Modeling of Before Closure Zero Slope Pressure Derivative in a Diagnostic Fracture Injection Test DFIT

Recent diagnostic fracture injection test (DFIT) data presented on a Bourdet log-log diagnostic plot showed derivative slope of 0 in the before closure (BC) portion of the DFIT response. Some works qualitatively describe it as radial flow. This behavior has not been quantitatively analyzed, modeled and matched. The present work disagrees with the hypothesis of radial flow and successfully matches the relatively flat trend in the Bourdet derivative with a model dominated by friction dissipation coupled with tip extension. The flat trend in Bourdet derivative occurs shortly after shut-in during the before closure period. Because a flat derivative trend suggests diffusive radial flow, our first approach was to consider the possibility that an open crack at a layer interface stopped the fracture propagation and caused the apparent radial flow behavior observed in falloff data. However, a model that coupled pressure falloff from diffusive flow into a layer interface crack with pressure falloff from closure of a fracture that propagated up to the layer interface failed to reproduce the observed response. Subsequently, we discovered that existing models could match the data without considering the layer interface crack. We found that data processing is very important to what is observed in derivative trends and can mislead the behavior diagnosis. We succeeded to match one field DFIT case showing an obvious early flat trend. The presence and dominance of geomechanics, coupled with diffusive flow, disqualify the description of the flat trend in Bourdet derivative as radial flow. Instead, flow friction coupled with tip extension can completely match the observed behavior. Based on our model, cases with a long flat trend have large magnitude near-wellbore tortuosity friction loss and relatively long tip extension distance. Further, we match the near wellbore tortuosity behavior with rate raised to a power lower than the usually assumed 0.5. The significance of these analyses relates to two key factors. First, large magnitude near wellbore tortuosity friction loss increases the pressure required for fracture propagation during pumping. Second, tip extension is a way to dissipate high pumping pressure when very low formation permeability impedes leakoff. Matching transient behavior subject to the presence of both of these factors requires lowering the near-wellbore tortuosity exponent.

Heat Transfer Enhancement of Impingement Cooling by Different Crossflow Diverters

Impingement cooling can effectively disperse local heat load, but its downstream heat transfer is always reduced due to crossflow effect. In this study, the flow and heat transfer characteristics of impingement cooling with Semi-Circular (SC), Semi-Rectangular (SR), Semi-Diamond (SD) and Semi-Four-pointed Star (SFS) crossflow diverters are compared over the ReD ranging from 3,500 to 14,000 by solving three dimensional Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations with SST k-? turbulence model. It is found that crossflow diverters change the distribution of local jet Reynolds number (ReD,j/ReD) and reduce the mass velocity ratio of downstream crossflow to jet (Gcf/Gj), so they enhance the heat transfer significantly, but also come at the cost of friction loss. Overall evaluation reveals that various crossflow diverters can improve the comprehensive heat transfer performance parameter (F), and the maximum increases are 11.0%, 14.3%, 12.2% and 14.7% for SC, SR, SD and SFS cases respectively. It is noted that the Nusselt number of heated SFS-shaped diverter surface is also the highest. Besides, the influences of streamwise location (L) and thickness (t) of SFS-shaped diverter are also investigated. Results show that the heat transfer and friction loss change a little when the L increases from 2D to 3D, but the heat transfer decreases sharply and friction loss increases seriously when the L increases from 3D to 4D. With respect to the t, it has almost no effect on the flow field and heat transfer.

Oil Friction Loss Evaluation of Oil-Immersed Cooling In-Wheel Motor Based on Improved Analytical Method and VOF Model

Oil-immersed cooling provides an effective cooling scheme for high-power hub motors with compact structure and serious heating problems. However, with this cooling method, some oil friction loss will be generated, making the output torque and efficiency of the motor lower, which limits its application in the motor. It is essential to get an exact calculation of the oil friction loss so that it can be reduced in the future research. Firstly, a new method was proposed to improve the accuracy of oil friction loss calculated by an existing analytical method (Kori’s method), while the influence laws of oil-soaked depth and rotation speed on it were explored. Secondly, a three-dimensional transient Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) model based on Volume of Fluid (VOF) was established, considering the actual complex structure and the disorderly mixing of oil and air inside the motor. Finally, the oil friction loss calculated with an improved analytical method and a VOF model was verified by a testing. It was indicated that the VOF model was more precise but more time-consuming. The proposed method has the second highest accuracy but takes less time.

Investigation of Flow Structure in a Narrow Clearance of a Low Specific Speed Centrifugal Impeller

The disk friction loss is remarkably large in low specific speed centrifugal pumps, and an effective reduction method has not been established. Therefore, to develop such a method, the loss mechanism was investigated. To grasp the internal flow structure in the narrow clearance, both experimental and computational approaches were used. An experimental apparatus that imitates clearance between a rotating impeller disk and a stationary casing disk was used, and the static pressure distribution in the radial direction was measured. The internal flow where the disk friction loss occurs was investigated. In the case of outward flow, the static pressure decreased because the influence of the centrifugal force lessened toward the outer diameter side of the disk, as the flow rate surged. For this reason, the pressure gradient became steep. According to the CFD analysis, there was a vortex in the cross-section of the clearance. This vortex encouraged flow recirculation and promoted the increased of the circumferential velocity in the potential core. When the flow rate grew, the vortex diminished. The circumferential velocity gradient and the shear stress intensified. As a result, the disk friction escalated. In the case of inward flow, the pressure gradient became steep as the flow rate increase. There was a vortex in the clearance, the size of which lessened when the flow rate surged. The disk friction had a minimum value at the flow rate was 6e-4 m3/s. This research clarified that the vortex in the clearance has a remarkable effect on reducing the disk friction.

