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Sample records for hydrocarbon pore volume

  1. Visualizing and Quantifying Bioaccessible Pores in Field-Aged Petroleum Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Clay Soils Using Synchrotron-based X-ray Computed Tomography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, W.; Kim, J.; Zhu, N.; McBeth, J. M.

    2015-12-01

    Microbial hydrocarbon degradation is environmentally significant and applicable to contaminated site remediation practices only when hydrocarbons (substrates) are physically bioaccessible to bacteria in soil matrices. Powerful X-rays are produced by synchrotron radiation, allowing for bioaccessible pores in soil (larger than 4 microns), where bacteria can be accommodated, colonize and remain active, can be visualized at a much higher resolution. This study visualized and quantified such bioaccessible pores in intact field-aged, oil-contaminated unsaturated soil fractions, and examined the relationship between the abundance of bioaccessible pores and hydrocarbon biodegradation. Using synchrotron-based X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) at the Canadian Light Source, a large dataset of soil particle characteristics, such as pore volumes, surface areas, number of pores and pore size distribution, was generated. Duplicate samples of five different soil fractions with different soil aggregate sizes and water contents (13, 18 and 25%) were examined. The method for calculating the number and distribution of bioaccessible pores using CT images was validated using the known porosity of Ottawa sand. This study indicated that the distribution of bioaccessible pore sizes in soil fractions are very closely related to microbial enhancement. A follow-up aerobic biodegradation experiment for the soils at 17 °C (average site temperature) over 90 days confirmed that a notable decrease in hydrocarbon concentrations occurred in soils fractions with abundant bioaccessible pores and with a larger number of pores between 10 and 100 μm. The hydrocarbon degradation in bioactive soil fractions was extended to relatively high-molecular-weight hydrocarbons (C16-C34). This study provides quantitative information about how internal soil pore characteristics can influence bioremediation performance.

  2. Pore volume is most highly correlated with the visual assessment of skin pores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, S J; Shin, M K; Back, J H; Koh, J S

    2014-11-01

    Many studies have been focused on evaluating assessment techniques for facial pores amid growing attention on skin care. Ubiquitous techniques used to assess the size of facial pores include visual assessment, cross-section images of the skin surface, and profilometric analysis of silicone replica of the facial skin. In addition, there are indirect assessment methods, including observation of pores based on confocal laser scanning microscopy and the analysis of sebum secretion and skin elasticity. The aim of this study was to identify parameters useful in estimating pore of surface in normal skin. The severity of pores on the cheek area by frontal optical images was divided on a 0-6 scale with '0' being faint and small pore and '6' being obvious and large pore. After the photos of the frontal cheek of 32 women aged between 35 and 49 were taken, the size of their pores was measured on a 0-6 scale; and the correlation between visual grading of pore and various evaluations (pore volume by 3-D image, pore area and number by Optical Image Analyzer) contributing to pore severity investigated using direct, objective, and noninvasive evaluations. The visual score revealed that the size of pores was graded on a 1-6 scale. Visual grading of pore was highly correlated with pore volume measured from 3-D images and pore area measured from 2-D optical images in the order (P pore was also slightly correlated with the number of pores in size of over 0.04 mm(2) (P pore score and pore volume can be explained by 3-D structural characteristics of pores. It is concluded that pore volume and area serve as useful parameters in estimating pore of skin surface. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Evidence for a pore-filling mechanism in the adsorption of aromatic hydrocarbons to a natural wood char.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Thanh H; Cho, Hyun-Hee; Poster, Dianne L; Ball, William P

    2007-02-15

    Sorption isotherms for five aromatic hydrocarbons were obtained with a natural wood char (NC1) and its residue after solvent extraction (ENC1). Substantial isotherm nonlinearity was observed in all cases. ENC1 showed higher BET surface area, higher nitrogen-accessible micropore volume, and lower mass of extractable organic chemicals, including quantifiable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs),while the two chars showed identical surface oxygen/ carbon (O/C) ratio. For two chlorinated benzenes that normally condense as liquids at the temperatures used, sorption isotherms with NC1 and ENC1 were found to be statistically identical. For the solid-phase compounds (1,4-dichlorobenzene (1,4-DCB) and two PAHs), sorption was statistically higher with ENC1, thus demonstrating sorption effects due to both (1) authigenic organic content in the sorbentand (2)the sorbate's condensed state. Polanyi-based isotherm modeling, pore size measurements, and comparisons with activated carbon showthe relative importance of adsorptive pore filling and help explain results. With both chars, maximum sorption increased in the order of decreasing molecular diameter: phenanthrene < naphthalene < 1,2-dichlorobenzene/1,2,4-trichlorobenzene < 1,4-DCB. Comparison of 1,4- and 1,2-DCB shows that the critical molecular diameter was apparently more important than the condensed state, suggesting that 1,4-DCB sorbed in the liquid state for ENC1.

  4. Active Pore Volume in Danish Peat Soils

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Forsmann, Ditte M.; Kjærgaard, Charlotte

    2012-01-01

    Phosphorus release within the soil matrix caused by the changed redox conditions due to re-establishment of a riparian wetland can be critical for the aquatic environment. However, phosphorous released in the soil will not always result in an immediate contribution to this loss to the aquatic...... environment. Lowland soils are primarily peat soils, and only a minor part of the total soil volume of peat soils is occupied by macropores (>30 µm). Since water primarily flows in these macropores, the majority of the soil matrix is bypassed (the immobile domain). Phosphorus released in the immobile domain...... is not actively transported out of the system, but is only transported via diffusion, which is a very slow process. Thus it is interesting to investigate the size of the active pore volume in peat soils. The hypothesis of this study is that the active pores volume of a peat soil can be expressed using bulk...

  5. Hexadecane trapped in nano-pores of silica-aerogel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Slavikova, B.; Jesenak, K.; Iskrova, M.; Majernik, V.; Sausa, O.; Kristiak, J.

    2009-01-01

    Ways of filling of the high-porous silica-aerogel with hydrocarbon C 16 H 34 and its efficient removal from the pores by physical method of the Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy were studied. As the most effective way to fill the SiO 2 aerogel appears through the implementation of a liquid phase, while the most appropriate way of removing of hexadecane is firing at an elevated temperature. Molecular system of hexadecane closed in nano-pores of silica-aerogel behaves otherwise than volume system of the same molecules. In the case of pure hexadecane phase transition was observed at 291 K, while solidification process is gradual with decrease of temperature in cetane trapped in pores of silica-aerogel. The results of the periods of life of o-Ps indicate greater turbidity in the pores of the molecular system compared to the volume sample of hexadecane.

  6. Nanometer-Scale Pore Characteristics of Lacustrine Shale, Songliao Basin, NE China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min Wang

    Full Text Available In shale, liquid hydrocarbons are accumulated mainly in nanometer-scale pores or fractures, so the pore types and PSDs (pore size distributions play a major role in the shale oil occurrence (free or absorbed state, amount of oil, and flow features. The pore types and PSDs of marine shale have been well studied; however, research on lacustrine shale is rare, especially for shale in the oil generation window, although lacustrine shale is deposited widely around the world. To investigate the relationship between nanometer-scale pores and oil occurrence in the lacustrine shale, 10 lacustrine shale core samples from Songliao Basin, NE China were analyzed. Analyses of these samples included geochemical measurements, SEM (scanning electron microscope observations, low pressure CO2 and N2 adsorption, and high-pressure mercury injection experiments. Analysis results indicate that: (1 Pore types in the lacustrine shale include inter-matrix pores, intergranular pores, organic matter pores, and dissolution pores, and these pores are dominated by mesopores and micropores; (2 There is no apparent correlation between pore volumes and clay content, however, a weak negative correlation is present between total pore volume and carbonate content; (3 Pores in lacustrine shale are well developed when the organic matter maturity (Ro is >1.0% and the pore volume is positively correlated with the TOC (total organic carbon content. The statistical results suggest that oil in lacustrine shale mainly occurs in pores with diameters larger than 40 nm. However, more research is needed to determine whether this minimum pore diameter for oil occurrence in lacustrine shale is widely applicable.

  7. Dual pore-connectivity and flow-paths affect shale hydrocarbon production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Q.; Barber, T.; Zhang, Y.; Md Golam, K.

    2017-12-01

    Aided with integrated characterization approaches of droplet contact angle measurement, mercury intrusion capillary pressure, low-pressure gas physisorption, scanning electron microscopy, and small angle neutron scattering, we have systematically studied how pore connectivity and wettability are associated with mineral and organic matter phases of shales (Barnett, Bakken, Eagle Ford), as well as their influence on macroscopic fluid flow and hydrocarbon movement, from the following complementary tests: vacuum saturation with vacuum-pulling on dry shale followed with tracer introduction and high-pressure intrusion, tracer diffusion into fluid-saturated shale, fluid and tracer imbibition into partially-saturated shale, and Wood's metal intrusion followed with imaging and elemental mapping. The first three tests use tracer-bearing fluids (hydrophilic API brine and hydrophobic n-decane) fluids with a suite of wettability tracers of different sizes and reactivities developed in our laboratory. These innovative and integrated approaches indicate a Dalmatian wettability behavior at a scale of microns, limited connectivity (50-100 nm), which is linked to the steep initial decline and low overall recovery because of the limited connection of hydrocarbon molecules in the shale matrix to the stimulated fracture network.

  8. Multiscale pore networks and their effect on deformation and transport property alteration associated with hydraulic fracturing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daigle, Hugh; Hayman, Nicholas; Jiang, Han; Tian, Xiao; Jiang, Chunbi

    2017-04-01

    Multiple lines of evidence indicate that, during a hydraulic fracture stimulation, the permeability of the unfractured matrix far from the main, induced tensile fracture increases by one to two orders of magnitude. This permeability enhancement is associated with pervasive shear failure in a large region surrounding the main induced fracture. We have performed low-pressure gas sorption, mercury intrusion, and nuclear magnetic resonance measurements along with high-resolution scanning electron microscope imaging on several preserved and unpreserved shale samples from North American basins before and after inducing failure in confined compressive strength tests. We have observed that the pore structure in intact samples exhibits multiscale behavior, with sub-micron-scale pores in organic matter connected in isolated, micron-scale clusters which themselves are connected to each other through a network of microcracks. The organic-hosted pore networks are poorly connected due to a significant number of dead-end pores within the organic matter. Following shear failure, we often observe an increase in pore volume in the sub-micron range, which appears to be related to the formation of microcracks that propagate along grain boundaries and other planes of mechanical strength contrast. This is consistent with other experimental and field evidence. In some cases these microcracks cross or terminate in organic matter, intersecting the organic-hosted pores. The induced microcrack networks typically have low connectivity and do not appreciably increase the connectivity of the overall pore network. However, in other cases the shear deformation results in an overall pore volume decrease; samples which exhibit this behavior tend to have more clay minerals. Our interpretation of these phenomena is as follows. As organic matter is converted to hydrocarbons, organic-hosted pores develop, and the hydrocarbons contained in these pores are overpressured. The disconnected nature of these

  9. Pore Characterization of Shale Rock and Shale Interaction with Fluids at Reservoir Pressure-Temperature Conditions Using Small-Angle Neutron Scattering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, M.; Hjelm, R.; Watkins, E.; Xu, H.; Pawar, R.

    2015-12-01

    Oil/gas produced from unconventional reservoirs has become strategically important for the US domestic energy independence. In unconventional realm, hydrocarbons are generated and stored in nanopores media ranging from a few to hundreds of nanometers. Fundamental knowledge of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes that control fluid flow and propagation within nano-pore confinement is critical for maximizing unconventional oil/gas production. The size and confinement of the nanometer pores creates many complex rock-fluid interface interactions. It is imperative to promote innovative experimental studies to decipher physical and chemical processes at the nanopore scale that govern hydrocarbon generation and mass transport of hydrocarbon mixtures in tight shale and other low permeability formations at reservoir pressure-temperature conditions. We have carried out laboratory investigations exploring quantitative relationship between pore characteristics of the Wolfcamp shale from Western Texas and the shale interaction with fluids at reservoir P-T conditions using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). We have performed SANS measurements of the shale rock in single fluid (e.g., H2O and D2O) and multifluid (CH4/(30% H2O+70% D2O)) systems at various pressures up to 20000 psi and temperature up to 150 oF. Figure 1 shows our SANS data at different pressures with H2O as the pressure medium. Our data analysis using IRENA software suggests that the principal changes of pore volume in the shale occurred on smaller than 50 nm pores and pressure at 5000 psi (Figure 2). Our results also suggest that with increasing P, more water flows into pores; with decreasing P, water is retained in the pores.

  10. Pore volume and pore size distribution of cement samples measured by a modified mercury intrusion porosimeter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zamorani, E.; Blanchard, H.

    1987-01-01

    Important parameters for the characterization of cement specimens are mechanical properties and porosity. This work is carried out at the Ispra Establishment of the Joint Research Centre in the scope of the Radioactive Waste Management programme. A commercial Mercury Intrusion Porosimeter was modified in an attempt to improve the performance of the instrument and to provide fast processing of the recorded values: pressure-volume of pores. The dead volume of the instrument was reduced and the possibility of leakage from the moving parts eliminated. In addition, the modification allows an improvement of data acquisition thus increasing data accuracy and reproducibility. In order to test the improved performance of the modified instrument, physical characterizations of cement forms were carried out. Experimental procedures and results are reported

  11. Simulation of pore pressure accumulation under cyclic loading using Finite Volume Method

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tang, Tian; Hededal, Ole

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents a finite volume implementation of a porous, nonlinear soil model capable of simulating pore pressure accumulation under cyclic loading. The mathematical formulations are based on modified Biot’s coupled theory by substituting the original elastic constitutive model...... with an advanced elastoplastic model suitable for describing monotonic as well as cyclic loading conditions. The finite volume method is applied to discretize these formulations. The resulting set of coupled nonlinear algebraic equations are then solved by a ’segregated’ solution procedure. An efficient return...

  12. The Attribute for Hydrocarbon Prediction Based on Attenuation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hermana, Maman; Harith, Z Z T; Sum, C W; Ghosh, D P

    2014-01-01

    Hydrocarbon prediction is a crucial issue in the oil and gas industry. Currently, the prediction of pore fluid and lithology are based on amplitude interpretation which has the potential to produce pitfalls in certain conditions of reservoir. Motivated by this fact, this work is directed to find out other attributes that can be used to reduce the pitfalls in the amplitude interpretation. Some seismic attributes were examined and studies showed that the attenuation attribute is a better attribute for hydrocarbon prediction. Theoretically, the attenuation mechanism of wave propagation is associated with the movement of fluid in the pore; hence the existence of hydrocarbon in the pore will be represented by attenuation attribute directly. In this paper we evaluated the feasibility of the quality factor ratio of P-wave and S-wave (Qp/Qs) as hydrocarbon indicator using well data and also we developed a new attribute based on attenuation for hydrocarbon prediction -- Normalized Energy Reduction Stack (NERS). To achieve these goals, this work was divided into 3 main parts; estimating the Qp/Qs on well log data, testing the new attribute in the synthetic data and applying the new attribute on real data in Malay Basin data. The result show that the Qp/Qs is better than Poisson's ratio and Lamda over Mu as hydrocarbon indicator. The curve, trend analysis and contrast of Qp/Qs is more powerful at distinguishing pore fluid than Poisson ratio and Lamda over Mu. The NERS attribute was successful in distinguishing the hydrocarbon from brine on synthetic data. Applying this attribute on real data on Malay basin, the NERS attribute is qualitatively conformable with the structure and location where the gas is predicted. The quantitative interpretation of this attribute for hydrocarbon prediction needs to be investigated further

  13. Antera 3D capabilities for pore measurements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Messaraa, C; Metois, A; Walsh, M; Flynn, J; Doyle, L; Robertson, N; Mansfield, A; O'Connor, C; Mavon, A

    2018-04-29

    The cause of enlarged pores remains obscure but still remains of concern for women. To complement subjective methods, bioengineered methods are needed for quantification of pores visibility following treatments. The study objective was to demonstrate the suitability of pore measurements from the Antera 3D. Pore measurements were collected on 22 female volunteers aged 18-65 years with the Antera 3D, the DermaTOP and image analysis on photographs. Additionally, 4 raters graded pore size on photographs on a scale 0-5. Repeatability of Antera 3D parameters was ascertained and the benefit of a pore minimizer product on the cheek was assessed on a sub panel of seven female volunteers. Pore parameters using the Antera were shown to depict pore severity similar to raters on photographs, except for Max Depth. Mean pore volume, mean pore area and count were moderately correlated with DermaTOP parameters (up to r = .50). No relationship was seen between the Antera 3D and pore visibility analysis on photographs. The most repeatable parameters were found to be mean pore volume, mean pore area and max depth, especially for the small and medium filters. The benefits of a pore minimizer product were the most striking for mean pore volume and mean pore area when using the small filter for analysis, rather than the medium/large ones. Pore measurements with the Antera 3D represent a reliable tool for efficacy and field studies, with an emphasis of the small filter for analysis for the mean pore volume/mean pore area parameters. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. A novel approach to predict the excess volume of hydrocarbon mixtures

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Finkers, H. J.; Bosma, J. C.; Broekhuis, A. A.

    2011-01-01

    This paper explores whether principles obtained for the packing of solid macroscopic particles can be applied to the study of excess volumes of liquid mixtures. The approach is applied to mixtures of 'pure' hydrocarbons, i.e. containing only C- and H-atoms. In this new approach a set of equations

  15. Characterization of the intragranular water regime within subsurface sediments: pore volume, surface area, and mass transfer limitations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hay, Michael B.; Stoliker, Deborah L.; Davis, James A.; Zachara, John M.

