Fracture sealing performance of granular lost circulation materials at elevated temperature:A theoretical and coupled CFD-DEM simulation study

Lost circulation is a common downhole problem of drilling in geothermal and high-temperature,high-pressure(HTHP)formations.Lost circulation material(LCM)is a regular preventive and remedial measure for lost circulation.However,conventional LCMs seem ineffective in high-temperature formations.This may be due to the changes in the mechanical properties of LCMs and their sealing performance under high-temperature conditions.To understand how high temperature affects the fracture sealing performance of LCMs,we developed a coupled computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method(CFD-DEM)model to simulate the behavior of granular LCMs in fractures.We summarized the literature on the effects of high temperature on the mechanical properties of LCMs and the rheological properties of drilling fluid.We conducted sensitivity analyses to investigate how changing LCM slurry properties affected the fracture sealing efficiency at increasing temperatures.The results show that high temperature reduces the size,strength,and friction coefficient of LCMs as well as the drilling fluid viscosity.Smaller,softer,and less frictional LCM particles have lower bridging probability and slower bridging initiation.Smaller particles tend to form dual-particle bridges rather than single-particle bridges.These result in a deeper,tighter,but unstable sealing zone.Reduced drilling fluid viscosity leads to faster and shallower sealing zones.

Geopolymer-based modification of blasting sealing materials and optimization of blasting block size in coal seams of open pit mines

This research proposes the utilization of a geopolymer-based blasting sealing material to improve the profitability of coal sales and reduce the rate of coal fragmentation during blasting in open pit mines.The study first focused on optimizing the strength of the sealant material and reducing curing time.This was achieved by regulating the slag doping and sodium silicate solution modulus.The findings demonstrated that increasing slag content and improving the material resulted in an early rise in strength while increasing the modulus of the sodium silicate solution extended the curing time.The slag doping level was fixed at 80 g,and the sodium silicate solution modulus was set at 1.5.To achieve a strength of 3.12 MPa,the water/gel ratio was set at 0.5.The initial setting time was determined to be 33 min,meeting the required field test duration.Secondly,the strength requirements for field implementation were assessed by simulating the action time and force destruction process of the sealing material during blasting using ANSYS/LS-DYNA software.The results indicated that the modified material meets these requirements.Finally,the Shengli Open Pit Coal Mine served as the site for the field test.It was observed that the hole-sealing material’s hydration reaction created a laminated and flocculated gel inside it.This enhanced the density of the modified material.Additionally,the pregelatinized starch,functioning as an organic binder,filled the gaps between the gels,enhancing the cohesion and bonding coefficient of the material.Upon analyzing the post-blasting shooting effect diagram using the Split-Desktop software,it was determined that the utilization of the modified blast hole plugging material resulted in a decrease in the rate of coal fragmentation from 33.2%to 21.1%.This reduction exhibited a minimal error of 1.63%when compared to the field measurement,thereby providing further confirmation of the exceptional plugging capabilities of the modified material.This study significantly contributes to establishing a solid theoretical basis for enhancing the blasting efficiency of open pit mines and,in turn,enhancing their economic advantages.

Emerging and Innovative Materials for Hydropower Engineering Applications:Turbines,Bearings,Sealing,Dams and Waterways,and Ocean Power

The hydropower sector is currently experiencing several technological developments.New technologies and practices are emerging to make hydropower more flexible and more sustainable.Novel materials have also been recently developed to increase performance,durability,and reliability;however,no systematic discussions can be found in the literature.Therefore,in this paper,novel materials for hydropower applications are presented,and their performance,advantages,and limitations are discussed.For example,composites can reduce the weight of steel equipment by 50%to 80%,polymers and superhydrophobic materials can reduce head losses by 4%to 20%,and novel bearing materials can reduce bearing wear by 6%.These improvements determine higher efficiencies,longer life span,waste reduction,and maintenance needs,although the initial cost of some materials is not yet competitive with respect to the costs of traditional materials.The novel materials are described here based on the following categories:novel materials for turbines,dams and waterways,bearings,seals,and ocean hydropower.

