Study of Displacement Characteristics of Fire Flooding in Different Viscosity Heavy Oil Reservoirs

A field test in the Xinjiang oilfield in China shows that the viscosity of heavy oil has a certain influence on the combustion dynamics and injection-production performance of fire flooding. The experiment in this study uses a one-dimensional combustion tube to study the temperature, gas composition, and air injection pressure and the production performance of the fire flooding of heavy oil with different viscosities. The results show that the oil viscosities of 1180–22500 mPa·s can achieve stable combustion, and the O2 content of the gas produced during the stable combustion stage is <0.5%. The higher the viscosity of the heavy oil, the higher the temperature in the burned zone and the smaller the range of the temperature increase in the unburned zone. The air injection pressure will increase rapidly until a stable seepage channel is formed, and then, it will drop to a level close to the formation pressure. High-viscosity heavy oil requires a higher air injection pressure and will remain in the high-pressure stage for a longer period of time. Low-viscosity heavy oil has a low water cut in the early stage of fire flooding, a large oil production rate, and a low and stable air–oil ratio. The water cut of high-viscosity heavy oil increases rapidly in the early stage of fire flooding and then decreases gradually, so a good air–oil ratio can only be obtained in the middle and late stages of fire flooding. Thus, fire flooding may be more suitable for application in common heavy oil and some extra heavy oil reservoirs with lower viscosities.

Valorization of Insulation Cellulose Waste as Solid Biomass Fuel

This paper investigates the ability of insulation cellulose fiber powder (CFP) to be pelletized for its valorization as biomass fuel. CFP is a waste originating from insulation cellulose manufacturing that lacks any method of valorization because of its boron salts content. A sugar byproduct and lignosulfonate (LS) were considered as binders for the pellet manufacturing process. Physical tests were carried out to characterize the pellets’ performance. Chemical and combustion tests were considered to state the pellets’ potential as a green energy source. Raw CFP showed good ability in its pelletization and durability in the range of 15–30% of moisture content. The pellet’s density decreased as water content increased. Binders increased the pellet’s length before and after the durability test. Binders also increased the CFP pellet’s water absorption, demonstrating a potential decrease in durability against environmental factors. Binders also decreased the lower heating value. Ultimate analysis showed a slight Nitrogen increase in both binder combinations that could potentially raise the pollutant NOx combustion emissions. All the combinations showed adequate combustion characteristics, but binders increased ash production. Additives decreased the CFP volatile matter content and increased the fixed carbon, which could facilitate a more stable combustion. DTA curves showed a mass loss rate decrease in the volatile stage for the binder combinations, which also could be considered as an indicator of a more stable combustion. The ashes’ chemical compositions when analyzed by XPS showed boron contents oscillating between 10.03% and 16.42%, demonstrating the possibility of recovering them from the combustion ashes.

Research of Technology of Producing Composite Fuel Based on Nephelometric Method

The article experimentally investigated that using a carboxylic acid (acetic acid), non-free radicals of saturated hydrocarbons (gasoline, kerosene, white alcohol, benzene, toluene, acids, etc.) are split and form free radicals, after which a chemical reaction occurs in as a result of which new connections are formed. A stable milk-emulsion composite fuel was obtained by the nephelometric method, with the following component ratio: 5:0.2:4.8 (50% gasoline, 2% glacial acetic acid, 48% ordinary water). After obtaining a stable milk-emulsion composite fuel, combustion was carried out and the process of stable combustion was determined. The pressure of the composite fuel in the container is increased to 3 kg/cm2 to obtain an aerosol at the nozzle outlet. The aerosol ignites inside the nichrome coil, the heating temperature is about 500 °C. To maintain the process of stable combustion of the composite fuel, the spiral is connected to a 20-volt voltage source.