    2011-01-01

    Although "intragranular" pore space within grain aggregates, grain fractures, and mineral surface coatings may contain a relatively small fraction of the total porosity within a porous medium, it often contains a significant fraction of the reactive surface area, and can thus strongly affect the transport of sorbing solutes. In this work, we demonstrate a batch experiment procedure using tritiated water as a high-resolution diffusive tracer to characterize the intragranular pore space. The method was tested using uranium-contaminated sediments from the vadose and capillary fringe zones beneath the former 300A process ponds at the Hanford site (Washington). Sediments were contacted with tracers in artificial groundwater, followed by a replacement of bulk solution with tracer-free groundwater and the monitoring of tracer release. From these data, intragranular pore volumes were calculated and mass transfer rates were quantified using a multirate first-order mass transfer model. Tritium-hydrogen exchange on surface hydroxyls was accounted for by conducting additional tracer experiments on sediment that was vacuum dried after reaction. The complementary ("wet" and "dry") techniques allowed for the simultaneous determination of intragranular porosity and surface area using tritium. The Hanford 300A samples exhibited intragranular pore volumes of ~1% of the solid volume and intragranular surface areas of ~20%–35% of the total surface area. Analogous experiments using bromide ion as a tracer yielded very different results, suggesting very little penetration of bromide into the intragranular porosity.

  16. Investigating the pore-water chemistry effects on the volume change behaviour of Boom clay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Y. F.; Cui, Y. J.; Tang, A. M.; Nguyen, X. P.; Li, X. L.; Van Geet, M.

    The Essen site has been chosen as an alternative site for nuclear waste disposal in Belgium. The soil formation involved at this site is the same as at Mol site: Boom clay. However, owing to its geographical situation closer to the sea, Boom clay at Essen presents a pore water salinity 4-5 times higher than Boom clay at Mol. This study aims at studying the effects of pore water salinity on the hydro-mechanical behaviour of Boom clay. Specific oedometer cells were used allowing “flushing” the pore water in soil specimen by synthetic pore water or distilled water. The synthetic pore water used was prepared with the chemistry as that for the site water: 5.037 g/L for core Ess83 and 5.578 g/L for core Ess96. Mechanical loading was then carried out on the soil specimen after flushing. The results show that water salinity effect on the liquid limit is negligible. The saturation or pore water replacement under the in situ effective stress of 2.4 MPa does not induce significant volume change. For Ess83, hydro-mechanical behaviour was found to be slightly influenced by the water salinity; on the contrary, no obvious effect was identified on the hydro-mechanical behaviour of Ess96. This can be attributed to the higher smectite content in Ess83 than in Ess96.

  17. X-ray microtomography application in pore space reservoir rock.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, M F S; Lima, I; Borghi, L; Lopes, R T

    2012-07-01

    Characterization of porosity in carbonate rocks is important in the oil and gas industry since a major hydrocarbons field is formed by this lithology and they have a complex media porous. In this context, this research presents a study of the pore space in limestones rocks by x-ray microtomography. Total porosity, type of porosity and pore size distribution were evaluated from 3D high resolution images. Results show that carbonate rocks has a complex pore space system with different pores types at the same facies. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Impact of pore-pressure cycling on bentonite in constant volume experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Graham, C.C.; Harrington, J.F.; Cuss, R.J.; Sellin, P.

    2012-01-01

    Document available in extended abstract form only. The SKB safety case for a KBS-3 repository highlights the potential importance of future successive glaciation events on repository functions. One particular uncertainty is the likely affect of elevated pore-water pressures on barrier safety functions. Over the repository lifetime such changes in pore-water pressure are likely to be cyclic in nature, as successive glacial episodes lead to loading and unloading of the engineered barrier. For a clay-water system with the pore-water in thermodynamic equilibrium with an external reservoir of water at pressure, p w , the total stress acting on the surrounding vessel can be expressed as: (1) σ = Π + αp w where Π is the swelling pressure and α is a proportionality constant. We present results from a series of laboratory experiments designed to investigate this relationship, in the context of glacial loading. Blocks of pre-compacted Mx80 bentonite were manufactured by Clay Technology AB (Lund, Sweden), by rapidly compacting bentonite granules in a mould under a one dimensionally applied stress (Johannesson et al., 1995). The blocks were then sub-sampled and cylindrical specimens prepared for testing (120 mm in length and 60 mm in diameter). The experiments were conducted using a specially designed constant volume cell, which allows the evolution of the total stresses acting on the surrounding vessel to be monitored during clay swelling (at three radial and two axial locations). A high precision syringe pump was used to maintain a constant applied pore pressure within the bentonite, while the rate of hydraulic inflow, and consequent stress development, were monitored to determine the point at which hydraulic equilibrium was reached. During the tests each sample was subjected to an incremental series of constant pore-pressure steps, with all samples experiencing at least one loading and unloading cycle. The resulting average total stress data yield alpha values in the

  19. Application of novel activated carbon fiber solid-phase, microextraction to the analysis of chlorinated hydrocarbons in water by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Tonghua; Jia Jinping; Fang Nenghu; Wang Yalin

    2005-01-01

    This paper presents a study on the performance of activated carbon fiber (ACF) used as extraction fiber for solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and its application for analysis of chlorinated hydrocarbons in water. By means of evaluating scanning electron microscope (SEM) images, specific surface area, pore volume, pore distribution, and properties of adsorption and desorption, the optimal active concentration of phosphoric acid has been determined. Coupled with gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), ACF-SPME is suitable for determination chlorinated hydrocarbons in water with headspace. Experimental parameters such as adsorption and desorption conditions were studied. The optimized method has an acceptable linearity, good precision, with R.S.D. values <10% for each compound. Compared with commercial fibers, ACF has many advantages such as better resistance to organic solvents, better endurance to high temperature and longer lifetime

  20. A two-phase debris-flow model that includes coupled evolution of volume fractions, granular dilatancy, and pore-fluid pressure

    Science.gov (United States)

    George, David L.; Iverson, Richard M.

    2011-01-01

    Pore-fluid pressure plays a crucial role in debris flows because it counteracts normal stresses at grain contacts and thereby reduces intergranular friction. Pore-pressure feedback accompanying debris deformation is particularly important during the onset of debrisflow motion, when it can dramatically influence the balance of forces governing downslope acceleration. We consider further effects of this feedback by formulating a new, depth-averaged mathematical model that simulates coupled evolution of granular dilatancy, solid and fluid volume fractions, pore-fluid pressure, and flow depth and velocity during all stages of debris-flow motion. To illustrate implications of the model, we use a finite-volume method to compute one-dimensional motion of a debris flow descending a rigid, uniformly inclined slope, and we compare model predictions with data obtained in large-scale experiments at the USGS debris-flow flume. Predictions for the first 1 s of motion show that increasing pore pressures (due to debris contraction) cause liquefaction that enhances flow acceleration. As acceleration continues, however, debris dilation causes dissipation of pore pressures, and this dissipation helps stabilize debris-flow motion. Our numerical predictions of this process match experimental data reasonably well, but predictions might be improved by accounting for the effects of grain-size segregation.

  1. Facial Pores: Definition, Causes, and Treatment Options.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sang Ju; Seok, Joon; Jeong, Se Yeong; Park, Kui Young; Li, Kapsok; Seo, Seong Jun

    2016-03-01

    Enlarged skin pores refer to conditions that present with visible topographic changes of skin surfaces. Although not a medical concern, enlarged pores are a cosmetic concern for a large number of individuals. Moreover, clear definition and possible causes of enlarged pores have not been elucidated. To review the possible causes and treatment options for skin pores. This article is based on a review of the medical literature and the authors' clinical experience in investigating and treating skin pores. There are 3 major clinical causes of enlarged facial pores, namely high sebum excretion, decreased elasticity around pores, and increased hair follicle volume. In addition, chronic recurrent acne, sex hormones, and skin care regimen can affect pore size. Given the different possible causes for enlarged pores, therapeutic modalities must be individualized for each patient. Potential factors that contribute to enlarged skin pores include excessive sebum, decreased elasticity around pores, and increased hair follicle volume. Because various factors cause enlarged facial pores, it might be useful to identify the underlying causes to be able to select the appropriate treatment.

  2. Revealing Lattice Expansion of Small-Pore Zeolite Catalysts during the Methanol-to-Olefins Process Using Combined Operando X-ray Diffraction and UV-vis Spectroscopy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Goetze, Joris; Yarulina, I.; Gascon Sabate, J.; Kapteijn, F.; Weckhuysen, Bert M.

    2018-01-01

    In small-pore zeolite catalysts, where the size of the pores is limited by eight-ring windows, aromatic hydrocarbon pool molecules that are formed inside the zeolite during the Methanol-to-Olefins (MTO) process cannot exit the pores and are retained inside the catalyst. Hydrocarbon species whose

  3. Investigation of Factors Influencing Dispersion of Liquid Hydrocarbons in Porous Media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hussain Ali Baker

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available An experimental work has been done to study the major factors that affect the axial dispersion of some hydrocarbons during liquid-liquid miscible displacement. Kerosene and gas oil are used as displacing phase while seven liquid hydrocarbons of high purity represent the displaced phase, three of the liquids are aromatics and the rest are of paraffinic base. In conducting the experiments, two packed beds of different porosity and permeability are used as porous media. The results showed that the displacement process is not a piston flow, breakthrough of displacing fluids are shown before one pore volume has been injected. The processes are stable with no evidence of viscous fingering. Dispersion model as adapted by Brigham et.al (1961 is used to determine the axial dispersion coefficient of displacing fluid. The results show an increasing in dispersion coefficient as the interstitial velocity and viscosity ratio increases.

  4. Wood decay by brown-rot fungi : changes in pore structure and cell wall volume

    Science.gov (United States)

    Douglas S. Flournoy; T. Kent Kirk; T.L. Highley

    1991-01-01

    Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) wood blocks were decayed by Postia (= Poria) placenta in soilblock cultures. Decay was terminated at various weight losses, and the pore volumes available to four low molecular weight molecules, (water, 4 Å,; glucose, 8 Å,; maltose, 10 Å; and raffinose, 128,) and three dextrans (Mr 6,000, 38 Å; 11,200, 51 Å; nd 17,500, 61 Å) were...

  5. Pore-scale simulations of drainage in granular materials: Finite size effects and the representative elementary volume

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Chao; Chareyre, Bruno; Darve, Félix

    2016-09-01

    A pore-scale model is introduced for two-phase flow in dense packings of polydisperse spheres. The model is developed as a component of a more general hydromechanical coupling framework based on the discrete element method, which will be elaborated in future papers and will apply to various processes of interest in soil science, in geomechanics and in oil and gas production. Here the emphasis is on the generation of a network of pores mapping the void space between spherical grains, and the definition of local criteria governing the primary drainage process. The pore space is decomposed by Regular Triangulation, from which a set of pores connected by throats are identified. A local entry capillary pressure is evaluated for each throat, based on the balance of capillary pressure and surface tension at equilibrium. The model reflects the possible entrapment of disconnected patches of the receding wetting phase. It is validated by a comparison with drainage experiments. In the last part of the paper, a series of simulations are reported to illustrate size and boundary effects, key questions when studying small samples made of spherical particles be it in simulations or experiments. Repeated tests on samples of different sizes give evolution of water content which are not only scattered but also strongly biased for small sample sizes. More than 20,000 spheres are needed to reduce the bias on saturation below 0.02. Additional statistics are generated by subsampling a large sample of 64,000 spheres. They suggest that the minimal sampling volume for evaluating saturation is one hundred times greater that the sampling volume needed for measuring porosity with the same accuracy. This requirement in terms of sample size induces a need for efficient computer codes. The method described herein has a low algorithmic complexity in order to satisfy this requirement. It will be well suited to further developments toward coupled flow-deformation problems in which evolution of the

  6. X-ray microtomography application in pore space reservoir rock

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oliveira, M.F.S.; Lima, I. [Nuclear Instrumentation Laboratory, COPPE/UFRJ, P.O. Box 68509, 21.941-972, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil); Borghi, L. [Geology Department, Geosciences Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Brazil); Lopes, R.T., E-mail: ricardo@lin.ufrj.br [Nuclear Instrumentation Laboratory, COPPE/UFRJ, P.O. Box 68509, 21.941-972, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

    2012-07-15

    Characterization of porosity in carbonate rocks is important in the oil and gas industry since a major hydrocarbons field is formed by this lithology and they have a complex media porous. In this context, this research presents a study of the pore space in limestones rocks by x-ray microtomography. Total porosity, type of porosity and pore size distribution were evaluated from 3D high resolution images. Results show that carbonate rocks has a complex pore space system with different pores types at the same facies. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This study is about porosity parameter in carbonate rocks by 3D X-Ray Microtomography. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This study has become useful as data input for modeling reservoir characterization. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This technique was able to provide pores, grains and mineralogical differences among the samples.

  7. Estimation of surface area and pore volume of activated carbons by methylene blue and iodine numbers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cleiton A. Nunes

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Data of methylene blue number and iodine number of activated carbons samples were calibrated against the respective surface area, micropore volume and total pore volume using multiple regression. The models obtained from the calibrations were used in predicting these physical properties of a test group of activated carbon samples produced from several raw materials. In all cases, the predicted values were in good agreement with the expected values. The method allows extracting more information from the methylene blue and iodine adsorption studies than normally obtained with this type of material.

  8. Micro-CT Pore Scale Study Of Flow In Porous Media: Effect Of Voxel Resolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, S.; Gray, F.; Crawshaw, J.; Boek, E.

    2014-12-01

    In the last few years, pore scale studies have become the key to understanding the complex fluid flow processes in the fields of groundwater remediation, hydrocarbon recovery and environmental issues related to carbon storage and capture. A pore scale study is often comprised of two key procedures: 3D pore scale imaging and numerical modelling techniques. The essence of a pore scale study is to test the physics implemented in a model of complicated fluid flow processes at one scale (microscopic) and then apply the model to solve the problems associated with water resources and oil recovery at other scales (macroscopic and field). However, the process of up-scaling from the pore scale to the macroscopic scale has encountered many challenges due to both pore scale imaging and modelling techniques. Due to the technical limitations in the imaging method, there is always a compromise between the spatial (voxel) resolution and the physical volume of the sample (field of view, FOV) to be scanned by the imaging methods, specifically X-ray micro-CT (XMT) in our case In this study, a careful analysis was done to understand the effect of voxel size, using XMT to image the 3D pore space of a variety of porous media from sandstones to carbonates scanned at different voxel resolution (4.5 μm, 6.2 μm, 8.3 μm and 10.2 μm) but keeping the scanned FOV constant for all the samples. We systematically segment the micro-CT images into three phases, the macro-pore phase, an intermediate phase (unresolved micro-pores + grains) and the grain phase and then study the effect of voxel size on the structure of the macro-pore and the intermediate phases and the fluid flow properties using lattice-Boltzmann (LB) and pore network (PN) modelling methods. We have also applied a numerical coarsening algorithm (up-scale method) to reduce the computational power and time required to accurately predict the flow properties using the LB and PN method.

  9. Bioaccessible Porosity: A new approach to assess residual contamination after bioremediation of hydrophobic organic compounds in sub-surface microporous environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akbari, A.; Ghoshal, S.

    2016-12-01

    We define a new parameter, "bioaccessible porosity", the fraction of aggregate volume accessible to soil bacteria, towards a priori assessment of hydrocarbon bioremediation end points. Microbial uptake of poorly soluble hydrocarbons occurs through direct uptake or micellar solubilzation/emulsification associated with biosurfactant production, and requires close proximity of bacteria and hydrocarbon phase. In subsurface microporous environments, bioremediation rates are attenuated when residual hydrophobic contamination is entrapped in sterically restrictive environments which is not accessible to soil bacteria. This study presents new approaches for characterization of the microstructure of porous media and as well, the ability of indigenous hydrocarbon degraders to access to a range of pore sizes. Bacterial access to poorly soluble hydrocarbons in soil micro pores were simulated with bioreactors with membranes with different pore sizes containing the hydrocarbon degrading bacteria, Dietzia maris. D. maris is Gram-positive, and nonmotile that we isolated as the major hydrocarbon degrader from a fine-grained, weathered, hydrocarbon-contaminated site soil. Under nutritional stress, planktonic D. maris cells were aggregated and accessed 5 µm but not 3 µm and smaller pores. However, when hexadecane was available at the pore mouth, D. maris colonized the pore mouth, and accessed pores as small as 0.4 µm. This suggests bacterial accessibility to different pore sizes is regulated by nutritional conditions. A combination of X-ray micro-CT scanning, gas adsorption and mercury intrusion porosimetry was used to characterize the range of pore sizes of soil aggregates. In case of the studied contaminated soil, the bioaccessible porosity were determined as 25% , 27% and 29% (assuming 4, 1, 0.4 µm respectively as accessibility criteria), and about 2.7% of aggregate volume was attributed to 0.006-0.4 µm pores. The 2% aggregate volume at an assumed saturation of 10% could

  10. Pore size determination using normalized J-function for different hydraulic flow units

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Abedini

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Pore size determination of hydrocarbon reservoirs is one of the main challenging areas in reservoir studies. Precise estimation of this parameter leads to enhance the reservoir simulation, process evaluation, and further forecasting of reservoir behavior. Hence, it is of great importance to estimate the pore size of reservoir rocks with an appropriate accuracy. In the present study, a modified J-function was developed and applied to determine the pore radius in one of the hydrocarbon reservoir rocks located in the Middle East. The capillary pressure data vs. water saturation (Pc–Sw as well as routine reservoir core analysis include porosity (φ and permeability (k were used to develop the J-function. First, the normalized porosity (φz, the rock quality index (RQI, and the flow zone indicator (FZI concepts were used to categorize all data into discrete hydraulic flow units (HFU containing unique pore geometry and bedding characteristics. Thereafter, the modified J-function was used to normalize all capillary pressure curves corresponding to each of predetermined HFU. The results showed that the reservoir rock was classified into five separate rock types with the definite HFU and reservoir pore geometry. Eventually, the pore radius for each of these HFUs was determined using a developed equation obtained by normalized J-function corresponding to each HFU. The proposed equation is a function of reservoir rock characteristics including φz, FZI, lithology index (J*, and pore size distribution index (ɛ. This methodology used, the reservoir under study was classified into five discrete HFU with unique equations for permeability, normalized J-function and pore size. The proposed technique is able to apply on any reservoir to determine the pore size of the reservoir rock, specially the one with high range of heterogeneity in the reservoir rock properties.