Microscopic properties and sealing performance of new gas drainage drilling sealing material

The geological condition of Chinese coal mines are complex and high gassy,which account for ffty percent to seventy percent.Because of the abundant pores and cracks around the drainage drilling hole,the gas concentration attenuates rapidly,and the effective gas drainage period is short.The traditional sealing materials of yellow mud and cement-sand grout will readily shrink after the drilling hole is sealed,the sealing length is short and the sealing quality is not satisfactory.Currently widely used polyurethane material will shrink when it comes into contact with water,and the price is also very high.In this study,taking cement as a base material,a novel composite sealing material mixed by expansion admixture,additive,and fbrin and coupling agent was developed and the sealing performance and expansion property of the material were also studied and analyzed.The FEI Quanta TM 250 environmental scanning electron microscope was used to investigate the microstructure of material.The results revealed that the new composite sealing material had a desirable expansion performance and a defnite fluidity convenient for grouting.The solidifed material,combining closely with the drilling wall,possessed an adequate strength and was not easy to shrink.Compared to the conventional polyurethane,the gas drainage concentration by drilling sealing exceeded 40 percent,and the sealing capacity improves5 times,the sealing effect increases signifcantly.

Cavitation and electrochemical characteristics of thermal spray coating with sealing material

Steel applied in ocean environment is exposed to corrosion and cavitation and is subject to increasing damages. To prevent this, anti-corrosion thermal spray coating technique is widely used. The low-temperature thermal spray coating was performed with 85%Al-14.5%Zn-0.5%Zr for ship materials and various sealing materials were applied to improve its durability, and the electrochemical behavior and cavitation characteristics were observed. The results show that the sealing improves all the properties of the materials. Hybrid ceramic and fluoro-silicon sealing materials show good electrochemical characteristics, and the fluoro-silieon sealing material shows the best anti-cavitation characteristics.

Study on Thermal Expansion Coefficient of Sealing Materials for Ceramic Metal Halide Lamps

With Al2O3, Dy2O3, and SiO2 as starting materials, the basic glass of Al2O3-Dy2O3-SiO2 system was prepared by conventional melting technology, and their thermal expansion coefficients （TECs） at different anneal time were investigated. TECs of the basic glass, which were heat-treated under different temperature, were also investigated. The result showed that TECs of the basic glass gradually approached a fixed value as the anneal time was extended, which suggested that most of the inner stress had been eliminated. After heat treatment, the contents of Dy2O3, Dy2Si2O7, and a new crystal increased up to 1200 ℃ and decreased below 1250 ℃, which was consistent with the TEC change of crystallized samples. This suggests that the crystal has a direct effect on TECs of the crystallized samples.

Processing and Properties of Flexible Hot Gas Sealing Materials for Ceramic Membrane

Ceramic membranes are effective to reduce PM2.5 emission when used for hot flue gas filtration.The properties of the sealing material play a decisive role infiltration efficiency.However,there are few studies on sealing materials for hot flue gas filtration above 700 ℃.This investigation was performed to develop flexible sealing materials which can be used for a long time at high temperatures.In order to obtain sufficient mechanical strength and continuous flexibility,three kinds of binders were selected as coating binders.The sealing materials based on high silica fiber fabric and aluminum silicate fiber fabric were successfully prepared.The effect of aging on mechanical properties and microstructural characteristics of the composites subjected to coating had been investigated by XRD,SEM and EDS.The results show that waterborne polyurethane (WPU) is a suitable coating binder for the sealing materials,which can be used for a long time at 1 000 ℃ and 700 ℃,respectively,without significant decrease in strength.However,the other two binders,aluminum dihydrogen phosphate and aluminum chromium phosphate will weaken the flexibility,resulting in frangibility and reducing sealing performance.The developed composites possess required thermo-stability and desired mechanical strength as flexible sealing materials,indicating their strong application possibility in hot flue gas filtration.

