintaining or improving quality. This paper argues that lean practices can also be used to promote energy savings throughout a building’s life cycle. This paper presents a case study of an existing building retrofit in Phoenix, Arizona. The project owner, a general contractor, self-performed much of the building construction and worked to ensure the project team aligned around the project’s net-zero energy goal. All building systems, excepting the walls and roof, were re-designed and re-constructed. After retrofit, the building has achieved net-zero energy consumption;that is, the building produces as much energy as it consumes on an annual basis. Deep building energy retrofits typically result in larger energy savings than operational changes alone can provide, as these retrofits take a whole-building approach to design (i.e., optimize the whole) and implement integrated project delivery methods (e.g., (AIA, 2007)). This paper discusses a net-zero energy retrofit and how lessons learned on this project could apply to other deep energy retrofits for commercial buildings (where “deep” refers to energy savings of 25% or more) that may significantly improve building value (Miller and Pogue, 2009). The inefficiency of existing building stock supports the need for retrofitting: energy consumption in the existing building stock in the United States accounts for approximately 41% of the total primary energy consumption (US DOE, 2012). In order to reduce this consumption, existing buildings must be retrofit, through replacement or upgrade of their existing building systems, to improve their energy performance. Beyond the energy motivation, a building’s operating costs account for the largest portion of the life cycle cost. Thus, deep energy retrofit projects offer an opportunity to significantly reduce both national energy consumption and expenditures. While much research exists on the topic of energy retrofits, very little explores the role of the contractor. This paper explores the contractor’s role (rather than the designer’s or engineer’s role) in delivering deep energy retrofit projects. The contractor plays a critical role in delivering a project that meets the owner’s expectations and goals and satisfies the specifications (Ahn and Pearce, 2007). Namely, the contractor executes the plans and specifications, giving physical reality to the design team’s vision. In the case of deep energy retrofits, this role is particularly important, as installation and operation must conform to the design intent to achieve the predicted energy performance. Moreover, the contractor must understand the existing condition to effectively retrofit the building. This paper explores critical building energy efficiency measures and processes for achieving deep energy savings in retrofit projects. Specifically, we present the role of the contractor in a case study project in Phoenix, Arizona where the contractor was engaged in the project early in the design stage. This paper discusses the process of developing and selecting energy efficiency measures (EEMs). It explains the reasons for choosing particular EEMs, including a discussion of selecting an appropriate baseline for energy savings calculations, and documents the impact of EEMs on total energy consumption and design intent. The paper concludes with a discussion of recommendations that, if applied in part or whole, will increase the effectiveness of future construction teams in delivering deep energy retrofit projects.

Multi-criteria decision-making method for evaluation of investment in enhanced geothermal systems projects

Deep geothermal energy presents large untapped renewable energy potential could significantly contribute to global energy needs. However, developing geothermal projects involves uncertainties regarding adequate geothermal brine extraction and huge costs related to preparation phases and consequently drilling and stimulation activities. Therefore, evaluating utilization alternatives of such projects is a complex decision-making problem effectively addressed using multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods. This study introduces the MCDM method utilizing analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and weighted decision matrix (WDM) to assess different utilization alternatives (electricity generation, direct heat use and cogeneration). The AHP method determines the weight of each criterion and sub-criterion, while the WDM calculates the final project grade. Five criteria groups - technological, geological, economic, societal and environmental – comprising twenty-eight influencing factors were selected and used for the assessment of investment in Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) projects. The AHP-WDM method was used by 38 experts from six categories: industry, educational institution, research and technology organization (RTO), small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME), local community and other. These diverse expert inputs aimed to capture varying perspectives and knowledge influence investment decisions in geothermal energy. The results were analysed accordingly. The results underscore the importance of incorporating different viewpoints to develop robust, credible, and effective investment strategies for EGS projects. Therefore, this method will contribute to more efficient EGS project development, enabling thus a greater penetration of the EGS into the market. Additionally, the proposed AHP-WDM method was implemented for a case study examining two locations. Locations were assessed and compared on scenario-based evaluation. The results confirmed the method's adequacy for assessing various end uses and comparing project feasibility across different locations.

The effect of lateral growth of self-assembled GaN microdisks on UV lasing action

There are significant differences in the extent of impurity incorporation on different crystallographic directions of GaN microstructures,and the impurity-related deep energy level behavior will have a significant impact on device performance.However,a comprehensive understanding of the effect of lateral growth on device performance has not been achieved due to the lack of comprehensive spatial distribution characterization of the optical behavior and impurity incorporation in GaN microstructures.We present a comprehensive study of the optical behavior and growth mechanism of self-assembled GaN microdisks using nanoscale spatially resolved cathodoluminescence(CL)mapping.We have found a clear growth orientation-dependent optical behavior of the lateral and vertical growth sectors of self-assembled GaN microcrystals.The lateral growth sector,i.e.,the{101¯1}-growth sector,forms six side facets of the microdisk and shows significant near-bandgap emission(NBE)and weak deep energy level luminescence.Cavity effect enhanced emission was found for the first time in such a truncated hexagonal Na-flux GaN microdisk system with an ultra-smooth surface(Ra<0.7 nm)and low stress.The self-assembled microdisk shows significant ultraviolet(UV)lasing action(main lasing peak wavelength 370.9 nm,quality factor 1278,threshold 6×10^(4)μJ/cm^(2))under pulsed optical pumping.We believe that the appearance of UV lasing action may be related to the light limitation on the six side facets of the lateral growth of the GaN microdisk,the high structural quality,the low content of deep energy level defects,the low surface roughness,and the low stress.

CO_(2)Plume Geothermal(CPG)Systems for Combined Heat and Power Production:an Evaluation of Various Plant Configurations

CO_(2) Plume Geothermal(CPG)systems are a promising concept for utilising petrothermal resources in the context of a future carbon capture utilisation and sequestration economy.Petrothermal geothermal energy has a tremendous worldwide potential for decarbonising both the power and heating sectors.This paper investigates three potential CPG configurations for combined heating and power generation(CHP).The present work examines scenarios with reservoir depths of 4 km and 5 km,as well as required district heating system(DHS)supply temperatures of 70℃ and 90℃.The results reveal that a two-staged serial CHP concept eventuates in the highest achievable net power output.For a thermosiphon system,the relative net power reduction by the CHP option compared with a sole power generation system is significantly lower than for a pumped system.The net power reduction for pumped systems lies between 62.6%and 22.9%.For a thermosiphon system with a depth of 5 km and a required DHS supply temperature of 70℃,the achievable net power by the most beneficial CHP option is even 9.2%higher than for sole power generation systems.The second law efficiency for the sole power generation concepts are in a range between 33.0%and 43.0%.The second law efficiency can increase up to 63.0%in the case of a CHP application.Thus,the combined heat and power generation can significantly increase the overall second law efficiency of a CPG system.The evaluation of the achievable revenues demonstrates that a CHP application might improve the economic performance of both thermosiphon and pumped CPG systems.However,the minimum heat revenue required for compensating the power reduction increases with higher electricity revenues.In summary,the results of this work provide valuable insights for the potential development of CPG systems for CHP applications and their economic feasibility.