  11. Bioaccessible Porosity in Soil Aggregates and Implications for Biodegradation of High Molecular Weight Petroleum Compounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akbari, Ali; Ghoshal, Subhasis

    2015-12-15

    We evaluated the role of soil aggregate pore size on biodegradation of essentially insoluble petroleum hydrocarbons that are biodegraded primarily at the oil-water interface. The size and spatial distribution of pores in aggregates sampled from biodegradation experiments of a clayey, aggregated, hydrocarbon-contaminated soil with relatively high bioremediation end point were characterized by image analyses of X-ray micro-CT scans and N2 adsorption. To determine the bioaccessible pore sizes, we performed separate experiments to assess the ability of hydrocarbon degrading bacteria isolated from the soil to pass through membranes with specific sized pores and to access hexadecane (model insoluble hydrocarbon). Hexadecane biodegradation occurred only when pores were 5 μm or larger, and did not occur when pores were 3 μm and smaller. In clayey aggregates, ∼ 25% of the aggregate volume was attributed to pores larger than 4 μm, which was comparable to that in aggregates from a sandy, hydrocarbon-contaminated soil (~23%) scanned for comparison. The ratio of volumes of inaccessible pores (4 μm) in the clayey aggregates was 0.32, whereas in the sandy aggregates it was approximately 10 times lower. The role of soil microstructure on attainable bioremediation end points could be qualitatively assessed in various soils by the aggregate characterization approach outlined herein.

  12. Pore formation and occurrence in the organic-rich shales of the Triassic Chang-7 Member, Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chuang Er

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Shale-reservoir appraisal depends greatly on its pore characteristics (e.g., diameter, geometry, connectivity. Using a new pore-classification scheme based on the matrix type and occurrence state, four types of pores are identified in the organic-rich shales of the Triassic Chang-7 Member: intergranular, intragranular, organic pore, and microfracture. The intergranular pores are subdivided into primary pores between clastic grains, clay-mineral aggregates, and secondary dissolution pores between clastic grains or clay-mineral aggregates based on their origins, respectively. The intragranular pores are subdivided into secondary dissolved pores in feldspars, intra-clay-mineral aggregates and inter-pyrite. Organic pores include primarily microfractures in the organic matter and isolated organic pores. Microfracture is mainly developed along sandy and muddy laminations. Analysis by integration of data from pore imaging, low-temperature liquid nitrogen absorption, relationships between pore geometry and mineral components and between TOC and maturity of organic matter indicates that depositional environment, diagenesis, and thermal evolution of organic matter controlled the formation and preservation of pores. Organic-rich shales deposited in a deep and semi-deep lake environment contains thinly bedded turbidite sandstones, which are characterized by high content of clastic particles and thus favor the development of primary intergranular and intragranular pores, as well as microfractures along sandy laminations. During the early diagenesis process, precipitation of pyrite favors the development of inter-pyrite pores. However, compaction reduced the diameter and bulk pore volume. Organic pore has been greatly reduced under compaction. Dissolution led to formation of both inter and intra-feldspar pores, which has improved reservoir quality to some extent. Organic pore started to develop after shale maturity reaches a threshold (RO = 0

  13. Origin and Evolution of Reactive and Noble Gases Dissolved in Matrix Pore Water

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eichinger, F. [Hydroisotop GmbH, Schweitenkirchen (Germany); Rock-Water Interaction, Institute of Geological Sciences, University of Bern, Bern (Switzerland); Waber, H. N. [Rock-Water Interaction, Institute of Geological Sciences, University of Bern, Bern (Switzerland); Smellie, J. A.T. [Conterra AB, Stockholm (Sweden)

    2013-07-15

    Reactive and noble gases dissolved in matrix pore water of low permeable crystalline bedrock were successfully extracted and characterized for the first time based on drillcore samples from the Olkiluoto investigation site (SW Finland). Interaction between matrix pore water and fracture groundwater occurs predominately by diffusion. Changes in the chemical and isotopic composition of gases dissolved in fracture groundwater are transmitted and preserved in the pore water. Absolute concentrations, their ratios and the stable carbon isotope signature of hydrocarbon gases dissolved in pore water give valuable indications about the evolution of these gases in the nearby flowing fracture groundwaters. Inert noble gases dissolved in matrix pore water and their isotopes combined with their in situ production and accumulation rates deliver information about the residence time of pore water. (author)

  14. Characterization of lacustrine shale pore structure: The Upper-Triassic Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuxi Yu

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Amounts of silty laminae in continental shale gas reservoir were investigated in the Zhangjiatan shale of the Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin. The purpose of this study is to provide awareness in terms of the nature and discrepancies in pore structure between silty laminae and clayey laminae. By mechanically separating the silty laminae from the shale core, a combination measurement series of mercury injection capillary pressure, N2 adsorption, and carbon dioxide adsorption were performed on the aforementioned two parts. An integrated pore size distribution, with a pore diameter range of 0.1 nm-100 μm, was obtained by using appropriate sample particle size and calculation model. The comparative analysis of the pore structure shows that the clayey laminae are dominated by mesopore and micropore; meanwhile, the silty laminae are dominated by macropore alone. The pore volume distribution in clayey laminae is sorted as mesopore volume > micropore volume > macropore volume, on the other hand, for silty laminae it is macropore volume > mesopore volume > micropore volume. The averaged total pore volume of silty laminae is 2.02 cc/100 g, and for clayey laminae, it is 1.41 cc/100 g. The porosity of silty laminae is 5.40%, which is greater than that of clayey laminae's 3.67%. Since silty laminae have larger pore width and pore space, they are more permeable and porous than the clayey laminae; it also acts as a favorable conduit and reservoir for shale gas.

  15. Mechanical constraint and release generates long, ordered horizontal pores in anodic alumina templates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bolger, Ciara T; Petkov, Nikolay; Holmes, Justin D; Fois, Giovanni; Cross, Graham L W; Sassiat, Nicolas; Burke, Micheál; Quinn, Aidan J

    2012-01-01

    We describe the formation of long, highly ordered arrays of planar oriented anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) pores during plane parallel anodization of thin aluminum ‘finger’ microstructures fabricated on thermally oxidized silicon substrates and capped with a silicon oxide layer. The pore morphology was found to be strongly influenced by mechanical constraint imposed by the oxide layers surrounding the Al fingers. Tractions induced by the SiO 2 substrate and capping layer led to frustrated volume expansion and restricted oxide flow along the interface, with extrusion of oxide into the primary pore volume, leading to the formation of dendritic pore structures and meandering pore growth. However, partial relief of the constraint by a delaminating interfacial fracture, with its tip closely following the anodization front, led to pore growth that was highly ordered with regular, hexagonally packed arrays of straight horizontal pores up to 3 µm long. Detailed characterization of both straight and dendritic planar pores over a range of formation conditions using advanced microscopy techniques is reported, including volume reconstruction, enabling high quality 3D visualization of pore formation. (paper)

  16. Active pore space utilization in nanoporous carbon-based supercapacitors: Effects of conductivity and pore accessibility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seredych, Mykola; Koscinski, Mikolaj; Sliwinska-Bartkowiak, Malgorzata; Bandosz, Teresa J.

    2012-12-01

    Composites of commercial graphene and nanoporous sodium-salt-polymer-derived carbons were prepared with 5 or 20 weight% graphene. The materials were characterized using the adsorption of nitrogen, SEM/EDX, thermal analysis, Raman spectroscopy and potentiometric titration. The samples' conductivity was also measured. The performance of the carbon composites in energy storage was linked to their porosity and electronic conductivity. The small pores (<0.7) were found as very active for double layer capacitance. It was demonstrated that when double layer capacitance is a predominant mechanism of charge storage, the degree of the pore space utilization for that storage can be increased by increasing the conductivity of the carbons. That active pore space utilization is defined as gravimetric capacitance per unit pore volume in pores smaller than 0.7 nm. Its magnitude is affected by conductivity of the carbon materials. The functional groups, besides pseudocapacitive contribution, increased the wettability and thus the degree of the pore space utilization. Graphene phase, owing to its conductivity, also took part in an insitu increase of the small pore accessibility and thus the capacitance of the composites via enhancing an electron transfer to small pores and thus imposing the reduction of groups blocking the pores for electrolyte ions.

  17. AD1995: NW Europe's hydrocarbon industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Glennie, K.; Hurst, A.

    1996-01-01

    This volume concerns itself with wide-ranging aspects of the upstream hydro-carbon industry over the whole of NW Europe. As such, the book contrasts with many thematic volumes by presenting a broad range of topics side-by-side. One section of the book looks back at the history of geological exploration and production, and provides an overview of hydrocarbon exploration across NW Europe. Another section covers the state of the art in hydrocarbon exploration and production. This includes an update on computer-based basin modelling overpressure systems, innovations in reservoir engineering and reserve estimation, 3D seismic and the geochemical aspects of secondary migration. The final section of the book takes a look into the future. This covers the remaining hydrocarbon resources of the North Sea, managing risk in oil field development, oil field economics, and pollution and the environment. It is the editors' hope that several key areas of NW Europe's upstream oil industry have been usefully summarized in the volume. (Author)

  18. Measurement and correlation of excess molar volumes for mixtures of 1-propanol and aromatic hydrocarbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gahlyan, Suman; Rani, Manju; Maken, Sanjeev Kumar; Lee, Inkyu; Moon, Il

    2015-01-01

    Excess molar volumes (V m E ) have been measured at 303.15 K for 1-propanol+benzene or toluene or o- or m- or p-xylene mixtures using V-shape dilatometer. The V m E values, for an equimolar composition, vary in the order: benzene>toluene-m-xylene>o-xylene>p-xylene. The V m E data have been used to calculate partial molar volumes, excess partial molar volumes, and apparent molar volumes of 1-propanol and aromatic hydrocarbons over the entire range of composition. The excess volume data have also been interpreted in terms of graph-theoretical approach and Prigogine-Flory-Patterson theory (PFP). While PFP theory fails to predict the V m E values for systems with s-shaped V m E versus x 1 graph, the V m E values calculated by graph theory compare reasonably well with the corresponding experimental values. This graph theory analysis has further yielded information about the state of aggregation of pure components as well as of the mixtures

  19. Revealing Lattice Expansion of Small-Pore Zeolite Catalysts during the Methanol-to-Olefins Process Using Combined Operando X-ray Diffraction and UV–vis Spectroscopy

    KAUST Repository

    Goetze, Joris; Yarulina, Irina; Gascon, Jorge; Kapteijn, Freek; Weckhuysen, Bert M.

    2018-01-01

    In small-pore zeolite catalysts, where the size of the pores is limited by eight-ring windows, aromatic hydrocarbon pool molecules that are formed inside the zeolite during the Methanol-to-Olefins (MTO) process cannot exit the pores and are retained

  20. Production of hydrocarbons, especially ethylene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1952-01-17

    The invention has for its object a process for the production of gaseous nonsaturated hydrocarbons, particularly ethylene and aromatic hydrocarbons, by starting with hydrocarbon oils entirely of paraffinic nature or their fractions, which consists in putting the separated products in contact with solid inert material especially with porous nonmetallic inert material or of heavy metals or their alloys, maybe in a finely divided state or in the form, of pieces or chips, at a temperature above 500/sup 0/C, or better between 600 and 700/sup 0/C at a velocity per hour of 0.6 to 3.0, and preferably 0.75 to 1.5 parts per volume of products per each part of space volume of catalyst.

  1. Jet-Fuel Range Hydrocarbons from Biomass-Derived Sorbitol over Ni-HZSM-5/SBA-15 Catalyst

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yujing Weng

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Aromatics and cyclic-hydrocarbons are the significant components of jet fuel with high energy-density. However, conventional technologies for bio-fuel production cannot produce these products without further aromatization and isomerization. In this work, renewable liquid fuel with high content of aromatics and cyclic-hydrocarbons was obtained through aqueous catalytic conversion of biomass sorbitol over Ni-HZSM-5/SBA-15 catalyst. Texture characteristics of the catalyst were determined by physisorption of N2, which indicated its bimodal pore structures were microporous (HZSM-5, pore width: 0.56 nm and mesoporous (SBA-15, pore width: 8 nm. The surface acidity included weak and strong acid sites, predominantly Lewis type, and was further confirmed by the NH3-TPD and Py-IR analysis. The catalytic performances were tested in a fixed-bed reactor under the conditions of 593 K, WHSV of 0.75 h−1, GHSV of 2500 h−1 and 4.0 MPa of hydrogen pressure, whereby oil yield of 40.4 wt. % with aromatics and cyclic-hydrocarbons content of 80.0% was obtained.

  2. Measurement and correlation of excess molar volumes for mixtures of 1-propanol and aromatic hydrocarbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gahlyan, Suman; Rani, Manju; Maken, Sanjeev Kumar [Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology, Murthal (India); Lee, Inkyu; Moon, Il [Yonsei University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-01-15

    Excess molar volumes (V{sub m}{sup E} ) have been measured at 303.15 K for 1-propanol+benzene or toluene or o- or m- or p-xylene mixtures using V-shape dilatometer. The V{sub m}{sup E} values, for an equimolar composition, vary in the order: benzene>toluene-m-xylene>o-xylene>p-xylene. The V{sub m}{sup E} data have been used to calculate partial molar volumes, excess partial molar volumes, and apparent molar volumes of 1-propanol and aromatic hydrocarbons over the entire range of composition. The excess volume data have also been interpreted in terms of graph-theoretical approach and Prigogine-Flory-Patterson theory (PFP). While PFP theory fails to predict the V{sub m}{sup E} values for systems with s-shaped V{sub m}{sup E} versus x{sub 1} graph, the V{sub m}{sup E} values calculated by graph theory compare reasonably well with the corresponding experimental values. This graph theory analysis has further yielded information about the state of aggregation of pure components as well as of the mixtures.

  3. Effect of pore structure on capillary condensation in a porous medium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deinert, M R; Parlange, J-Y

    2009-02-01

    The Kelvin equation relates the equilibrium vapor pressure of a fluid to the curvature of the fluid-vapor interface and predicts that vapor condensation will occur in pores or irregularities that are sufficiently small. Past analyses of capillary condensation in porous systems with fractal structure have related the phenomenon to the fractal dimension of the pore volume distribution. Recent work, however, suggests that porous systems can exhibit distinct fractal dimensions that are characteristic of both their pore volume and the surfaces of the pores themselves. We show that both fractal dimensions have an effect on the thermodynamics that governs capillary condensation and that previous analyses can be obtained as limiting cases of a more general formulation.

  4. X-ray pore optic developments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallace, Kotska; Bavdaz, Marcos; Collon, Maximilien; Beijersbergen, Marco; Kraft, Stefan; Fairbend, Ray; Séguy, Julien; Blanquer, Pascal; Graue, Roland; Kampf, Dirk

    2017-11-01

    In support of future x-ray telescopes ESA is developing new optics for the x-ray regime. To date, mass and volume have made x-ray imaging technology prohibitive to planetary remote sensing imaging missions. And although highly successful, the mirror technology used on ESA's XMM-Newton is not sufficient for future, large, x-ray observatories, since physical limits on the mirror packing density mean that aperture size becomes prohibitive. To reduce telescope mass and volume the packing density of mirror shells must be reduced, whilst maintaining alignment and rigidity. Structures can also benefit from a modular optic arrangement. Pore optics are shown to meet these requirements. This paper will discuss two pore optic technologies under development, with examples of results from measurement campaigns on samples. One activity has centred on the use of coated, silicon wafers, patterned with ribs, that are integrated onto a mandrel whose form has been polished to the required shape. The wafers follow the shape precisely, forming pore sizes in the sub-mm region. Individual stacks of mirrors can be manufactured without risk to, or dependency on, each other and aligned in a structure from which they can also be removed without hazard. A breadboard is currently being built to demonstrate this technology. A second activity centres on glass pore optics. However an adaptation of micro channel plate technology to form square pores has resulted in a monolithic material that can be slumped into an optic form. Alignment and coating of two such plates produces an x-ray focusing optic. A breadboard 20cm aperture optic is currently being built.