Study on an novel composite gel material solving serious lost circulations and pressurization sealing

Lost circulations have presented great challenges to the petroleum industry, causing great expenditures of cash and time to fighting the problem. Probably the most problematic situations are the naturally fractured formations where the operator may face total loss with no mud return in the annular. The voids or large fracture encountered in this case are often far too large to be plugged with conventional Lost Circulation Material. This paper will give a detailed introduction on a novel composite gel material usable to control severe losses and pressurization sealing. The plugging mechanics of this new composite gel material, which is different from conventional lost circulation materials, were elaborated as well. In addition, the properties of the new composite gel material such as thermostability, sealing strength and bearing resistance are characterized with specific experimental devices. The experimental results proved that the breakdown pressure of the new plugging reached more than 20MPa, and the maximum degraded temperature can be exceed 130℃. The field application at 4 wells in Puguang gas field, SINOPEC, demonstrated that the new composite gel material solved the serious loss in Ordovician carbonate fractured formation successfully and guaranteed the following completion cement operation smoothly. The composite gel sealing slurries, which was easily prepared on site, gives remarkable properties regarding pumping through drill pipes, adjustment of setting time and excellent sealing strength of the lost zone sealing, additionally, the whole pressurization sealing process was complicated within only ten hours. The on-site results show that the plugging ratio of the new composite gel was reached 100%, and the success rate of sealing operation kept above 80%.Thus the new LCM can guarantee safe drilling jobs and save operation cost more effectively.

Study and Application of Sealing Material for Coke Oven Chamber

A kind of dry refractory sealing material has been developed to repair the fine cracks in coke oven chamber. With silica sand as the main raw material, the sealing material is blown into coke oven chamber by compressed air while being applied, and bonded to brick surface or filled in fine cracks of chamber under right pressure. The physical properties of the material are similar to those of silica bricks during its application. So it can be adapted to conditions of coke oven and has good service life. The study and application results of the sealing material are described in this paper.

Beijing Huade Sealing Material Industrial Co.Ltd.

The Beijing Huade Sealing Material Industrial Corporation, Ltd. is a joint venture between the Beijing Hua Xin Development Company of the Beijing Chemical Group Corporation and a metal printing company based in Singapore. The corporation specializes in producing sealing material for metal packing pails.

Preparation,crystallization,and wetting of ZnO-Al_2O_3-B_2O_3-SiO_2 glass-ceramics for sealing to Kovar

A novel type of ZnO-Al2O3-B2O3-SiO2 glass-ceramics sealing to Kovar in electronic packaging was developed, whose thermal expansion coefficient and electrical resistance are 5.2× 10^-6/℃ and over 1×10^13 Ω·cm, respectively. The major crystalline phases in the glass-ceramic seals were ZnAl2O4, ZnB2O4, and NaSiAl2O4. The dielectric resistance of the glass-ceramic could be remarkably enhanced through the control of alkali metal ions into crystal lattices. It was found that crystallization happened first on the surface of the sample, leaving the amorphous phase in the inner, which made the glass suitable for sealing. The glass-ceramic showed better wetting on the Kovar surface, and sealing atmosphere and temperature had great effect on the wetting angle. Strong interracial bonding was obtained, which was mainly attributed to the interracial reaction between SiO2 and FeO or Fe3O4.

WEAR AND SEALING CHARACTERISTICS OF ENGINE VALVE GUIDE

A novel powder metallurgy （P/M） material with high wear resistance is developed in order to decrease the wear and lubricant-leakage of a diesel engine valve guide. The friction and wear tests of this material are conducted. It indicates that the wear resistance of the newly developed P/M material has been improved and much better than that of the formerly used alloy steel. Moreover, three different sealing structures are designed and theoretically analyzed with respect to the characteristic of hydrodynamic sealing. Through comparative experiments of component leakage and engine run-in for different valve guide structures, it proves that the structure with a machined sealing groove but not installed with a seal-ring cannot only reduce the specific lubricant consumption （SLC） of cylinder head, but also decrease the wear of valve stern and valve guide.