Experimental Thermal Hazard Investigation of Pressure and EC/PC/EMC Mass Ratio on Electrolyte

Electrolytes are involved in the thermal runaway (TR) process of cells, which is a potential hazard in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Therefore, the effects of different mass ratio of carbonate solvents (ethylene carbonate (EC)/propylene carbonate (PC)/ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC)) with LiBF4 and different environmental pressure on the combustion characteristics of electrolyte such as flame centerline temperature, mass loss rate (MLR) and heat release rate (HRR) were analyzed. The combustion process could be divided into four stages: ignition, stable combustion stage, stable combustion with flame color change stage and extinguishing; with the decrease of pressure, the MLR of electrolyte declined and the combustion time prolonged, while the temperature of flame centerline increased.

Real-Gas-Flamelet-Model-Based Numerical Simulation and Combustion Instability Analysis of a GH2/LOX Rocket Combustor with Multiple Injectors

A large eddy simulation (LES) and combustion instability analysis are performed using OpenFOAM for the multiple shear-coaxial injector combustor DLR-BKD (in German Deutsches Zentrum für Luft–Brennkammer D, German Aerospace Center–Combustion Chamber D), which is a laboratory-scale combustor operating in a real-gas environment. The Redlich–Kwong–Peng–Robinson equation of state and steady-laminar flamelet model are adopted in the simulation to accurately capture the real-gas combustion effects. Moreover, the stable combustion under the LP4 condition is numerically analyzed, and the characteristics of the combustion flow field are investigated. In the numerical simulation of the combustion instability, the instability is generated by artificially superimposing the 1st transverse standing wave solution on the stable combustion solution. To decompose the combustion instability mode, the dynamic mode decomposition method is applied. Several combustion instability modes are qualitatively and quantitatively identified through contour plots and graphs, and the sustenance process of the limit cycle is investigated.

Investigation of Waste Biogas Flame Stability Under Oxygen or Hydrogen-Enriched Conditions

Increasing production rates of the biomethane lead to increased generation of waste biogases. These gases should be utilized on-site to avoid pollutant emissions to the atmosphere. This study presents a flexible swirl burner (~100 kW) with an adiabatic chamber capable of burning unstable composition waste biogases. The main combustion parameters and chemiluminescence emission spectrums were examined by burning waste biogases containing from 5 to 30 vol% of CH4 in CO2 under air, O2-enriched atmosphere, or with the addition of hydrogen. The tested burner ensured stable combustion of waste biogases with CH4 content not less than 20 vol%. The addition of up to 5 vol% of H2 expanded flammability limits, and stable combustion of the mixtures with CH4 content of 15 vol% was achieved. The burner flexibility to work under O2-enriched air conditions showed more promising results, and the flammability limit was expanded up to 5 vol% of CH4 in CO2. However, the combustion under O2-enriched conditions led to increased NOx emissions (up to 1100 ppm). Besides, based on chemiluminescence emission spectrums, a linear correlation between the spectral intensity ratio of OH* and CH* (IOH*/ICH*) and CH4 content in CO2 was presented, which predicts blow-off limits burning waste biogases under different H2 or O2 enrichments.

IMAGING DIAGNOSTICS OF COMBUSTION INSTABILITY IN PREMIXED SWIRLING COMBUSTION

An experimental study on combustion instability is presented with focus on propane-air premixed swirling flames. Swirling flames under self-excited oscillation are studied by imaging of visible light and OH* chemiluminescence filter under several typical conditions. The dynamical characteristics of swirling flames were analysed by Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD) method. Three types of unstable modes in the combustor system were observed, which correspond to typical acoustic resonant modes (LF mode, C1/4 mode and P1/2 mode) of the combustor system. The combustion instability is in the longitudinal mode. Furthermore, the structure of downstream hot burnt gas under stable combustion and unstable combustion is studied by imaging of visible light and near-infrared light. Results show that there is a significant difference in the downstream flow under stable combustion and unstable combustion. The DMD spectrum of the flame and the downstream hot burnt gas obtained is the same, which is close to the characteristic frequency of acoustic pressure captured by the microphone signal. The visible light and near-infrared light imaging observation method adopted in this paper provides a new imaging method for the investigation of thermo-acoustic instability.