  5. Revealing Lattice Expansion of Small-Pore Zeolite Catalysts during the Methanol-to-Olefins Process Using Combined Operando X-ray Diffraction and UV-vis Spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goetze, Joris; Yarulina, Irina; Gascon, Jorge; Kapteijn, Freek; Weckhuysen, Bert M

    2018-03-02

    In small-pore zeolite catalysts, where the size of the pores is limited by eight-ring windows, aromatic hydrocarbon pool molecules that are formed inside the zeolite during the Methanol-to-Olefins (MTO) process cannot exit the pores and are retained inside the catalyst. Hydrocarbon species whose size is comparable to the size of the zeolite cage can cause the zeolite lattice to expand during the MTO process. In this work, the formation of retained hydrocarbon pool species during MTO at a reaction temperature of 400 °C was followed using operando UV-vis spectroscopy. During the same experiment, using operando X-ray Diffraction (XRD), the expansion of the zeolite framework was assessed, and the activity of the catalyst was measured using online gas chromatography (GC). Three different small-pore zeolite frameworks, i.e., CHA, DDR, and LEV, were compared. It was shown using operando XRD that the formation of retained aromatic species causes the zeolite lattice of all three frameworks to expand. Because of the differences in the zeolite framework dimensions, the nature of the retained hydrocarbons as measured by operando UV-vis spectroscopy is different for each of the three zeolite frameworks. Consequently, the magnitude and direction of the zeolite lattice expansion as measured by operando XRD also depends on the specific combination of the hydrocarbon species and the zeolite framework. The catalyst with the CHA framework, i.e., H-SSZ-13, showed the biggest expansion: 0.9% in the direction along the c -axis of the zeolite lattice. For all three zeolite frameworks, based on the combination of operando XRD and operando UV-vis spectroscopy, the hydrocarbon species that are likely to cause the expansion of the zeolite cages are presented; methylated naphthalene and pyrene in CHA, 1-methylnaphthalene and phenalene in DDR, and methylated benzene and naphthalene in LEV. Filling of the zeolite cages and, as a consequence, the zeolite lattice expansion causes the

  6. Revealing Lattice Expansion of Small-Pore Zeolite Catalysts during the Methanol-to-Olefins Process Using Combined Operando X-ray Diffraction and UV–vis Spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-01-01

    In small-pore zeolite catalysts, where the size of the pores is limited by eight-ring windows, aromatic hydrocarbon pool molecules that are formed inside the zeolite during the Methanol-to-Olefins (MTO) process cannot exit the pores and are retained inside the catalyst. Hydrocarbon species whose size is comparable to the size of the zeolite cage can cause the zeolite lattice to expand during the MTO process. In this work, the formation of retained hydrocarbon pool species during MTO at a reaction temperature of 400 °C was followed using operando UV–vis spectroscopy. During the same experiment, using operando X-ray Diffraction (XRD), the expansion of the zeolite framework was assessed, and the activity of the catalyst was measured using online gas chromatography (GC). Three different small-pore zeolite frameworks, i.e., CHA, DDR, and LEV, were compared. It was shown using operando XRD that the formation of retained aromatic species causes the zeolite lattice of all three frameworks to expand. Because of the differences in the zeolite framework dimensions, the nature of the retained hydrocarbons as measured by operando UV–vis spectroscopy is different for each of the three zeolite frameworks. Consequently, the magnitude and direction of the zeolite lattice expansion as measured by operando XRD also depends on the specific combination of the hydrocarbon species and the zeolite framework. The catalyst with the CHA framework, i.e., H-SSZ-13, showed the biggest expansion: 0.9% in the direction along the c-axis of the zeolite lattice. For all three zeolite frameworks, based on the combination of operando XRD and operando UV–vis spectroscopy, the hydrocarbon species that are likely to cause the expansion of the zeolite cages are presented; methylated naphthalene and pyrene in CHA, 1-methylnaphthalene and phenalene in DDR, and methylated benzene and naphthalene in LEV. Filling of the zeolite cages and, as a consequence, the zeolite lattice expansion causes the

  7. Revealing Lattice Expansion of Small-Pore Zeolite Catalysts during the Methanol-to-Olefins Process Using Combined Operando X-ray Diffraction and UV–vis Spectroscopy

    KAUST Repository

    Goetze, Joris

    2018-02-06

    In small-pore zeolite catalysts, where the size of the pores is limited by eight-ring windows, aromatic hydrocarbon pool molecules that are formed inside the zeolite during the Methanol-to-Olefins (MTO) process cannot exit the pores and are retained inside the catalyst. Hydrocarbon species whose size is comparable to the size of the zeolite cage can cause the zeolite lattice to expand during the MTO process. In this work, the formation of retained hydrocarbon pool species during MTO at a reaction temperature of 400 °C was followed using operando UV–vis spectroscopy. During the same experiment, using operando X-ray Diffraction (XRD), the expansion of the zeolite framework was assessed, and the activity of the catalyst was measured using online gas chromatography (GC). Three different small-pore zeolite frameworks, i.e., CHA, DDR, and LEV, were compared. It was shown using operando XRD that the formation of retained aromatic species causes the zeolite lattice of all three frameworks to expand. Because of the differences in the zeolite framework dimensions, the nature of the retained hydrocarbons as measured by operando UV–vis spectroscopy is different for each of the three zeolite frameworks. Consequently, the magnitude and direction of the zeolite lattice expansion as measured by operando XRD also depends on the specific combination of the hydrocarbon species and the zeolite framework. The catalyst with the CHA framework, i.e., H-SSZ-13, showed the biggest expansion: 0.9% in the direction along the c-axis of the zeolite lattice. For all three zeolite frameworks, based on the combination of operando XRD and operando UV–vis spectroscopy, the hydrocarbon species that are likely to cause the expansion of the zeolite cages are presented; methylated naphthalene and pyrene in CHA, 1-methylnaphthalene and phenalene in DDR, and methylated benzene and naphthalene in LEV. Filling of the zeolite cages and, as a consequence, the zeolite lattice expansion causes the

  8. Mesoscale Simulations of Pore Migration in a Nuclear Fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Radhakrishnan, Balasubramaniam; Gorti, Sarma B.

    2010-01-01

    The evolution of pore and grain structure in a nuclear fuel environment is strongly influenced by the local temperature, and the temperature gradient. The evolution of pore and grain structure in an externally imposed temperature gradient is simulated for a hypothetical material using a Potts model approach that allows for porosity migration by mechanisms similar to surface, grain boundary and volume diffusion, as well as the interaction of migrating pores with stationary grain boundaries. First, the migration of a single pore in a single crystal in the presence of the temperature gradient is simulated. Next, the interaction of a pore moving in a temperature gradient with a grain boundary that is perpendicular to the pore migration direction is simulated in order to capture the force exerted by the pore on the grain boundary. The simulations reproduce the expected variation of pore velocity with pore size as well as the variation of the grain boundary force with pore size.

  9. Insights into the Activity and Deactivation of the Methanol-to-Olefins Process over Different Small-Pore Zeolites As Studied with Operando UV–vis Spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-01-01

    The nature and evolution of the hydrocarbon pool (HP) species during the Methanol-to-Olefins (MTO) process for three small-pore zeolite catalysts, with a different framework consisting of large cages interconnected by small eight-ring windows (CHA, DDR, and LEV) was studied at reaction temperatures between 350 and 450 °C using a combination of operando UV–vis spectroscopy and online gas chromatography. It was found that small differences in cage size, shape, and pore structure of the zeolite frameworks result in the generation of different hydrocarbon pool species. More specifically, it was found that the large cage of CHA results in the formation of a wide variety of hydrocarbon pool species, mostly alkylated benzenes and naphthalenes. In the DDR cage, 1-methylnaphthalene is preferentially formed, while the small LEV cage generally contains fewer hydrocarbon pool species. The nature and evolution of these hydrocarbon pool species was linked with the stage of the reaction using a multivariate analysis of the operando UV–vis spectra. In the 3-D pore network of CHA, the reaction temperature has only a minor effect on the performance of the MTO catalyst. However, for the 2-D pore networks of DDR and LEV, an increase in the applied reaction temperature resulted in a dramatic increase in catalytic activity. For all zeolites in this study, the role of the hydrocarbon species changes with reaction temperature. This effect is most clear in DDR, in which diamantane and 1-methylnaphthalene are deactivating species at a reaction temperature of 350 °C, whereas at higher temperatures diamantane formation is not observed and 1-methylnaphthalene is an active species. This results in a different amount and nature of coke species in the deactivated catalyst, depending on zeolite framework and reaction temperature. PMID:28603658

  10. Insights into the Activity and Deactivation of the Methanol-to-Olefins Process over Different Small-Pore Zeolites As Studied with Operando UV-vis Spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goetze, Joris; Meirer, Florian; Yarulina, Irina; Gascon, Jorge; Kapteijn, Freek; Ruiz-Martínez, Javier; Weckhuysen, Bert M

    2017-06-02

    The nature and evolution of the hydrocarbon pool (HP) species during the Methanol-to-Olefins (MTO) process for three small-pore zeolite catalysts, with a different framework consisting of large cages interconnected by small eight-ring windows (CHA, DDR, and LEV) was studied at reaction temperatures between 350 and 450 °C using a combination of operando UV-vis spectroscopy and online gas chromatography. It was found that small differences in cage size, shape, and pore structure of the zeolite frameworks result in the generation of different hydrocarbon pool species. More specifically, it was found that the large cage of CHA results in the formation of a wide variety of hydrocarbon pool species, mostly alkylated benzenes and naphthalenes. In the DDR cage, 1-methylnaphthalene is preferentially formed, while the small LEV cage generally contains fewer hydrocarbon pool species. The nature and evolution of these hydrocarbon pool species was linked with the stage of the reaction using a multivariate analysis of the operando UV-vis spectra. In the 3-D pore network of CHA, the reaction temperature has only a minor effect on the performance of the MTO catalyst. However, for the 2-D pore networks of DDR and LEV, an increase in the applied reaction temperature resulted in a dramatic increase in catalytic activity. For all zeolites in this study, the role of the hydrocarbon species changes with reaction temperature. This effect is most clear in DDR, in which diamantane and 1-methylnaphthalene are deactivating species at a reaction temperature of 350 °C, whereas at higher temperatures diamantane formation is not observed and 1-methylnaphthalene is an active species. This results in a different amount and nature of coke species in the deactivated catalyst, depending on zeolite framework and reaction temperature.

  11. Hydrocarbon saturation determination using acoustic velocities obtained through casing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moos, Daniel

    2010-03-09

    Compressional and shear velocities of earth formations are measured through casing. The determined compressional and shear velocities are used in a two component mixing model to provides improved quantitative values for the solid, the dry frame, and the pore compressibility. These are used in determination of hydrocarbon saturation.

  12. Systems including catalysts in porous zeolite materials within a reactor for use in synthesizing hydrocarbons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rolllins, Harry W [Idaho Falls, ID; Petkovic, Lucia M [Idaho Falls, ID; Ginosar, Daniel M [Idaho Falls, ID

    2012-07-24

    Catalytic structures include a catalytic material disposed within a zeolite material. The catalytic material may be capable of catalyzing a formation of methanol from carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide, and the zeolite material may be capable of catalyzing a formation of hydrocarbon molecules from methanol. The catalytic material may include copper and zinc oxide. The zeolite material may include a first plurality of pores substantially defined by a crystal structure of the zeolite material and a second plurality of pores dispersed throughout the zeolite material. Systems for synthesizing hydrocarbon molecules also include catalytic structures. Methods for synthesizing hydrocarbon molecules include contacting hydrogen and at least one of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide with such catalytic structures. Catalytic structures are fabricated by forming a zeolite material at least partially around a template structure, removing the template structure, and introducing a catalytic material into the zeolite material.

  13. Methods of using structures including catalytic materials disposed within porous zeolite materials to synthesize hydrocarbons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rollins, Harry W [Idaho Falls, ID; Petkovic, Lucia M [Idaho Falls, ID; Ginosar, Daniel M [Idaho Falls, ID

    2011-02-01

    Catalytic structures include a catalytic material disposed within a zeolite material. The catalytic material may be capable of catalyzing a formation of methanol from carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide, and the zeolite material may be capable of catalyzing a formation of hydrocarbon molecules from methanol. The catalytic material may include copper and zinc oxide. The zeolite material may include a first plurality of pores substantially defined by a crystal structure of the zeolite material and a second plurality of pores dispersed throughout the zeolite material. Systems for synthesizing hydrocarbon molecules also include catalytic structures. Methods for synthesizing hydrocarbon molecules include contacting hydrogen and at least one of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide with such catalytic structures. Catalytic structures are fabricated by forming a zeolite material at least partially around a template structure, removing the template structure, and introducing a catalytic material into the zeolite material.

  14. Method and apparatus for preventing agglomeration within fluid hydrocarbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woodbridge, D.D.

    1979-01-01

    This invention relates to a process for treating a fluid hydrocarbon fuel for retarding the agglomeration between particles thereof and for retarding the growth of bacteria and fungi therein. The process includes that steps of transporting a plurality of unit volumes of said fluid hydrocarbon fuel through an irradiating location and irradiating each unit of the plurality of unit volumes at the irradiating location with either neutron or gamma radiation. An apparatus for treating the fluid hydrocarbon fuels with the nuclear radiation also is provided. The apparatus includes a generally conical central irradiating cavity which is surrounded by a spiral outer irradiating cavity. The fluid hydrocarbon fuel is transported through the cavities while being irradiated by the nuclear radiation

  15. Measurements of pore-scale flow through apertures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chojnicki, Kirsten [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    2017-09-01

    Pore-scale aperture effects on flow in pore networks was studied in the laboratory to provide a parameterization for use in transport models. Four cases were considered: regular and irregular pillar/pore alignment with and without an aperture. The velocity field of each case was measured and simulated, providing quantitatively comparable results. Two aperture effect parameterizations were considered: permeability and transmission. Permeability values varied by an order of magnitude between the cases with and without apertures. However, transmission did not correlate with permeability. Despite having much greater permeability the regular aperture case permitted less transmission than the regular case. Moreover, both irregular cases had greater transmission than the regular cases, a difference not supported by the permeabilities. Overall, these findings suggest that pore-scale aperture effects on flow though a pore-network may not be adequately captured by properties such as permeability for applications that are interested in determining particle transport volume and timing.

  16. Pore Structure and Fractal Characteristics of Niutitang Shale from China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhaodong Xi

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available A suite of shale samples from the Lower Cambrian Niutitang Formation in northwestern Hunan Province, China, were investigated to better understand the pore structure and fractal characteristics of marine shale. Organic geochemistry, mineralogy by X-ray diffraction, porosity, permeability, mercury intrusion and nitrogen adsorption and methane adsorption experiments were conducted for each sample. Fractal dimension D was obtained from the nitrogen adsorption data using the fractal Frenkel-Halsey-Hill (FHH model. The relationships between total organic carbon (TOC content, mineral compositions, pore structure parameters and fractal dimension are discussed, along with the contributions of fractal dimension to shale gas reservoir evaluation. Analysis of the results showed that Niutitang shale samples featured high TOC content (2.51% on average, high thermal maturity (3.0% on average, low permeability and complex pore structures, which are highly fractal. TOC content and mineral compositions are two major factors affecting pore structure but they have different impacts on the fractal dimension. Shale samples with higher TOC content had a larger specific surface area (SSA, pore volume (PV and fractal dimension, which enhanced the heterogeneity of the pore structure. Quartz content had a relatively weak influence on shale pore structure, whereas SSA, PV and fractal dimension decreased with increasing clay mineral content. Shale with a higher clay content weakened pore structure heterogeneity. The permeability and Langmuir volume of methane adsorption were affected by fractal dimension. Shale samples with higher fractal dimension had higher adsorption capacity but lower permeability, which is favorable for shale gas adsorption but adverse to shale gas seepage and diffusion.

  17. Pore-scale mechanisms of gas flow in tight sand reservoirs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silin, D.; Kneafsey, T.J.; Ajo-Franklin, J.B.; Nico, P.

    2010-11-30

    Tight gas sands are unconventional hydrocarbon energy resource storing large volume of natural gas. Microscopy and 3D imaging of reservoir samples at different scales and resolutions provide insights into the coaredo not significantly smaller in size than conventional sandstones, the extremely dense grain packing makes the pore space tortuous, and the porosity is small. In some cases the inter-granular void space is presented by micron-scale slits, whose geometry requires imaging at submicron resolutions. Maximal Inscribed Spheres computations simulate different scenarios of capillary-equilibrium two-phase fluid displacement. For tight sands, the simulations predict an unusually low wetting fluid saturation threshold, at which the non-wetting phase becomes disconnected. Flow simulations in combination with Maximal Inscribed Spheres computations evaluate relative permeability curves. The computations show that at the threshold saturation, when the nonwetting fluid becomes disconnected, the flow of both fluids is practically blocked. The nonwetting phase is immobile due to the disconnectedness, while the permeability to the wetting phase remains essentially equal to zero due to the pore space geometry. This observation explains the Permeability Jail, which was defined earlier by others. The gas is trapped by capillarity, and the brine is immobile due to the dynamic effects. At the same time, in drainage, simulations predict that the mobility of at least one of the fluids is greater than zero at all saturations. A pore-scale model of gas condensate dropout predicts the rate to be proportional to the scalar product of the fluid velocity and pressure gradient. The narrowest constriction in the flow path is subject to the highest rate of condensation. The pore-scale model naturally upscales to the Panfilov's Darcy-scale model, which implies that the condensate dropout rate is proportional to the pressure gradient squared. Pressure gradient is the greatest near the

  18. Digital Rock Physics Aplications: Visualisation Complex Pore and Porosity-Permeability Estimations of the Porous Sandstone Reservoir

    Science.gov (United States)

    Handoyo; Fatkhan; Del, Fourier

    2018-03-01

    Reservoir rock containing oil and gas generally has high porosity and permeability. High porosity is expected to accommodate hydrocarbon fluid in large quantities and high permeability is associated with the rock’s ability to let hydrocarbon fluid flow optimally. Porosity and permeability measurement of a rock sample is usually performed in the laboratory. We estimate the porosity and permeability of sandstones digitally by using digital images from μCT-Scan. Advantages of the method are non-destructive and can be applied for small rock pieces also easily to construct the model. The porosity values are calculated by comparing the digital image of the pore volume to the total volume of the sandstones; while the permeability values are calculated using the Lattice Boltzmann calculations utilizing the nature of the law of conservation of mass and conservation of momentum of a particle. To determine variations of the porosity and permeability, the main sandstone samples with a dimension of 300 × 300 × 300 pixels are made into eight sub-cubes with a size of 150 × 150 × 150 pixels. Results of digital image modeling fluid flow velocity are visualized as normal velocity (streamline). Variations in value sandstone porosity vary between 0.30 to 0.38 and permeability variations in the range of 4000 mD to 6200 mD. The results of calculations show that the sandstone sample in this research is highly porous and permeable. The method combined with rock physics can be powerful tools for determining rock properties from small rock fragments.

  19. Matrix coatings based on anodic alumina with carbon nanostructures in the pores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorokh, G. G.; Pashechko, M. I.; Borc, J. T.; Lozovenko, A. A.; Kashko, I. A.; Latos, A. I.

