Porosity Distribution Simulation and Impure Inclusion Analysis of Porous Crystal Layer Formed via Polythermal Process

In this work, we investigated the porosity distribution and separation property of the porous crystal layer formed via the polythermal process. The proposed porosity distribution model, considering both the cooling profile and the crystal settling effect, provided simulative results that met the MRI analysis experimental results with suitable agreement. Significant porosity variation from the top to the bottom of the crystal layer (ϕ from 0.75 to 0.55 under rapid cooling profile) was detected. Meanwhile, the vertical supersaturation degree gradient induced by the fluid fluctuation could impact nucleation and crystal growth kinetic along with crystal particle settling. The resulting crystal layer possessed various impurity inclusion conditions. Under a moderate cooling profile (0.4 K·min−1), the volume fraction of closed pores against overall pores decreased from 0.75 to 0.36. The proposed model and experimental analysis approach were demonstrated to be helpful for porosity distribution simulation and impure inclusion analysis of layer crystallization.

Binder Saturation as a Controlling Factor for Porosity Variation in 3D-Printed Sandstone

Binder jet additive manufacturing (BJ-AM) is a rapidly evolving 3D printing technique where the access to an array of powder materials is expanding. The use of silica sand has grown in popularity within the BJ-AM sector and has been shown to have a high potential of replicating physiochemical properties of natural materials for geoengineering applications. Consistent porosity is critical for 3D-printed samples used in rock testing since homogeneity between samples would provide unlimited capabilities in a laboratory setting. Binder saturation is one of the key user-set parameters that controls the ratio between the dimensional tolerance and porosity. Nonetheless, the binder saturation is an internal calculation by the printer’s software that relies on several assumptions, where the most important physical aspect is droplet spacing. This study establishes relationships between the droplet spacing, dimensional tolerance, binder saturation, and porosity. By holding the droplet volume constant and changing its spacing, better control of saturation was observed. Higher saturation reduced porosity and increased circularity of cylindrical samples, but overall dimensional tolerance of fine features was reduced. This study provides improvements of 3D-printed rock for the representation of porosity and geomechanical properties observed in natural sandstones.

Evaluation of Reservoir Fluids Mobility, Mauddud Reservoir (Albian), Khabbaz Oil Field, Kirkuk Area, NE Iraq

The Albian Mauddud reservoir of the Khabbaz Oil Field is consisting of 170 m alternating shelf carbonates and pervasive dolomite horizons of coarse to fine crystalline mosaic. Core analysis and log measurements reveal the occurrence of three electrofacies units (A, B, and C) with variable petrophysical properties. Unit A with good reservoir quality shows average porosity of 18.8 % and average permeability of 27.5 md. The other two units (B and C) are less attractive and have an average porosity of 9.6 % and 9.2 % consequently. Pore size ranges between macro to meso types and related mainly to vugs, fractures and intercrystalline porosity, especially in the dolomite units. The reservoir fluids saturation, bulk volume, and mobility are evaluated using resistivity logs measurements and porosity logs (Neutron-Density porosities) in addition to other reservoir laboratory data. Calculations and cross data plotting of the related petrophysical parameters were applied to the three units of the Mauddud reservoir in seven wells of the field. It shows an overall good reservoir fluids mobility. Results indicate that the formation water of Khabbaz Oil Feld is a non-movable type especially for the crestal wells which make most of these wells produce water-free hydrocarbon. Variability within well’s hydrocarbon mobility is noticed and related to units and subunits lithology and porosity variation. Other variations seem to be related mainly to permeability, pores geometry and variability of water saturation in addition to the location of well with respect to oil pool within the field structure.

Influence of Moisture Content on the Structural Characteristics of Argillaceous Weakly Consolidated Rock Caused by Dynamic Loading in the Coal Mine

The argillaceous weakly consolidated rock is a kind of soft rock that will bring great difficulties in the construction process. Specimens of such rock under different moisture contents are taken as the research object. By the Hopkinson pressure bar test (SHPB), the structural and mechanical characteristics of the rock under dynamic impact are analysed. With increasing moisture content, the transmitted wave amplitude decreases gradually, which indicates that the higher the moisture content of the rock is, the easier it is to deform under dynamic impact and the greater its plasticity. The boundary between plastic failure and brittle failure is 10% moisture content. Through a mercury injection test, the porosity variation is analysed. The porosity of the rock decreases with increasing moisture content after the same dynamic impact. The porosity curve can be roughly divided into two sections with a moisture content of 15% as the boundary. Based on a uniaxial compression test, the elastic modulus, peak strength, and residual strength of specimens after dynamic impact are analysed, and the mechanical properties of the rock are revealed. Its mechanical properties can be divided into three sections with a moisture content of 9.18% and 15.19%, and each section has obvious differences.