Lost circulation material for abnormally high temperature and pressure fractured-vuggy carbonate reservoirs in Tazhong block, Tarim Basin, NW China

To effectively solve the problem of lost circulation and well kick frequently occurring during the drilling of abnormally high temperature and pressure fractured-vuggy reservoirs in the Tazhong block, a rigid particle material, GZD, with high temperature tolerance, high rigidity(> 8 MPa) and low abrasiveness has been selected based on geological characteristics of the theft zones in the reservoirs. Through static pressure sealing experiments, its dosage when used alone and when used in combination with lignin fiber, elastic material SQD-98 and calcium carbonate were optimized, and the formula of a new type(SXM-I) of compound lost circulation material with high temperature tolerance and high strength was formed. Its performance was evaluated by compatibility test, static sealing experiment and sand bed plugging experiment. The test results show that it has good compatibility with drilling fluid used commonly and is able to plug fractures and vugs, the sealed fractures are able to withstand the static pressure of more than 9 MPa and the cumulative leakage is 13.4 mL. The mud filtrate invasion depth is only 2.5 cm in 30 min when the sand bed is made of particles with sizes between 10 mesh and 20 mesh. Overall, with good sealing property and high temperature and high pressure tolerance, the lost circulation material provides strong technical support for the safety drilling in the block.

A review on the sealing structure and materials of fuel-cell stacks

Proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells(PEMFCs)have the characteristics of zero emissions,a low operating temperature and high power density,and have great potential in improving energy-utilization efficiency.However,fuel cells are still quite expensive as a result of the cost of key components,including the membranes,catalysts and bipolar plates of PEMFCs.As a result of the cost and importance of these items,most researchers have focused on improving the lifetime and performance of fuel-cell stacks in recent years.In contrast,seals,sealants and adhesives play a more mundane role in the overall performance of a fuel cell,but failure of these materials can lead to reduced system efficiency,system failure and even safety issues.Little attention has been paid to the performance and durability of these products but as other fuel-cell components improve,these seals are becoming an even more critical link in the long-term performance of fuel cells.This article highlights the importance and background of fuel-cell seals.The latest research progress on the mechanical properties and structural optimization of different sealing materials is reviewed.

Theoretical and experimental study on the rheological properties of WIS grout and the dispersion and sealing mechanism

Recently a new grout material called water inflow sealing(WIS) was invented for sealing water inflow in tunneling and underground constructions. In this study, a special experimental method called intubated counter grouting(ICG) was proposed to investigate the influence of water dispersion on the rheological properties of the grout during the grouting process, and to testify the sealing performance of the grout,such as instant gelling ability(IGA) and anti-dispersion ability(ADA). In the experiment, dispersion was restricted in the downstream of the channel with a high turbulence intensity. The influences of ADA and IGA were therefore decoupled and evaluated separately. Experimental results revealed two distinctive sealing mechanisms of WIS. For a low initial velocity of water, WIS turned the shear flow of water into an overall movement of a plug by absorbing water into the particles. For a high initial velocity and the situation that the particles reached the outlet before sufficiently expanding, WIS modified the rheology of the water in the channel and reduced its velocity till the static state. The distinctive feature of WIS brings a reformation on the sealing mechanism and provides an effective way to control water inflow with high pressure and velocity.

Thermo-Mechanical Analysis of the Sealing Performance of a Diesel-Engine Cylinder Gasket

Taking the combustor composite structure of a high-strength diesel engine as the main research object,dedicated tests have been conducted to verify the accuracy of three distinct cylinder gasket pressure simulation models.Using the measured cylinder gasket compression rebound curve,a gasket unit has been designed and manufactured.For this unit,the influence of the bolt pretension,cylinder body and cylinder head material on gasket sealing pressure has been investigated systematically in conditions of thermo-mechanical coupling.The results show that the bolt pretension force is one of the most important factors affecting the cylinder gasket sealing pressure.The change of the body material has little effect on this pressure.The cylinder gasket seal pressure decreases progressively with the reduction of the elastic module of the cylinder head material.