    2018-03-01

    The nanoporous anodic alumina matrixes thickness of 1.5 mm and pore sizes of 45, 90 and 145 nm were formed on Si substrates. The tubular carbon nanostructures were synthesized into the matrixes pores by pyrolysis of fluid hydrocarbon xylene with 1% ferrocene. The structure and composition of the matrix coatings were examined by scanning electron microscopy, Auger analysis and Raman spectroscopy. The carbon nanostructures completely filled the pores of templates and uniformly covered the tops. The structure of carbon nanostructures corresponded to the structure of multiwall carbon nanotubes. Investigations of mechanical and tribological properties of nanostructured oxide-carbon composite performed by scratching and nanoindentation showed nonlinear dependencies of the frictional force, penetration depth of the cantilever, hardness and plane strain modulus on the load. It was found that the microhardness of the samples increases with reduced of alumina pore diameter, and the penetration depth of the cantilever into the film grows with carbon nanostructures size. The results showed the high mechanical strength of nanostructured oxide-carbon composite.

  20. Direct Numerical Simulation of Low Capillary Number Pore Scale Flows

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esmaeilzadeh, S.; Soulaine, C.; Tchelepi, H.

    2017-12-01

    The arrangement of void spaces and the granular structure of a porous medium determines multiple macroscopic properties of the rock such as porosity, capillary pressure, and relative permeability. Therefore, it is important to study the microscopic structure of the reservoir pores and understand the dynamics of fluid displacements through them. One approach for doing this, is direct numerical simulation of pore-scale flow that requires a robust numerical tool for prediction of fluid dynamics and a detailed understanding of the physical processes occurring at the pore-scale. In pore scale flows with a low capillary number, Eulerian multiphase methods are well-known to produce additional vorticity close to the interface. This is mainly due to discretization errors which lead to an imbalance of capillary pressure and surface tension forces that causes unphysical spurious currents. At the pore scale, these spurious currents can become significantly stronger than the average velocity in the phases, and lead to unphysical displacement of the interface. In this work, we first investigate the capability of the algebraic Volume of Fluid (VOF) method in OpenFOAM for low capillary number pore scale flow simulations. Afterward, we compare VOF results with a Coupled Level-Set Volume of Fluid (CLSVOF) method and Iso-Advector method. It has been shown that the former one reduces the VOF's unphysical spurious currents in some cases, and both are known to capture interfaces sharper than VOF. As the conclusion, we will investigate that whether the use of CLSVOF or Iso-Advector will lead to less spurious velocities and more accurate results for capillary driven pore-scale multiphase flows or not. Keywords: Pore-scale multiphase flow, Capillary driven flows, Spurious currents, OpenFOAM

  1. Mathematical approaches in deriving hydrocarbons expressions from seismic data

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Farfour, Mohammed; Yoon, Wang Jung; Yoon-Geun [Geophysical Prospecting Lab, Energy & Resources Eng., Dept., Chonnam National University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jeong-Hwan [Petroleum Engineering & Reservoir Simulation Lab, Energy & Resources Eng., Dept., Chonnam National University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-06-08

    Defining and understanding hydrocarbon expressions in seismic expression is main concern of geoscientists in oil and gas exploration and production. Over the last decades several mathematical approaches have been developed in this regard. Most of approaches have addressed information in amplitude of seismic data. Recently, more attention has been drawn towards frequency related information in order to extract frequency behaviors of hydrocarbons bearing sediments. Spectrally decomposing seismic data into individual frequencies found to be an excellent tool for investigating geological formations and their pore fluids. To accomplish this, several mathematical approaches have been invoked. Continuous wavelet transform and Short Time Window Fourier transform are widely used techniques for this purpose. This paper gives an overview of some widely used mathematical technique in hydrocarbon reservoir detection and mapping. This is followed by an application on real data from Boonsville field.

  2. Physical foundations and experience of application of method of determination of volumes of all group of pore channels in powders and porous bodies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gabelkov, S.V.

    2011-01-01

    Physical foundations of the method of determination of the relative volumes of each group of pore channels that are available in a porous body on removal of work liquid from them at its evaporation were developed. Advantages and disadvantages are given, experience using of this method is extended at creating of ceramic matrix (cubic zirconia and magnesium-aluminium spinel) for isolation of high active waste. This method in combination with method of electronic microscopy has given an ability to investigate destruction of agglomerates and aggregates of xerogels and powders at milling and pressing, agglomeration of powders at its production and evolution of each component of pore spaces at sintering of porous bodies.

  3. Using Neutron Scattering and Mercury Intrusion Techniques to Characterize Micro- and Nano-Pore Structure of Shale

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Y.; Barber, T.; Hu, Q.; Bleuel, M.

    2017-12-01

    The micro- and nano-pore structure of oil shale plays a critical role in hydrocarbon storage and migration. This study aims to characterize the pore structure of three Bakken members (i.e., upper organic-rich shale, middle silty/sandy dolomites, and lower organic-rich shale), through small and ultra-small angle neutron scattering (SANS and USANS) techniques, as well as mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP) analyses. SANS/USANS have the capabilities of measuring total porosity (connected and closed porosity) across nm-mm spectrum, not measurable than other fluid-invasion approaches, such as MICP which obtains connected porosity and pore-throat size distribution. Results from both techniques exhibit different features of upper/lower Bakken and middle Bakken, as a result of various mineral composition and organic matter contents. Middle Bakken is primarily dominated by the mineral pores, while in the upper and lower Bakken, organic pores contribute a significant portion of total porosity. A combination of USANS/SANS and MICP techniques gives a comprehensive picture of shale micro- and nano-pore structure.

  4. Effect of Pore Size and Pore Connectivity on Unidirectional Capillary Penetration Kinetics in 3-D Porous Media using Direct Numerical Simulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, An; Palakurthi, Nikhil; Konangi, Santosh; Comer, Ken; Jog, Milind

    2017-11-01

    The physics of capillary flow is used widely in multiple fields. Lucas-Washburn equation is developed by using a single pore-sized capillary tube with continuous pore connection. Although this equation has been extended to describe the penetration kinetics into porous medium, multiple studies have indicated L-W does not accurately predict flow patterns in real porous media. In this study, the penetration kinetics including the effect of pore size and pore connectivity will be closely examined since they are expected to be the key factors effecting the penetration process. The Liquid wicking process is studied from a converging and diverging capillary tube to the complex virtual 3-D porous structures with Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) using the Volume-Of-Fluid (VOF) method within the OpenFOAM CFD Solver. Additionally Porous Medium properties such as Permeability (k) , Tortuosity (τ) will be also analyzed.

  5. Exploring the Framework Hydrophobicity and Flexibility of ZIF-8: From Biofuel Recovery to Hydrocarbon Separations

    KAUST Repository

    Zhang, Ke

    2013-11-07

    The framework hydrophobicity and flexibility of ZIF-8 are investigated by a detailed adsorption and diffusion study of a series of probe molecules including ethanol, 1-butanol, water, hexane isomers, xylene isomers, and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene. The prospects for using ZIF-8 in biofuel recovery and hydrocarbon separations are discussed in terms of adsorption or kinetic selectivities. ZIF-8 shows extremely low water vapor uptakes and is especially suitable for vapor phase butanol-based biofuel recovery. The extraordinary framework flexibility of ZIF-8 is demonstrated by the adsorption of hydrocarbon molecules that are much larger than its nominal pore size, such as m-xylene, o-xylene and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene. The calculation of corrected diffusion coefficients reveals an interesting spectrum of promising kinetic hydrocarbon separations by ZIF-8. These findings confirm that a molecular sieving effect tends to occur in the sorbate molecular size range of 4-6 Å rather than around the nominal ZIF-8 pore size of 3.4 Å, due to its surprising framework flexibility. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

  6. Pore Scale Analysis of Oil Shale/Sands Pyrolysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lin, Chen-Luh [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Miller, Jan [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)

    2011-03-01

    There are important questions concerning the quality and volume of pore space that is created when oil shale is pyrolyzed for the purpose of producing shale oil. In this report, 1.9 cm diameter cores of Mahogany oil shale were pyrolyzed at different temperatures and heating rates. Detailed 3D imaging of core samples was done using multiscale X-ray computed tomography (CT) before and after pyrolysis to establish the pore structure. The pore structure of the unreacted material was not clear. Selected images of a core pyrolyzed at 400oC were obtained at voxel resolutions from 39 microns (Οm) to 60 nanometers (nm). Some of the pore space created during pyrolysis was clearly visible at these resolutions and it was possible to distinguish between the reaction products and the host shale rock. The pore structure deduced from the images was used in Lattice Boltzmann simulations to calculate the permeability in the pore space. The permeabilities of the pyrolyzed samples of the silicate-rich zone were on the order of millidarcies, while the permeabilities of the kerogen-rich zone after pyrolysis were very anisotropic and about four orders of magnitude higher.

  7. Plastic strain caused by contraction of pores in polycrystalline graphites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ioka, Ikuo; Yoda, Shinichi; Konishi, Takashi.

    1989-01-01

    The effects of porosity on mechanical properties and deformation behavior of four isotropic polycrystalline graphites were studied. The pore size distributions of the graphites were measured using a conventional mercury penetration technique. The average pore radius of ISO-88 graphite was about one-tenth of that of ISEM-1, IG-11 or IG-15 graphites. Young's modulus of the graphites decreased with increasing porosity. The stress-strain curve of each graphite was measured in its lateral and axial directions. Young's modulus of graphite decreased with increasing load. The plastic strain at a given compressive load was calculated from the stress-strain curve and the initial gradient of the unloading curve at the load. The ratio of lateral plastic strain to axial plastic strain for the graphites was less than 0.5, indicating that the volume of the graphites decreased during compressive loading. By assuming that the volume change was caused by contraction of pores, plastic strain associated with contraction of pores was calculated from the axial plastic strain and lateral plastic strain by slips along the basal planes. The plastic strain increased with increasing axial plastic strain and porosity of graphite. (author)

  8. Microfiltration of distillery stillage: Influence of membrane pore size

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vasić Vesna M.

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Stillage is one of the most polluted waste products of the food industry. Beside large volume, the stillage contains high amount of suspended solids, high values of chemical oxygen demand and biological oxygen demand, so it should not be discharged in the nature before previous purification. In this work, three ceramic membranes for microfiltration with different pore sizes were tested for stillage purification in order to find the most suitable membrane for the filtration process. Ceramic membranes with a nominal pore size of 200 nm, 450 nm and 800 nm were used for filtration. The influence of pore size on permeate flux and removal efficiency was investigated. A membrane with the pore size of 200 nm showed the best filtration performance so it was chosen for the microfiltration process.

  9. Long n-alkanes isomerization by medium pore zeolites with pore mouth and key lock mechanisms; Isomerisation des paraffines longues par des zeolithes a pores moyens selon les mecanismes ouverture de pore et cle serrure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Claude, M.

    1999-10-01

    Skeletal isomerization of long n-alkanes is practiced to improve cold flow properties of diesel and lubricant fractions. In this work, model long n-alkanes (n-C{sub 10} - n-C{sub 24}) were hydro-isomerized in a fixed bed down flow vapour phase reactor loaded with bifunctional Pt/H-ZSM-22 zeolite catalyst. The skeletal isomers were analysed and identified with GC/MS. High isomer yields were obtained. The distribution of positional mono-methyl-branched isomers obtained from n-C{sub 12} to n-C{sub 24} are typically bimodal. This is explained by adsorption and reaction of the alkanes in pore mouths and locks on the external surface of the zeolite crystals. The pore mouth mode favours branching at C{sub 2} and C{sub 3}. The 'key lock' type proceeds by penetration of the two ends of the hydrocarbon chain into a different pore opening and favours more central mono-branching of the chain. The contribution of the key lock mode increases with increasing chain length and with the reaction temperature. The preferentially formed dimethyl-branched isomers have a separation between branchings of three up to fourteen carbon atoms. The formation of the second methyl-branching occurs preferentially from a centrally branched mono-methyl-branched isomer, so that the second branching is generated always more toward the end of the chain. Owing to the differences in adsorption entropy among the locks, at higher temperatures the largest lock is preferred and the distance between the two branching along the carbon chain in the preferred isomers is biggest. Thus the work resulted in the formulation of structure-selectivity relationships. n-C{sub 18} was hydro-isomerized on other zeolites. The nature and distribution of the isomers obtained suggest that the tubular 10-ring zeolites ZSM-23, ZSM-35 and SAPO-11 also operate according to pore mouth and key lock concepts. Zeolites with 12-rings show typical product patterns for catalysis in absence of steric hindrance. (author)

  10. Multiscale pore structure and constitutive models of fine-grained rocks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heath, J. E.; Dewers, T. A.; Shields, E. A.; Yoon, H.; Milliken, K. L.

    2017-12-01

    A foundational concept of continuum poromechanics is the representative elementary volume or REV: an amount of material large enough that pore- or grain-scale fluctuations in relevant properties are dissipated to a definable mean, but smaller than length scales of heterogeneity. We determine 2D-equivalent representative elementary areas (REAs) of pore areal fraction of three major types of mudrocks by applying multi-beam scanning electron microscopy (mSEM) to obtain terapixel image mosaics. Image analysis obtains pore areal fraction and pore size and shape as a function of progressively larger measurement areas. Using backscattering imaging and mSEM data, pores are identified by the components within which they occur, such as in organics or the clastic matrix. We correlate pore areal fraction with nano-indentation, micropillar compression, and axysimmetic testing at multiple length scales on a terrigenous-argillaceous mudrock sample. The combined data set is used to: investigate representative elementary volumes (and areas for the 2D images); determine if scale separation occurs; and determine if transport and mechanical properties at a given length scale can be statistically defined. Clear scale separation occurs between REAs and observable heterogeneity in two of the samples. A highly-laminated sample exhibits fine-scale heterogeneity and an overlapping in scales, in which case typical continuum assumptions on statistical variability may break down. Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc. for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525.

  11. Densities and excess volumes of binary mixtures of N,N-dimethylformamide with aromatic hydrocarbon at different temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peng Sanjun; Hou Haiyun; Zhou Congshan; Yang Tao

    2007-01-01

    Density of three binary mixtures formed by N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) with aromatic hydrocarbon (one of benzene, toluene, and ethylbenzene) has been determined over the full range of compositions at the temperatures range (293.15 to 353.15)K and atmospheric pressure using a vibrating-tube densimeter. From these experiments, excess molar volumes (V m E ) could be calculated and fitted by the fourth-order Redlich-Kister equation, so the coefficients and the standard error (σ) could be got. Our result shows V m E decreases when temperature increases in the studied systems

  12. Microporous silica prepared by organic templating: relationship between the molecular template and pore structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brinker, C. Jeffrey; Cao, Guozhong; Kale, Rahul P.; Lopez, Gabriel P.; Lu, Yunfeng; Prabakar, S.

    1999-01-01

    Microporous silica materials with a controlled pore size and a narrow pore size distribution have been prepared by sol-gel processing using an organic-templating approach. Microporous networks were formed by pyrolytic removal of organic ligands (methacryloxypropyl groups) from organic/inorganic hybrid materials synthesized by copolymerization of 3-methacryloxypropylsilane (MPS) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). Molecular simulations and experimental measurements were conducted to examine the relationship between the microstructural characteristics of the porous silica (e.g., pore size, total pore volume, and pore connectivity) and the size and amount of organic template ligands added. Adsorption measurements suggest that the final porosity of the microporous silica is due to both primary pores (those present in the hybrid materials prior to pyrolysis) and secondary pores (those created by pyrolytic removal of organic templates). Primary pores were inaccessible to N(sub 2) at 77 K but accessible to CO(sub 2) at 195 K; secondary pores were accessible to both N(sub 2) (at 77 K) and CO(sub 2) (at 195 K) in adsorption measurements. Primary porosity decreases with the amount of organic ligands added because of the enhanced densification of MPS/TEOS hybrid materials as the mole fraction of trifunctional MPS moieties increases. pore volumes measured by nitrogen adsorption experiments at 77 K suggest that the secondary (template-derived) porosity exhibits a percolation behavior as the template concentration is increased. Gas permeation experiments indicate that the secondary pores are approximately 5(angstrom) in diameter, consistent with predictions based on molecular simulations

  13. Surfactant-enhanced control of track-etch pore morphology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Apel', P.Yu.; Blonskaya, I.V.; Didyk, A.Yu.; Dmitriev, S.N.; Orelovich, O.L.; Samojlova, L.I.; Vutsadakis, V.A.; Root, D.