Capacitive Online Corn Moisture Content Sensor Considering Porosity Distributions: Modeling, Design, and Experiments

An online corn moisture content measurement device would be a key technology for providing accurate feedback information for industrial drying processes to enable the dynamic tracking and closed-loop control of the process. To overcome the problem of large measurement error caused by the characteristics of the corn flow state and the pore distribution when a parallel plate capacitor is applied to the online moisture content measurement process, in this study, we summarized the constraint conditions of the sensor’s structure parameters by mathematical modeling and calculated the optimal sensor design size. Moreover, the influence of porosity variation on moisture content measurement was studied by using the designed sensor. In addition, a mathematical model for calculating corn moisture content was obtained for the moisture content range of 14.7% to 26.4% w.b., temperature of 5 °C to 35 °C, and porosity of 38.4% to 44.6%. The results indicated that the fluctuation in the online moisture content measurement value was obviously reduced after the porosity compensation. The absolute error of the measured moisture content value was −0.62 to 0.67% w.b., and the average of absolute values of error was 0.32% w.b. The main results provide a theoretical basis and technical support for the development of intelligent industrial grain–drying equipment.

DEM Study on the Segregation of a Non-Spherical Intruder in a Vibrated Granular Bed

The segregation process of a single large intruder in a vibrated bed of small particles has been widely studied, but most previous studies focused on spherical intruders. In this work, the discrete element method was used to study the effects of vibration conditions and intruder shape on the dimensionless ascending velocity (va) of the intruder. The intruder was in a prolate shape with aspect ratio varied but its equivalent diameter fixed. Three equivalent diameters, namely volume-equivalent diameter, surface-area-equivalent diameter, and Sauter diameter, were used. It was found that va increases and then decreases with the rise of the dimensionless vibration amplitude (Ad) and the dimensionless vibration frequency (fd), and va increases with the decrease of the sphericity of the intruder (Φ). Moreover, the porosity variation in the vibrated bed and the granular temperature were analyzed, which can be linked to the change of va. It was further found that va can be uniformly correlated to Ad‧f 0.5 d, while the critical change of the response of va to Ad and fd occurs at Γ = 4.83, where Γ is the vibration intensity. Based on these findings, a piecewise equation was proposed to predict va as a function of Ad, fd, and Φ.

Study on the Strength Evolution Characteristics of Cemented Tailings Backfill from the Perspective of Porosity

At present, the filling mining method is widely used. To study strength evolution laws of cemented tailings backfill (CTB) under different curing ages, in the experiment, mine tailings were used as aggregates, ordinary Portland cement (PC32.5) was used as cementing materials, and different additives (lime and fly ash) were added to make filling samples with the solids mass concentration at 74% and the cement-sand ratios 1:4, 1:6 and 1:8. Based on the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology, the porosity test of filling samples with curing ages of 3 d, 7 d and 28 d was carried out, and the uniaxial compressive strength test was carried out on the servo universal material testing machine. The relationship between the uniaxial compressive strength and porosity of backfills and the curing age in the three groups was studied, and change laws of the porosity variation and strength growth rate of backfills were analyzed. Based on the variation in porosity, the strength evolution model of the CTB under different curing ages was established, and the model was fitted and verified with test data. Results show that the uniaxial compressive strength, porosity, porosity variation, and strength growth rate of the three groups of backfills gradually increase with the increase of the curing age, the porosity of backfill basically increases with the decrease of the cement–sand ratio, and the porosity of backfill decreases with the increase of the curing age. Porosity variations and relative strength values of the three groups of backfills under different cement-sand ratios obey an exponential function, and the two have a good correlation, indicating that the established filling strength evolution model can well reflect strength evolution laws of the CTB with the change of curing age.