海藻酸钠改性垃圾焚烧底灰-矿渣基胶凝堵漏材料研究

针对传统矿用水泥基堵漏材料存在的收缩开裂、高能耗及高碳排放的问题,探索采用海藻酸钠(SA)交联金属离子,制备SA改性垃圾焚烧底灰(MSWI-BA)-粒化高炉矿渣(GBFS)基胶凝堵漏材料(SWM)。通过抗压强度和凝结时间的测试,确定了最佳水固比为0.4。通过胶凝材料在不同温度下的抗压强度、收缩率及裂缝形貌的分析,探究了SA改性对胶凝材料的耐高温性能的影响,结果表明SA改性后,胶凝材料的耐高温性得到了改善,受热后改性胶凝材料表面裂缝明显减少,收缩率较改性前最大降低了26.5%,在400℃受热后,剩余抗压强度仍高达17.25 MPa。结合微观形貌、孔结构性能和热分析实验,探究了SA改性胶凝材料的形成机理,结果表明,SA改性MSWI-BA-GBFS基胶凝堵漏材料通过SA与底物中的Ca^(2+)/Al^(3+)的配位交联与碱激发底物形成的硅铝酸盐共价网络协同作用,细化孔径,减小孔容,在受热后保持基体结构的完整性,从而改善胶凝材料的抗收缩开裂性。堵漏风模拟实验结果表明,水固比0.4的SA改性MSWI-BA-GBFS基胶凝堵漏材料的堵漏性能优于矿用水泥基材料,表现出较好的堵漏性能。SA改性MSWI-BA-GBFS基胶凝堵漏材料的研制不仅为城市垃圾焚烧底灰的资源化利用提供了有效途径,还提供了一种抗压强度高、抗收缩开裂且耐高温的可以完全替代传统矿用水泥基堵漏材料的环保防灭火材料。

沥青路面热反射封层材料降温性能与机理研究

热反射型沥青路面封层可有效降低沥青路面温度,从而避免车辙病害。采用中空陶瓷微珠(HCB)和中空玻璃微珠(HGB)两种热反射材料,分别与雾封层和稀浆封层两种预防性养护技术结合,制备沥青路面热反射封层材料。利用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)与X射线衍射(XRD)对两种热反射材料的微观形貌与化学组成进行表征;通过室内降温试验对不同封层形式与不同热反射材料的降温效果进行研究,利用室外降温试验对热反射稀浆封层的降温效果进行研究,并探讨了HCB与HGB在封层中的热反射机理。研究结果表明:SEM与XRD试验显示HCB与HGB微观结构与化学组成使其有利于降低路面温度;室内降温试验表明,含8%HGB的热反射稀浆封层温度可降低2.6℃,含100%HGB热反射雾封层温度可降低1℃,热反射稀浆封层降温效果优于热反射雾封层,并且在相同掺量下,添加HGB的降温效果优于添加HCB;室外降温试验结果表明,相比未掺加热反射材料的稀浆封层,含8%HGB的热反射稀浆封层的降温效果可达5.2℃;相比未加铺热反射稀浆封,含8%HGB的热反射稀浆封层的降温效果达到3.3℃,热反射稀浆封在具备养护功能的同时也可以达到降温效果。研究结果可为公路关键路段的日常预防性养护提供一种可行的车辙病害解决方案。

俄罗斯液体潜射弹道导弹长期贮存材料工艺技术

对液体潜射弹道导弹长期加注贮存技术的发展进程、最新进展及研究现状进行概述。重点介绍俄罗斯液体潜射弹道导弹的结构设计、材料选取和制造工艺以及出厂加注封装和密封性检测方法,最后指出实现长期加注贮存的技术路径。

气体封隔器密封单元的增强方法与安全分析

气体封隔器胶筒是实现气井分层分段开采的关键部件。常规三胶筒结构在坐封时易发生初始破坏,导致胶筒整体应力水平降低,密封安全性储备不足。为此,提出一种多材料组合式密封单元的增强方法,用于HPHT105-232-V0型含硫化氢高温高压气体封隔器密封单元的设计;基于拉伸试验和Yeoh理论获得橡胶的本构模型参数;在温度204℃、坐封力200 kN和环空压力70 MPa下,分析了胶筒的应力和变形规律;试验测试了增强单元的密封安全性。分析结果表明:HPHT105-232-V0型封隔器密封单元胶筒的最大变形量为94.785 mm,最大接触应力为240 MPa,位于金属护环与套管接触区域。根据API标准,对HPHT105-232-V0型封隔器实物进行测试试验,坐封时胶筒未发生初始破坏,密封单元的整体应力水平提高;稳压过程胶筒压降幅度小于1%;整个试验测试过程中,密封单元无气泡溢出,封隔器卸载后胶筒结构无明显的塑性变形。研究结果表明,采用该增强方法所设计的多材料组合式密封单元具有良好的密封性能,满足极端环境下的密封安全性要求。