    2000-01-01

    The influence of surfactants on the process of chemical development of ion tracks in polymers is studied. Based on the experimental data, a mechanism of the surfactant effect on the track-etch pore morphology is proposed. In the beginning of etching the surfactant is adsorbed on the surface and creates a layer that is quasi-solid and partially protects the surface from the etching agent. However, some etchant molecules diffuse through the barrier and react with the polymer surface. This results in the formation of a small hole at the entrance to the ion track. After the hole has attained a few annometers in diameter, the surfactant molecules penetrate into the track and cover its walls. Further diffusion of the surfactant into the growing pore is hindered. The adsorbed surfactant layer is not permeable for large molecules. In contrast, small alkali molecules and water molecules diffuse into the track and provide the etching process enlarging the pore. At this stage the transport of the surfactant into the pore channel can proceed only due to the lateral diffusion in the adsorbed layer. The volume inside the pore is free of surfactant molecules and grows at a higher rate than pore entrance. After a more prolonged etching the bottle-like (or 'cigar-like') pore channels are formed. The bottle-like shape of the pore channels depends on the etching conditions such as alkali and surfactant concentration, temperature, and type of the surfactant. The use of surfactants enables one to produce track-etch membranes with improved flow rate characteristics compared with those having cylindrical pores with the same nominal pore diameters

  14. Synthesis of Novel Mesoporous Silica Materials with Hierarchical Pore Structures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoon, Suk Bon; Choi, Wang Kyu; Choi, Byung Seon; Moon, Jei Kwon [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-05-15

    Porous materials with various pore sizes in the range of micropore (< 2 nm), mesopore (2-50 nm), and macropore (> 50 nm) are attractive due to their many emerging applications such as catalysts, separation systems, and low dielectric constant materials. The discovery of new M41S mesoporous silica families with pore sizes larger than 2 nm in diameter in 1992 extended the applications into much wider pore ranges, bringing in a new prosperous era in porous material research. The synthesis of these silica materials has been mainly accomplished through a self-assembly between surfactant molecules and inorganic species under various pH conditions. Recently, core-shell nanoparticles with a silica core and mesoporous shell under basic conditions were synthesized using the silica nanoparticles as a core, and a silica precursor (TEOS) and cationic surfactant (CTABr) as a material for the formation of the mesoporous shell. The resultant materials were very monodispersive in size and showed a narrow pore size distribution in the range of ca 2-3 nm in diameter, depending on the alkyl-chain length of the surfactants used. In this work, the mesoporous shell coated-fumed silicas (denoted as MS M-5s) were synthesized by using fumed silica instead of the silica nanoparticle as a core based on previous reports. Also, the structural properties of the MS M-5s such as the specific surface area and pore volume were easily controlled by varying the amount of the silica precursor and surfactant. The resultant materials exhibited a BET surface area of ca 279-446 m{sup 2}/g and total pore volume of ca 0.64-0.74 cm{sup 3}/g and showed a narrow pore size distribution (PSD) due to the removal of the organic surfactant molecules

  15. Porous Carbon with Willow-Leaf-Shaped Pores for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Yanhong; Zhang, Linlin; Schon, Tyler B; Li, Huanhuan; Fan, Chaoying; Li, Xiaoying; Wang, Haifeng; Wu, Xinglong; Xie, Haiming; Sun, Haizhu; Seferos, Dwight S; Zhang, Jingping

    2017-12-13

    A novel kind of biomass-derived, high-oxygen-containing carbon material doped with nitrogen that has willow-leaf-shaped pores was synthesized. The obtained carbon material has an exotic hierarchical pore structure composed of bowl-shaped macropores, willow-leaf-shaped pores, and an abundance of micropores. This unique hierarchical porous structure provides an effective combination of high current densities and high capacitance because of a pseudocapacitive component that is afforded by the introduction of nitrogen and oxygen dopants. Our synthetic optimization allows further improvements in the performance of this hierarchical porous carbon (HPC) material by providing a high degree of control over the graphitization degree, specific surface area, and pore volume. As a result, a large specific surface area (1093 m 2 g -1 ) and pore volume (0.8379 cm 3 g -1 ) are obtained for HPC-650, which affords fast ion transport because of its short ion-diffusion pathways. HPC-650 exhibits a high specific capacitance of 312 F g -1 at 1 A g -1 , retaining 76.5% of its capacitance at 20 A g -1 . Moreover, it delivers an energy density of 50.2 W h kg -1 at a power density of 1.19 kW kg -1 , which is sufficient to power a yellow-light-emitting diode and operate a commercial scientific calculator.

  16. Reservoir evaluation of thin-bedded turbidites and hydrocarbon pore thickness estimation for an accurate quantification of resource

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omoniyi, Bayonle; Stow, Dorrik

    2016-04-01

    One of the major challenges in the assessment of and production from turbidite reservoirs is to take full account of thin and medium-bedded turbidites (succession, they can go unnoticed by conventional analysis and so negatively impact on reserve estimation, particularly in fields producing from prolific thick-bedded turbidite reservoirs. Field development plans often take little note of such thin beds, which are therefore bypassed by mainstream production. In fact, the trapped and bypassed fluids can be vital where maximising field value and optimising production are key business drivers. We have studied in detail, a succession of thin-bedded turbidites associated with thicker-bedded reservoir facies in the North Brae Field, UKCS, using a combination of conventional logs and cores to assess the significance of thin-bedded turbidites in computing hydrocarbon pore thickness (HPT). This quantity, being an indirect measure of thickness, is critical for an accurate estimation of original-oil-in-place (OOIP). By using a combination of conventional and unconventional logging analysis techniques, we obtain three different results for the reservoir intervals studied. These results include estimated net sand thickness, average sand thickness, and their distribution trend within a 3D structural grid. The net sand thickness varies from 205 to 380 ft, and HPT ranges from 21.53 to 39.90 ft. We observe that an integrated approach (neutron-density cross plots conditioned to cores) to HPT quantification reduces the associated uncertainties significantly, resulting in estimation of 96% of actual HPT. Further work will focus on assessing the 3D dynamic connectivity of the low-pay sands with the surrounding thick-bedded turbidite facies.

  17. X-ray CT analysis of pore structure in sand

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukunoki, Toshifumi; Miyata, Yoshihisa; Mikami, Kazuaki; Shiota, Erika

    2016-06-01

    The development of microfocused X-ray computed tomography (CT) devices enables digital imaging analysis at the pore scale. The applications of these devices are diverse in soil mechanics, geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering, petroleum engineering, and agricultural engineering. In particular, the imaging of the pore space in porous media has contributed to numerical simulations for single-phase and multiphase flows or contaminant transport through the pore structure as three-dimensional image data. These obtained results are affected by the pore diameter; therefore, it is necessary to verify the image preprocessing for the image analysis and to validate the pore diameters obtained from the CT image data. Moreover, it is meaningful to produce the physical parameters in a representative element volume (REV) and significant to define the dimension of the REV. This paper describes the underlying method of image processing and analysis and discusses the physical properties of Toyoura sand for the verification of the image analysis based on the definition of the REV. On the basis of the obtained verification results, a pore-diameter analysis can be conducted and validated by a comparison with the experimental work and image analysis. The pore diameter is deduced from Young-Laplace's law and a water retention test for the drainage process. The results from previous study and perforated-pore diameter originally proposed in this study, called the voxel-percolation method (VPM), are compared in this paper. In addition, the limitations of the REV, the definition of the pore diameter, and the effectiveness of the VPM for an assessment of the pore diameter are discussed.

  18. Mesoporous Akaganeite of Adjustable Pore Size Synthesized using Mixed Templates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Y.; Ge, D. L.; Ren, H. P.; Fan, Y. J.; Wu, L. M.; Sun, Z. X.

    2017-12-01

    Mesoporous akaganeite with large and adjustable pore size was synthesized through a co-template method, which was achieved by the combined interaction between PEG2000 and alkyl amines with different lengths of the straight carbon chain. The characterized results indicate that the synthesized samples show comparatively narrow BJH pore size distributions and centered at 14.3 nm when PEG and HEPA was used, and it could be enlarged to 16.8 and 19.4 nm respectively through changing the alkyl amines to DDA and HDA. Meanwhile, all the synthesized akaganeite possess relativity high specific surface area ranging from 183 to 281 m2/g and high total pore volume of 0.98 to 1.5 cm3/g. A possible mechanism leading to the pore size changing was also proposed.

  19. A new equation of correction of the specific volume of the hydrocarbons C1 to C8 liquids for the equation of state of Peng-Robinson

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoyos Madrigal, Bibian

    2000-01-01

    A new generalized correction equation for specific volume of hydrocarbon pure liquids is proposed. Which can be used in a wide temperature range and that do not require additional parameters for each substance. The equation was developed for the normal hydrocarbon series from methane to octane and the obtained results applied to other substances are analysed. A comparison is also made with the equation proposed by Peneloux et al. (1982) resulting. In all cases, in a better performance of the equation proposed in this work

  20. Pore characteristics of shale gas reservoirs from the Lower Paleozoic in the southern Sichuan Basin, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xianqing Li

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Data was acquired from both the drillings and core samples of the Lower Paleozoic Qiongzhusi and Longmaxi Formations' marine shale gas reservoirs in the southern Sichuan Basin by means of numerous specific experimental methods such as organic geochemistry, organic petrology, and pore analyses. Findings helped determine the characteristics of organic matter, total porosity, microscopic pore, and pore structure. The results show that the Lower Paleozoic marine shale in the south of the Sichuan Basin are characterized by high total organic carbon content (most TOC>2.0%, high thermal maturity level (RO = 2.3%–3.8%, and low total porosity (1.16%–6.87%. The total organic carbon content and thermal maturity level of the Qiongzhusi Formation shale are higher than those of the Longmaxi Formation shale, while the total porosity of the Qiongzhusi Formation shale is lower than that of the Longmaxi Formation shale. There exists intergranular pore, dissolved pore, crystal particle pore, particle edge pore, and organic matter pore in the Lower Paleozoic Qiongzhusi Formation and Longmaxi Formation shale. There are more micro-nano pores developed in the Longmaxi Formation shales than those in the Qiongzhusi Formation shales. Intergranular pores, dissolved pores, as well as organic matter pores, are the most abundant, these are primary storage spaces for shale gas. The microscopic pores in the Lower Paleozoic shales are mainly composed of micropores, mesopores, and a small amount of macropores. The micropore and mesopore in the Qiongzhusi Formation shale account for 83.92% of the total pore volume. The micropore and mesopore in the Longmaxi Formation shale accounts for 78.17% of the total pore volume. Thus, the micropores and mesopores are the chief components of microscopic pores in the Lower Paleozoic shale gas reservoirs in the southern Sichuan Basin.

  1. Study on pore structure and diffusion coefficient of chloride ion in hardened low-alkaline cement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mihara, Morihiro; Torii, Kazuyuki

    2009-03-01

    Low-alkaline cement using pozzolans is under consideration as a possible filling and structural material in geological disposal for long-lived radioactive waste. Silica fume and fly ash are used to develop the low-alkaline cement which is named HFSC, High-volume Fly ash Silica fume Cement. In this study, pore structure and diffusivity of chloride ion in HFSC pastes were investigated in order to understand the fundamental transport properties of ions. HFSC which included different contents of fly ash (40%, 50% and 60%) with silica fume (20%) and ordinary Portland (OPC) cement were prepared. Hardened cement pastes were supplied to pore structure analysis and in-diffusion experiment with NaCl and CaCl 2 solution. Mercury intrusion method (MIP) commonly used and image analysis of backscattered electron microscopy (BSE) for pore in hardened cement paste were performed to investigate the pore structure. The porosity of HFSC was larger than that of OPC measured by MIP. However, pore diameter increasing pore volume of HFSC was smaller than that of OPC. It was observed that lager pores were in HFSC than in OPC from BSE. These large pores in HFSC were originated from cenosphere of FA. The apparent diffusivity of chloride in HFSC with fly ash of 40% showed smallest value in the cement pastes. It was concluded that the smallest diffusion coefficient was caused by a pore of HFSC which had a bended structure and ion exclusion/filtration effect. (author)

  2. Process for in-situ biodegradation of hydrocarbon contaminated soil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ely, D.L.; Heffner, D.A.

    1991-01-01

    This patent describes an in situ process for biodegrading hydrocarbons by drawing oxygen into an undisturbed hydrocarbon contaminated zone in a fluid permeable soil. It comprises: establishing a borehole extending from the earth's surface through a hydrocarbon contaminated zone having hydrocarbon degrading microbes therein; lining the borehole with a fluid impermeable liner coaxially spaced and sealingly connected to the inside surface of the borehole and extending from the earth's surface to the hydrocarbon-contaminated zone; the liner including a fluid permeable portion extending from the lower end thereof and through at least a portion of the hydrocarbon contaminated zone, fluidly connecting a source of negative pressure to the fluid impermeable line; evacuating gas from the borehole through the fluid permeable portion of the liner at a rate sufficient to draw air from the earth's surface into the hydrocarbon containing zone; and adjusting the flow rate of the evacuated gas so that the amount of hydrocarbon biodegradation therein is within 50% of the maximum hydrocarbon biodegradation rate as detected by the volume of carbon dioxide in the evacuated gas

  3. Automatic facial pore analysis system using multi-scale pore detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, J Y; Kim, S W; Lee, S H; Choi, J E; Ko, S J

    2017-08-01

    As facial pore widening and its treatments have become common concerns in the beauty care field, the necessity for an objective pore-analyzing system has been increased. Conventional apparatuses lack in usability requiring strong light sources and a cumbersome photographing process, and they often yield unsatisfactory analysis results. This study was conducted to develop an image processing technique for automatic facial pore analysis. The proposed method detects facial pores using multi-scale detection and optimal scale selection scheme and then extracts pore-related features such as total area, average size, depth, and the number of pores. Facial photographs of 50 subjects were graded by two expert dermatologists, and correlation analyses between the features and clinical grading were conducted. We also compared our analysis result with those of conventional pore-analyzing devices. The number of large pores and the average pore size were highly correlated with the severity of pore enlargement. In comparison with the conventional devices, the proposed analysis system achieved better performance showing stronger correlation with the clinical grading. The proposed system is highly accurate and reliable for measuring the severity of skin pore enlargement. It can be suitably used for objective assessment of the pore tightening treatments. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Studies on the pore water sulfate, chloride and sedimentary methane to understand the sulfate reduction process in the eastern Arabian Sea

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Karisiddaiah, S.M.; Borole, D.V.; Rao, B.R.; Paropkari, A.L.; Joao, H; Kocherla, M.; Sarkar, G.P.; Biswas, G.; Kumar, N.

    Sediment cores (~5 m length) from ten stations collected in the water depths of 2665-3210 m in the eastern Arabian Sea were studied for pore water sulfate (SO42-), chloride (Cl-) and lighter-hydrocarbons (methane: C1, ethane:C2 and propane: C3...

  5. Pore Structure and Fluoride Ion Adsorption Characteristics of Zr (IV) Surface-Immobilized Resin Prepared Using Polystyrene as a Porogen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mizuki, Hidenobu; Ito, Yudai; Harada, Hisashi; Uezu, Kazuya

    Zr(IV) surface-immobilized resins for removal of fluoride ion were prepared by surface template polymerization using polystyrene as a porogen. At polymerization, polystyrene was added in order to increase mesopores (2-50 nm) and macropore (>50 nm) with large macropores (around 300 nm) formed with internal aqueous phase of W⁄O emulsion. The pore structure of Zr(IV) surface-immobilized resins was evaluated by measuring specific surface area, pore volume, and pore size distribution with volumetric adsorption measurement instrument and mercury porosimeter. The adsorption isotherms were well fitted by Langmuir equation. The removal of fluoride was also carried out with column method. Zr(IV) surface-immobilized resins, using 10 g⁄L polystyrene in toluene at polymerization, possessed higher volume of not only mesopores and macropores but also large macropores. Furethermore, by adding the polystyrene with smaller molecular size, the pore volume of mesopores, macropores and large macropores was significantly increased, and the fluoride ion adsorption capacity and the column utilization also increased.

  6. Preparation of Peleted Ni-Pt/Zeolite for Conversion of Amyl and Isoamyl Alcohol to Hydrocarbon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdullah Abdullah

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Catalysts with Ni and Pt as active metals in peleted zeolite were used for conversion of amyl alcohol, isoamyl alcohol and their mixture to hydrocarbon compounds. The catalysts were prepared by impregnation the peleted zeolite in NiCl2.6H2O and PtCI4 solution, while stirring for 24 hours then followed by oxidation with 02 gas at 350 °C for 2 hours and reduced by hydrogen gas at 400 °C for 1 hour. Ni and Pt in catalysts were determined by MS, specific surface area, total pore volume and gas sorption analyzer NOVA-1000 determined pore radius average. Determination of catalysts acidity was carried out by absorption of ammonia method. The activity of catalysts was evaluated in a micro reactor by flow system. Experimental temperature by varied between 300 and 400 °C with the increment of 25 °C. Products were analyzed by gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric method. The result shows that Ni-Pt/zeolite is more active than Ni/zeolite can be used for converting all of the alcohol. Products for conversion are 2-pentene, 2-methyl-1-butene, 2-methyl-2-butene, cyclopentane, 3-methyl-1-butanaldehide and acetone. The highest conversion was observed on isoamyl alcohol (31.37% at 400 °C.

  7. Limitations of microbial hydrocarbon degradation at the Amon mud volcano (Nile deep-sea fan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Felden

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available The Amon mud volcano (MV, located at 1250 m water depth on the Nile deep-sea fan, is known for its active emission of methane and non-methane hydrocarbons into the hydrosphere. Previous investigations showed a low efficiency of hydrocarbon-degrading anaerobic microbial communities inhabiting the Amon MV center in the presence of sulfate and hydrocarbons in the seeping subsurface fluids. By comparing spatial and temporal patterns of in situ biogeochemical fluxes, temperature gradients, pore water composition, and microbial activities over 3 yr, we investigated why the activity of anaerobic hydrocarbon degraders can be low despite high energy supplies. We found that the central dome of the Amon MV, as well as a lateral mud flow at its base, showed signs of recent exposure of hot subsurface muds lacking active hydrocarbon degrading communities. In these highly disturbed areas, anaerobic degradation of methane was less than 2% of the methane flux. Rather high oxygen consumption rates compared to low sulfide production suggest a faster development of more rapidly growing aerobic hydrocarbon degraders in highly disturbed areas. In contrast, the more stabilized muds surrounding the central gas and fluid conduits hosted active anaerobic hydrocarbon-degrading microbial communities. The low microbial activity in the hydrocarbon-vented areas of Amon MV is thus a consequence of kinetic limitations by heat and mud expulsion, whereas most of the outer MV area is limited by hydrocarbon transport.

  8. Noble gas and hydrocarbon tracers in multiphase unconventional hydrocarbon systems: Toward integrated advanced reservoir simulators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darrah, T.; Moortgat, J.; Poreda, R. J.; Muehlenbachs, K.; Whyte, C. J.