Flow Characteristics and Energy Loss within the Static Impeller of Multiphase Pump

The internal flow is very complex in the multiphase pump, especially in the static impeller, where the flow is more disorganized than that in the impeller wheel, and it will cause greater hydraulic losses. In order to investigate deeply the flow rules within the static impeller, all kinds of the flow losses are analyzed quantificationally in the multiphase pump. Based on the standard SST k-ω turbulence model, selected the helical axial flow multiphase pump as the research object, used the three-dimensional modeling software for the three-dimensional modeling of the flow through parts of the multiphase pump, such as impeller wheel, the static impeller, the suction chamber, and the extrusion chamber. The ANSYS software is used to simulate the three-dimensional flow in static impeller, and the ICEM software was used to divide the mesh of suction chamber, press outlet chamber, moving impeller and static impeller respectively. The results show that the flow within the impeller wheel is more uniform than the static impeller, and larger axial vortexes appear in the static impeller. Compared with the impeller wheel, the effect of the flow rate on the flow within the first static impeller is greater. The friction loss is the largest among all kinds of losses in the static impeller, followed by the turbulence dissipation loss. What’s more, the shock loss and the contraction loss are the smallest, they are all less than 20%, and the main loss within the static impeller are the turbulent dissipation loss and friction loss. The proportion of energy losses in the first and second static impeller is almost the same, which is around 50%, respectively. The results can be used as a reference for the improvement of the hydraulic performance of the multiphase pump.

Jet Impingement Heat Transfer Enhancement With Different Crossflow Diverter Shapes

Impingement cooling is an effective cooling structure in gas turbine blades, but the downstream heat transfer will be reduced seriously by crossflow. It has been proven that equipping a crossflow diverter in impingement channel can make jet free from crossflow and enhance the downstream heat transfer. In this paper, in order to obtain a kind of crossflow diverter with advantageous heat transfer performance, the flow and heat transfer characteristics of four crossflow diverters (Semi-Circular (SC), Semi-Rectangular (SR), Semi-Diamond (SD) and Semi-Four-pointed Star (SFS)) are compared in detail. To this end, a Baseline impingement cooling configuration is considered, in which the pitches on the streamwise and spanwise directions of impingement jets are all 6D and the distance from jet to target surface is 2D. Through detailed numerical verification, SST k-ω turbulence model is finally selected, and all simulations are performed under Reynolds number ranging from 3,500 to 14,000. It is found that the crossflow diverter can change the local jet Reynolds number distribution and effectively reduce the local mass velocity ratio of crossflow to jet. Results reveal that the crossflow diverter increases the heat transfer and inevitably increases the friction loss, but all of them can improve the comprehensive heat transfer performance over the simulated flow range. When the Reynolds number is 14,000, the best heat transfer performance can be achieved, and the comprehensive heat transfer performance parameters of SC, SR, SD and SFS cases can increase by up to 11.0%, 14.3%, 12.2% and 14.7% respectively. After determining SFS-shaped crossflow diverter with the best comprehensive heat transfer performance, the influence of its streamwise position on heat transfer and friction loss is also studied. The SFS-shaped diverter is placed at 2D, 2.5D, 3D, 3.5D and 4D from the center of adjacent upstream jet, respectively. Results show that the heat transfer and friction loss change a little when the distance increases from 2D to 3D, but the heat transfer decreases sharply and friction loss increases seriously when the distance increases from 3D to 4D.

The Effects of Ultra-Low Viscosity Engine Oil on Mechanical Efficiency and Fuel Economy

The development of a sustainable powertrain requires improved thermal efficiency. Reducing frictional power losses through the use of ultra-low viscosity oil is one of the most effective and economical ways. To assess the potential for efficiency enhancement in a new generation of future engines using low-viscosity oils, a technical analysis was conducted based on numerical simulation and theoretical analysis. This study proposes a numerical method coupling the whole multi-dynamics model and lubrication model under mixed lubrication regimes. Then, load distribution was calculated numerically and verified experimentally. Finally, this paper compares the bearing load and frictional energy loss of the main bearings when using The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) 15W40 and SAE 0W20 oil. The results indicate that the application of ultralow-viscosity lubricant can reduce the hydraulic friction loss up to 24%, but the asperity friction loss would increase due to the reduction in load capacity. As a result, the design of a new generation of high efficiency internal combustion engines requires careful calculation and design to balance the trade-off relations between hydraulic friction and asperity friction.

On Computing Losses in Blading Sections of Liquid Rocket Engine Pressurisation Stations

Designing more sophisticated contemporary liquid rocket engines requires a precise understanding of the hydrodynamics in the blading sections of the pressurisation station, which is most often a turbopump. Friction loss in blade passages and outlets forms a significant proportion of all losses. The paper shows that it is necessary to account for the initial region of hydrodynamically unbalanced flow in the boundary layer, which is most characteristic of relatively short passages in blading sections of liquid rocket engine turbopumps. We performed the analysis required to select friction drag laws for components of pressurisation station blading sections. We considered and proposed a method for numerically integrating a system of equations to determine the variation in characteristic thickness of a spatial boundary layer and friction loss, accounting for the inertial component of the flow core velocity, depending on which flow modes occur in the components of pressurisation station blading sections in a liquid rocket engine. We show that it is necessary to correctly select the friction laws and to take the initial region into account so as to precisely determine the power parameters