    2015-12-01

    Although hydrocarbon production from unconventional energy resources has increased dramatically in the last decade, total unconventional oil and gas recovery from black shales is still less than 25% and 9% of the totals in place, respectively. Further, the majority of increased hydrocarbon production results from increasing the lengths of laterals, the number of hydraulic fracturing stages, and the volume of consumptive water usage. These strategies all reduce the economic efficiency of hydrocarbon extraction. The poor recovery statistics result from an insufficient understanding of some of the key physical processes in complex, organic-rich, low porosity formations (e.g., phase behavior, fluid-rock interactions, and flow mechanisms at nano-scale confinement and the role of natural fractures and faults as conduits for flow). Noble gases and other hydrocarbon tracers are capably of recording subsurface fluid-rock interactions on a variety of geological scales (micro-, meso-, to macro-scale) and provide analogs for the movement of hydrocarbons in the subsurface. As such geochemical data enrich the input for the numerical modeling of multi-phase (e.g., oil, gas, and brine) fluid flow in highly heterogeneous, low permeability formations Herein we will present a combination of noble gas (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe abundances and isotope ratios) and molecular and isotopic hydrocarbon data from a geographically and geologically diverse set of unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs in North America. Specifically, we will include data from the Marcellus, Utica, Barnett, Eagle Ford, formations and the Illinois basin. Our presentation will include geochemical and geological interpretation and our perspective on the first steps toward building an advanced reservoir simulator for tracer transport in multicomponent multiphase compositional flow (presented separately, in Moortgat et al., 2015).

  9. Study of shale reservoir nanometer-sized pores in Member 1 of Shahejie Formation in JX area, Liaozhong sag

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Yong; Zhang, Yu; Wen, Yiming

    2018-02-01

    The microscopic pore structure is the key of the shale reservoir study; however, traditional Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) methods cannot identify the irregular morphology caused by mechanical polishing. In this work, Scanning Electron Microscopy combined argon ion polishing technology was taken to study the characteristics of shale reservoir pores of Member 1 of Shahejie Formation (E3s1) located in JX1-1 area of Liaozhong Sag. The results show that pores between clay platelets, intraplatelet pores within clay aggregates and organic-matter pores are very rich in the area and with good pore connectivity, so these types of pores are of great significance for oil-gas exporation. Pores between clay platelets are formed by directional or semi-directional contact between edge and surface, edge and edge or surface and surface of laminated clay minerals, whose shapes are linear, mesh, and irregular with the size of 500 nm to 5 μm. The intraplatelet pores within clay aggregates are formed in the process of the transformation and compaction of clay minerals, whose shapes are usually linear with the width of 30 to 500 nm and the length of 2 to 50 μm. The organic-matter pores are from the process of the conversion from organic matters to the hydrocarbon under thermal evolution, whose shapes are gneissic, irregular, pitted and elliptical with the size of 100 nm to 2 μm. This study is of certain guiding significance to selecting target zones, evaluating resource potential and exploring & developing of shale gas in this region.

  10. Pore-water chemistry effects on the compressibility behaviour of Boom Clay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deng, Y.F.; Cui, Y.J.; Tang, A.M.; Nguyen, X.P.; Li, X.L.; Maarten, V.G.

    2010-01-01

    %) and the soil can be classified as plastic clay. In order to study the effects of pore-water chemistry on soil compressibility, oedometer tests were performed following a specific procedure. After installation of the soil specimen (50 mm in diameter and 20 mm high) in the oedometer cell between two dry porous stones, the vertical stress was increased in steps from 0.05 MPa to 2.4 MPa, which corresponds to the in-situ effective vertical stress of the soil cores (before flushing the pore stone). After stabilisation of the soil deformation, a back-pressure of 1 MPa was applied from the lower base of the odometer cell using a volume/pressure controller. For each soil core, one test was performed using the synthetic pore-water solution and another one using distilled water. The soil volume change during the back-pressure application was monitored, Meanwhile, the volume of liquid (synthetic pore-water solution or distilled water) passing though the soil specimen was also recorded. Each test lasted about one month and it was stopped when the volume of liquid flow through the specimen was twice the pore volume of the soil specimen. This duration is believed to be long enough to determine the hydraulic conductivity under a constant head conditions (under a pressure gradient of 1 MPa). It is noted that for the test using distilled water, the important volume of liquid flow through the soil specimen allows all the in-situ pore-water to be flushed out from the specimen. At the end of this 'flushing' stage, the back-pressure was decreased to zero and loading and unloading were performed in steps with the vertical stress ranging from 0.05 to 3.2 MPa. This test allows determination of the soil compressibility and also the hydraulic conductivity at various void ratios, in the range of relatively low stresses (up to 3.2 MPa). The result shows that the hydraulic conductivity is almost independent of the pore-water used. By contrast, the soil compressibility clearly changes

  11. Motor fuels by hydrogenation of liquid hydrocarbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1938-05-07

    A process is disclosed for the production of knock-stable low-boiling motor fuels by conversion of liquid hydrocarbons which are vaporizable under the reaction conditions, which comprises passing the initial material at a temperature above 380/sup 0/C in a true vapor phase under pressure of more than 40 atmospheres together with hydrogen and gaseous hydrocarbons containing more than 1 carbon atom in the molecule in an amount by volume larger than that of the hydrogen over catalysts stable to poisoning stationarily confined in the reaction vessel.

  12. Adsorption of Carbon Dioxide onto Tetraethylenepentamine Impregnated PMMA Sorbents with Different Pore Structure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jo, Dong Hyun; Park, Cheonggi; Jung, Hyunchul; Kim, Sung Hyun [Korea University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-02-15

    Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) supports and amine additives were investigated to adsorb CO{sub 2}. PMMA supports were fabricated by using different ratio of pore forming agents (porogen) to control the BET specific surface area, pore volume and distribution. Toluene and xylene are used for porogens. Supported amine sorbents were prepared by wet impregnation of tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) on PMMA supports. So we could identify the effect of the pore structure of supports and the quantity of impregnated TEPA on the adsorption capacity. The increased amount of toluene as pore foaming agent resulted in the decreased average pore diameter and the increased BET surface area. Polymer supports with huge different pore distribution could be fabricated by controlling the ratio of porogen. After impregnation, the support with micropore structure is supposed the pore blocking and filling effect so that it has low CO{sub 2} capacity and kinetics due to the difficulty of diffusing. Macropore structure indicates fast adsorption capacity and low influence of amine loading. In case of support with mesopore, it has high performance of adsorption capacity and kinetics. So high surface area and meso-/macro- pore structure is suitable for CO{sub 2} capture.

  13. 40 CFR 86.1321-94 - Hydrocarbon analyzer calibration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... good example of trading off response on propane for relative responses to other hydrocarbon species is... known volume of methanol is injected, using a microliter syringe, into the heated mixing zone (250 °F...

  14. The effect of firing temperature on the irreversible expansion, water absorption and pore structure of a brick body during freeze-thaw cycles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mikuláš ŠVEDA

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The paper deals with the monitoring of brick body in the process of volumetric freezing and thawing. The samples were fired at temperatures of 900, 1000 and 1060 °C. Attention is focused on monitoring of the irreversible expansion, water absorption and pore structure of a brick body. We found that in all cases the endpoints take place continuously, where the amount firing temperature plays a crucial role. The greatest influence of freeze/thaw cycles on the change of the pore structure was also observed at the lowest temperature. The change of the pore system during the freeze-thaw cycles occurs in such a way, that the pore volume of small pores further decreases and conversely, the pore volume of large pores increases. The knowledge gained can be used not only in the production of new but also in predicting the remaining durability of older clay roofing tiles. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.19.4.2741

  15. Calibrating the Iowa pore index with mercury intrusion porosimetry and petrography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-31

    The Iowa Pore Index (IPI) test is a fast, non-destructive, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly test used by several Midwestern state departments of transportation to determine the volume ratio of macropores to micropores in a coarse rock aggreg...

  16. Using low temperature calorimetry and moisture fixation method to study the pore structure of cement based materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wu, Min

    connectivity but also the pore (interior) size distribution and the total pore volume. (6) Thermodynamic modeling using the program PHREEQC was performed on relevant cement paste samples. The results suggest that for the studied paste samples, the temperature depression caused by the ions present in the pore...... on the type of equations used for describing multilayer adsorption, indicating that the calculated specific surface area may not represent the “real” geometrical surface area. (4) The important factors influencing the analyzed pore size distribution (PSD) results using sorption data were reviewed...

  17. A computational geometry approach to pore network construction for granular packings

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Linden, Joost H.; Sufian, Adnan; Narsilio, Guillermo A.; Russell, Adrian R.; Tordesillas, Antoinette

    2018-03-01

    Pore network construction provides the ability to characterize and study the pore space of inhomogeneous and geometrically complex granular media in a range of scientific and engineering applications. Various approaches to the construction have been proposed, however subtle implementational details are frequently omitted, open access to source code is limited, and few studies compare multiple algorithms in the context of a specific application. This study presents, in detail, a new pore network construction algorithm, and provides a comprehensive comparison with two other, well-established Delaunay triangulation-based pore network construction methods. Source code is provided to encourage further development. The proposed algorithm avoids the expensive non-linear optimization procedure in existing Delaunay approaches, and is robust in the presence of polydispersity. Algorithms are compared in terms of structural, geometrical and advanced connectivity parameters, focusing on the application of fluid flow characteristics. Sensitivity of the various networks to permeability is assessed through network (Stokes) simulations and finite-element (Navier-Stokes) simulations. Results highlight strong dependencies of pore volume, pore connectivity, throat geometry and fluid conductance on the degree of tetrahedra merging and the specific characteristics of the throats targeted by the merging algorithm. The paper concludes with practical recommendations on the applicability of the three investigated algorithms.

  18. Evaluation of Optimal Pore Size of (3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane Grafted MCM-41 for Improved CO2 Adsorption

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhilin Liu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available An array of new MCM-41 with substantially larger average pore diameters was synthesized through adding 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene (TMB as the swelling agent to explore the effect of pore size on final adsorbent properties. The pore expanded MCM-41 was also grafted with (3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES to determine the optimal pore size for CO2 adsorption. The pore-expanded mesoporous MCM-41s showed relatively less structural regularity but significant increments of pore diameter (4.64 to 7.50 nm; the fraction of mesopore volume also illustrated an increase. The adsorption heat values were correlated with the order of the adsorption capacities for pore expanded MCM-41s. After amine functionalization, the adsorption capacities and heat values showed a significant increase. APTES-grafted pore-expanded MCM-41s depicted a high potential for CO2 capture regardless of the major drawback of the high energy required for regeneration.

  19. Convex hull approach for determining rock representative elementary volume for multiple petrophysical parameters using pore-scale imaging and Lattice-Boltzmann modelling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, S. M.; Crawshaw, J. P.; Gray, F.; Yang, J.; Boek, E. S.

    2017-06-01

    In the last decade, the study of fluid flow in porous media has developed considerably due to the combination of X-ray Micro Computed Tomography (micro-CT) and advances in computational methods for solving complex fluid flow equations directly or indirectly on reconstructed three-dimensional pore space images. In this study, we calculate porosity and single phase permeability using micro-CT imaging and Lattice Boltzmann (LB) simulations for 8 different porous media: beadpacks (with bead sizes 50 μm and 350 μm), sandpacks (LV60 and HST95), sandstones (Berea, Clashach and Doddington) and a carbonate (Ketton). Combining the observed porosity and calculated single phase permeability, we shed new light on the existence and size of the Representative Element of Volume (REV) capturing the different scales of heterogeneity from the pore-scale imaging. Our study applies the concept of the 'Convex Hull' to calculate the REV by considering the two main macroscopic petrophysical parameters, porosity and single phase permeability, simultaneously. The shape of the hull can be used to identify strong correlation between the parameters or greatly differing convergence rates. To further enhance computational efficiency we note that the area of the convex hull (for well-chosen parameters such as the log of the permeability and the porosity) decays exponentially with sub-sample size so that only a few small simulations are needed to determine the system size needed to calculate the parameters to high accuracy (small convex hull area). Finally we propose using a characteristic length such as the pore size to choose an efficient absolute voxel size for the numerical rock.

  20. Dynamics of hydrocarbon vents: Focus on primary porosity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johansen, C.; Shedd, W.; Abichou, T.; Pineda-Garcia, O.; Silva, M.; MacDonald, I. R.

    2012-12-01

    This study investigated the dynamics of hydrocarbon release by monitoring activity of a single vent at a 1215m deep site in the Gulf of Mexico (GC600). An autonomous camera, deployed by the submersible ALVIN, was programmed to capture a close-up image every 4 seconds for approximately 3.5 hours. The images provided the ability to study the gas hydrate outcrop site (that measured 5.2x16.3cm3) in an undisturbed state. The outcrop included an array of 38 tube-like vents through which dark brown oil bubbles are released at a rate ranging from 8 bubbles per minute to 0 bubbles per minute. The average release of bubbles from all the separate vents was 59.5 bubbles per minute, equating the total volume released to 106.38cm per minute. The rate of bubble release decreased toward the end of the observation interval, which coincided approximately with the tidal minimum. Ice worms (Hesiocaeca methanicola, Desbruyères & Toulmond, 1998) were abundant at the vent site. The image sequence showed the ice-worms actively moving in and out of burrows in the mound. It has been speculated that Hesiocaeca methanicola contribute to gas hydrate decomposition by creating burrows and depressions in the gas hydrate matrix (Fisher et al, 2000). Ice worm burrows could generate pathways for the passage of oil and gas through the gas hydrate mound. Gas hydrates commonly occur along active and/or passive continental margins (Kennicutt et al, 1988a). The release of oil and gas at this particular hydrocarbon seep site is along a passive continental margin, and controlled primarily by active salt tectonics as opposed to the movement of continental tectonic plates (Salvador, 1987). We propose a descriptive model governing the release of gas and oil from deep sub-bottom reservoirs at depths of 3000-5000m (MacDonald, 1998), through consolidated and unconsolidated sediments, and finally through gas hydrate deposits at the sea floor. The oil and gas escape from the source rock and/or reservoir through

  1. TIG Dressing Effects on Weld Pores and Pore Cracking of Titanium Weldments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hui-Jun Yi

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Weld pores redistribution, the effectiveness of using tungsten inert gas (TIG dressing to remove weld pores, and changes in the mechanical properties due to the TIG dressing of Ti-3Al-2.5V weldments were studied. Moreover, weld cracks due to pores were investigated. The results show that weld pores less than 300 μm in size are redistributed or removed via remelting due to TIG dressing. Regardless of the temperature condition, TIG dressing welding showed ductility, and there was a loss of 7% tensile strength of the weldments. Additionally, it was considered that porosity redistribution by TIG dressing was due to fluid flow during the remelting of the weld pool. Weld cracks in titanium weldment create branch cracks around pores that propagate via the intragranular fracture, and oxygen is dispersed around the pores. It is suggested that the pore locations around the LBZ (local brittle zone and stress concentration due to the pores have significant effects on crack initiation and propagation.

  2. A chemical and thermodynamic model of oil generation in hydrocarbon source rocks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helgeson, Harold C.; Richard, Laurent; McKenzie, William F.; Norton, Denis L.; Schmitt, Alexandra

    2009-02-01

    H/C which in turn melts incongruently with further burial to produce more crude oil, CO 2 gas, and a kerogen with a lower H/C and so forth.The petroleum generated in the process progresses from heavy naphthenic crude oils at low temperatures to mature petroleum at ˜150 °C. For example, the results of Computer Experiment 27 (see below) indicate that the overall incongruent melting reaction in the water-absent region of the system C-H-O at 150 °C and a depth of ˜4.3 km of an immature type-II/III kerogen with a bulk composition represented by C 292H 288O 12(c) to produce a mature (oxidized) kerogen represented by C 128H 68O 7(c), together with a typical crude oil with an average metastable equilibrium composition corresponding to C 8.8H 16.9 (C 8.8H 16.9(l)) and CO 2 gas (CO 2(g)) can be described by writing CHO (kerogen,H/C=0.99O/C=0.041) →1.527CHO(kerogen,H/C=0.53O/C=0.055) +10.896CH(crude oil,H/C=1.92)+0.656CO which corresponds to a disproportionation reaction in the source rock representing the sum of a series of oxidation/reduction conservation reactions. Consideration of the stoichiometries of incongruent melting reactions analogous to Reaction (A) for reactant kerogens with different (H/C)s and/or atomic oxygen to carbon ratios (O/C)s, together with crude oil compositions corresponding to Gibbs free energy minima at specified temperatures and pressures permits calculation of the volume of oil (mole of reactant organic carbon (ROC)) -1 that can be generated in, as well as the volume of oil (mol ROC) -1 which exceeds the volume of kerogen pore space produced that must be expelled from hydrocarbon source rocks as a function of temperature, pressure, and the H/C and O/C of the reactant kerogen. These volumes and the reaction coefficients (mol ROC) -1 of the product kerogen, crude oil, and CO 2 gas in the incongruent melting reaction are linear functions of the H/C and O/C of the reactant kerogen at a given temperature and pressure. The slopes of the isopleths

  3. Energetic effects of adsorption of C6-C8 hydrocarbons on hard coal samples of different metamorphism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Orzechowska-Zięba Agnieszka

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The analysis of sorption equilibrium of aliphatic saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons on low and medium rank coals were performed. Isosteric sorption enthalpy correlation with the degree of fill of sorption capacity was presented for the low rank coal. There was found a crucial role of primary pore structure in the coal grains in the process of sorption, especially in case of temperature anomalies occurrence. Hexane differently than other hydrocarbons of longer chains, represent the property of micropore penetration. Due to literature the presence of double bound in other molecules causes difficulties with penetration into porous structure of coal.

  4. Seismic attributes and advanced computer algorithm to predict formation pore pressure: Qalibah formation of Northwest Saudi Arabia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nour, Abdoulshakour M.

    Oil and gas exploration professionals have long recognized the importance of predicting pore pressure before drilling wells. Pre-drill pore pressure estimation not only helps with drilling wells safely but also aids in the determination of formation fluids migration and seal integrity. With respect to the hydrocarbon reservoirs, the appropriate drilling mud weight is directly related to the estimated pore pressure in the formation. If the mud weight is lower than the formation pressure, a blowout may occur, and conversely, if it is higher than the formation pressure, the formation may suffer irreparable damage due to the invasion of drilling fluids into the formation. A simple definition of pore pressure is the pressure of the pore fluids in excess of the hydrostatic pressure. In this thesis, I investigated the utility of advance computer algorithm called Support Vector Machine (SVM) to learn the pattern of high pore pressure regime, using seismic attributes such as Instantaneous phase, t*Attenuation, Cosine of Phase, Vp/Vs ratio, P-Impedance, Reflection Acoustic Impedance, Dominant frequency and one well attribute (Mud-Weigh) as the learning dataset. I applied this technique to the over pressured Qalibah formation of Northwest Saudi Arabia. The results of my research revealed that in the Qalibah formation of Northwest Saudi Arabia, the pore pressure trend can be predicted using SVM with seismic and well attributes as the learning dataset. I was able to show the pore pressure trend at any given point within the geographical extent of the 3D seismic data from which the seismic attributes were derived. In addition, my results surprisingly showed the subtle variation of pressure within the thick succession of shale units of the Qalibah formation.

  5. High-resolution 3D X-ray microtomography as tool to investigate size distribution of grain phase and pore space in sandstones

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kahl, Wolf-Achim; Holzheid, Astrid

    2013-04-01

    The geometry and internal structures of sandstone reservoirs, like grain size, sorting, degree of bioturbation, and the history of the diagenetic alterations determine the quantity, flow rates, and recovery of hydrocarbons present in the pore space. In this respect, processes influencing the deep reservoir quality in sandstones are either of depositional, shallow diagenetic, or deep-burial origin. To assess the effect of compaction and cementation on the pore space during diagenesis, we investigated a set of sandstone samples using high-resolution microtomography (µ-CT). By high-resolution µ-CT, size distributions (in 2D and 3D), surface areas and volume fractions of the grain skeleton and pore space of sandstones and - in addition - of mineral powders have been determined. For this study, we analysed aliquots of sandstones that exhibit either complete, partial or no cemententation of the pore space, and sets of mineral powders (quartz, feldspar, calcite). As the resolution of the µ-CT scans is in the µm-range, the surface areas determined for sandstones and powders do detect the geometric surface of the material (Kahl & Holzheid, 2010). Since there are differing approaches to "size" parameters like e.g., long/short particle axes, area equivalent radius, Feret-diameter (2D), and structural thickness (3D), we decided to illustrate the effect of various size determinations for (a) single grains, (b) grain skeletons, and (c) pore space. Therefor, the computer-aided morphometric analysis of the segmented 3D models of the reconstructed scan images comprises versatile calculation algorithms. For example, size distribution of the pore space of partially cemented sandstones can be used to infer the timing of the formation of the cement in respect to tectonic/diagenetic activities. In the case of a late-stage partial cementation of a Bunter sandstone, both pore space and cement phase show identical size distributions. On the contrary, the anhydrite cement of a

  6. Pore development of thermosetting phenol resin derived mesoporous carbon through a commercially nanosized template

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tang Zhihong [Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan 030001 (China); Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039 (China); Song Yan [Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan 030001 (China)], E-mail: yansong1026@126.com; Tian Yongming [Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan 030001 (China); Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039 (China); Liu Lang; Guo Quangui [Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan 030001 (China)

    2008-01-25

    Mesoporous carbons (MCs) with high specific surface area and pore volume were synthesized from thermosetting phenol resin (TPR) by using commercial nanosized silica particles as template. Based on the results of thermogravimetric analysis, nitrogen adsorption, mercury adsorption and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), mechanism of the pore formation of MCs was proposed. Silica particles not only participated in the pore formation of MCs but also influenced the thermosetting process of the carbon precursor. The mechanism of pore formation in the MCs may be described as follows: mesopores were introduced by the removal of silica particles; small mesopores were created by the combination of aperture between TPR and silica particles and opened pores in the matrix generated by the release of small molecules in the carbon during carbonization process; macropores were produced by the aggregation of silica particles and the collapse of carbon wall.

  7. Pore development of thermosetting phenol resin derived mesoporous carbon through a commercially nanosized template

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang Zhihong; Song Yan; Tian Yongming; Liu Lang; Guo Quangui

    2008-01-01

    Mesoporous carbons (MCs) with high specific surface area and pore volume were synthesized from thermosetting phenol resin (TPR) by using commercial nanosized silica particles as template. Based on the results of thermogravimetric analysis, nitrogen adsorption, mercury adsorption and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), mechanism of the pore formation of MCs was proposed. Silica particles not only participated in the pore formation of MCs but also influenced the thermosetting process of the carbon precursor. The mechanism of pore formation in the MCs may be described as follows: mesopores were introduced by the removal of silica particles; small mesopores were created by the combination of aperture between TPR and silica particles and opened pores in the matrix generated by the release of small molecules in the carbon during carbonization process; macropores were produced by the aggregation of silica particles and the collapse of carbon wall

  8. [Micropore filters for measuring red blood cell deformability and their pore diameters].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niu, X; Yan, Z

    2001-09-01

    Micropore filters are the most important components in micropore filtration testes for assessing red blood cell (RBC) deformability. With regard to their appearance and filtration behaviors, comparisons are made for different kinds of filters currently in use. Nickel filters with regular geometric characteristics are found to be more sensitive to the effects of physical, chemical, especially pathological factors on the RBC deformability. We have critically reviewed the following viewpoint that filters with 3 microns pore diameter are more sensitive to cell volume than to internal viscosity while filters with 5 microns pore diameter are just the opposite. After analyzing the experiment results with 3 microns and 5 microns filters, we point out that filters with smaller pore diameters are more suitable for assessing the RBC deformability.

  9. Multiscale Pore Throat Network Reconstruction of Tight Porous Media Constrained by Mercury Intrusion Capillary Pressure and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, R.; Prodanovic, M.

    2017-12-01

    Due to the low porosity and permeability of tight porous media, hydrocarbon productivity strongly depends on the pore structure. Effective characterization of pore/throat sizes and reconstruction of their connectivity in tight porous media remains challenging. Having a representative pore throat network, however, is valuable for calculation of other petrophysical properties such as permeability, which is time-consuming and costly to obtain by experimental measurements. Due to a wide range of length scales encountered, a combination of experimental methods is usually required to obtain a comprehensive picture of the pore-body and pore-throat size distributions. In this work, we combine mercury intrusion capillary pressure (MICP) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements by percolation theory to derive pore-body size distribution, following the work by Daigle et al. (2015). However, in their work, the actual pore-throat sizes and the distribution of coordination numbers are not well-defined. To compensate for that, we build a 3D unstructured two-scale pore throat network model initialized by the measured porosity and the calculated pore-body size distributions, with a tunable pore-throat size and coordination number distribution, which we further determine by matching the capillary pressure vs. saturation curve from MICP measurement, based on the fact that the mercury intrusion process is controlled by both the pore/throat size distributions and the connectivity of the pore system. We validate our model by characterizing several core samples from tight Middle East carbonate, and use the network model to predict the apparent permeability of the samples under single phase fluid flow condition. Results show that the permeability we get is in reasonable agreement with the Coreval experimental measurements. The pore throat network we get can be used to further calculate relative permeability curves and simulate multiphase flow behavior, which will provide valuable

  10. Behaviors and kinetics of toluene adsorption-desorption on activated carbons with varying pore structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xi; Yi, Honghong; Tang, Xiaolong; Zhao, Shunzheng; Yang, Zhongyu; Ma, Yueqiang; Feng, Tiecheng; Cui, Xiaoxu

    2018-05-01

    This work was undertaken to investigate the behaviors and kinetics of toluene adsorption and desorption on activated carbons with varying pore structure. Five kinds of activated carbon from different raw materials were selected. Adsorption isotherms and breakthrough curves for toluene were measured. Langmuir and Freundlich equations were fitted to the equilibrium data, and the Freundlich equation was more suitable for simulating toluene adsorption. The process consisted of monolayer, multilayer and partial active site adsorption types. The effect of the pore structure of the activated carbons on toluene adsorption capacity was investigated. The quasi-first-order model was more suitable for describing the process than the quasi-second-order model. The adsorption data was also modeled by the internal particle diffusion model and it was found that the adsorption process could be divided into three stages. In the external surface adsorption process, the rate depended on the specific surface area. During the particle diffusion stage, pore structure and volume were the main factors affecting adsorption rate. In the final equilibrium stage, the rate was determined by the ratio of meso- and macro-pores to total pore volume. The rate over the whole adsorption process was dominated by the toluene concentration. The desorption behavior of toluene on activated carbons was investigated, and the process was divided into heat and mass transfer parts corresponding to emission and diffusion mechanisms, respectively. Physical adsorption played the main role during the adsorption process. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. Characterization of bentonite pore structure by combining chloride porosity and SAXS measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muurinen, A.

    2010-01-01

    Document available in extended abstract form only. The total water porosity, chloride porosity and the microstructure were studied in compacted samples prepared from MX-80 and Deponit bentonites equilibrated through filter plates with 0.1 M NaCl solution for 12.5 months. The dry densities of the samples varied approximately from 0.7 to 1.55 g/cm 3 . XRD and SAXS (Small Angle X-ray Scattering) were used to study the microstructure of the bentonites. It was obvious that the chloride porosity was lower than the water porosity in both clays, which indicates the exclusion caused by the negatively charged montmorillonite surfaces. In the XRD and SAXS measurements the measured basal spaces represented by the diffraction peaks were smaller than the theoretical ones assuming a homogenous microstructure. This indicates that there was a substantial amount of water also in the pores, which were not represented by the peaks. This could explain the difference between the measured chloride porosity and the modelling curve obtained with the Donnan model. By combining the information from the SAXS measurements and the chloride exclusion measurements, it was possible to evaluate the volumes of the soft and dense fractions and the pore sizes in each fraction for MX-80. The chloride porosity was mostly caused by the pores in the soft clay where the pore size is larger. The volume of the soft fraction decreased and its density increased with increasing density of the sample. (authors)

  12. Microbially Enhanced Oil Recovery by Sequential Injection of Light Hydrocarbon and Nitrate in Low- And High-Pressure Bioreactors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gassara, Fatma; Suri, Navreet; Stanislav, Paul; Voordouw, Gerrit

    2015-10-20

    Microbially enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) often involves injection of aqueous molasses and nitrate to stimulate resident or introduced bacteria. Use of light oil components like toluene, as electron donor for nitrate-reducing bacteria (NRB), offers advantages but at 1-2 mM toluene is limiting in many heavy oils. Because addition of toluene to the oil increased reduction of nitrate by NRB, we propose an MEOR technology, in which water amended with light hydrocarbon below the solubility limit (5.6 mM for toluene) is injected to improve the nitrate reduction capacity of the oil along the water flow path, followed by injection of nitrate, other nutrients (e.g., phosphate) and a consortium of NRB, if necessary. Hydrocarbon- and nitrate-mediated MEOR was tested in low- and high-pressure, water-wet sandpack bioreactors with 0.5 pore volumes of residual oil in place (ROIP). Compared to control bioreactors, those with 11-12 mM of toluene in the oil (gained by direct addition or by aqueous injection) and 80 mM of nitrate in the aqueous phase produced 16.5 ± 4.4% of additional ROIP (N = 10). Because toluene is a cheap commodity chemical, HN-MEOR has the potential to be a cost-effective method for additional oil production even in the current low oil price environment.

  13. Hierarchically Porous Carbon Materials for CO 2 Capture: The Role of Pore Structure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Estevez, Luis [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, Washington 99352, United States; Barpaga, Dushyant [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, Washington 99352, United States; Zheng, Jian [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, Washington 99352, United States; Sabale, Sandip [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, Washington 99352, United States; Patel, Rajankumar L. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, Washington 99352, United States; Zhang, Ji-Guang [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, Washington 99352, United States; McGrail, B. Peter [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, Washington 99352, United States; Motkuri, Radha Kishan [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, Washington 99352, United States

    2018-01-17

    With advances in porous carbon synthesis techniques, hierarchically porous carbon (HPC) materials are being utilized as relatively new porous carbon sorbents for CO2 capture applications. These HPC materials were used as a platform to prepare samples with differing textural properties and morphologies to elucidate structure-property relationships. It was found that high microporous content, rather than overall surface area was of primary importance for predicting good CO2 capture performance. Two HPC materials were analyzed, each with near identical high surface area (~2700 m2/g) and colossally high pore volume (~10 cm3/g), but with different microporous content and pore size distributions, which led to dramatically different CO2 capture performance. Overall, large pore volumes obtained from distinct mesopores were found to significantly impact adsorption performance. From these results, an optimized HPC material was synthesized that achieved a high CO2 capacity of ~3.7 mmol/g at 25°C and 1 bar.

  14. Electroosmotic transport in fine grained sediments with respect to pore throats

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krauss, H.; Zorn, R.; Haus, R.; Czurda, K. [Dept. of Applied Geology, Univ. Karlsruhe (Germany)

    2001-07-01

    Electroosmotic experiments were performed with two different fine grained soils, which were consolidated in different ways. The electroosmotic permeability was calculated using the transported volume of water under a dc electric field. In addition to the pH-values prior and after the experiments near the anode and cathode the dominating pore throat-diameters of the samples were analysed by mercury porosimetry. The electroosmotic permeability can be correlated with the dominating pore throat-diameter. Not only chemical parameters like zeta-potential or ion-concentration but also the kind and structure of the soil particles characterize electroosmotic transport. (orig.)

  15. A model of lipid rearrangements during pore formation in the DPPC lipid bilayer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wrona, Artur; Kubica, Krystian

    2017-07-10

    The molecular bases of pore formation in the lipid bilayer remain unclear, as do the exact characteristics of their sizes and distributions. To understand this process, numerous studies have been performed on model lipid membranes including cell-sized giant unilamellar vesicles (GUV). The effect of an electric field on DPPC GUV depends on the lipid membrane state: in the liquid crystalline phase the created pores have a cylinder-like shape, whereas in the gel phase a crack has been observed. The aim of the study was to investigate the geometry of pores created in a lipid bilayer in gel and liquid crystalline phases in reference to literature experimental data. A mathematical model of the pore in a DPPC lipid bilayer developed based on the law of conservation of mass and the assumption of constant volume of lipid molecules, independent of their conformation, allows for analysis of pore shape and accompanying molecular rearrangements. The membrane area occupied by the pore of a cylinder-like shape is greater than the membrane area occupied by lipid molecules creating the pore structure (before pore appearance). Creation of such pores requires more space, which can be achieved by conformational changes of lipid chains toward a more compact state. This process is impossible for a membrane in the most compact, gel phase. We show that the geometry of the pores formed in the lipid bilayer in the gel phase must be different from the cylinder shape formed in the lipid bilayer in a liquid crystalline state, confirming experimental studies. Furthermore, we characterize the occurrence of the 'buffer' zone surrounding pores in the liquid crystalline phase as a mechanism of separation of neighbouring pores.

  16. Theoretical Analysis of Pore Pressure Diffusion in Some Basic Rock Mechanics Experiments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braun, Philipp; Ghabezloo, Siavash; Delage, Pierre; Sulem, Jean; Conil, Nathalie

    2018-05-01

    Non-homogeneity of the pore pressure field in a specimen is an issue for characterization of the thermo-poromechanical behaviour of low-permeability geomaterials, as in the case of the Callovo-Oxfordian claystone ( k radioactive waste disposal in France. In tests with drained boundary conditions, excess pore pressure can result in significant errors in the measurement of material parameters. Analytical solutions are presented for the change in time of the pore pressure field in a specimen submitted to various loading paths and different rates. The pore pressure field in mechanical and thermal undrained tests is simulated with a 1D finite difference model taking into account the dead volume of the drainage system of the triaxial cell connected to the specimen. These solutions provide a simple and efficient tool for the estimation of the conditions that must hold for reliable determination of material parameters and for optimization of various test conditions to minimize the experimental duration, while keeping the measurement errors at an acceptable level.

  17. Photo-assisted removal of fuel oil hydrocarbons from wood and concrete.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popova, Inna E; Kozliak, Evguenii I

    2008-08-01

    A novel photo-treatment to decontaminate building structural elements polluted with fuel oil hydrocarbons as a result of spillage and/or a catastrophic flood was examined. A proof-of-concept study evaluating the photocatalytic removal of hydrocarbons (n-hexadecane and fuel oil #2) from contaminated wood (southern yellow pine) and concrete was conducted using scintillation counting (with (14)C-labeled n-hexadecane) and gas chromatography. Contaminated samples were irradiated by UV or fluorescent light in the absence or presence of a photocatalyst, TiO(2). As a result of the treatment, under various scenarios, up to 80-98% of the originally applied n-hexadecane was removed, within a wide range of contaminant concentrations (4-250 mg/g wood). The essential treatment time increased from 1-7 days for low concentrations to several weeks for high concentrations. Mass balance experiments showed that the only product formed from (14)C-labeled n-hexadecane in detectable amounts was (14)CO(2). For low amounts of applied hydrocarbon (4-20 mg/g wood), the overall process rate was limited by the contaminant transport/mobility whereas for high n-hexadecane concentrations (150-250 mg/g, corresponding to 50-80% filling of wood pores), the key factor was the photochemical reaction. Photodegradation experiments conducted with standard heating fuel oil #2 (a representative real-world contaminant) resulted in a significant (up to 80%) photochemical removal of mid-size hydrocarbons (C(13)-C(17)) in 3 weeks whereas heavier hydrocarbons (> C(17)) were not affected; light hydrocarbons (evaporation. These results point toward a promising technique to reclaim wooden and concrete structures contaminated with semi-volatile chemicals.

  18. Quantitative research on skin pore widening using a stereoimage optical topometer and Sebutape.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jo, Ho Youn; Yu, Dong Soo; Oh, Chil Hwan

    2007-05-01

    The treatment of skin pore widening is concerned with cosmetics sciences, but an objective and quantitative measurement method of the severity of skin pore widening has not been developed. In this study, bioengineering methods were applied to evaluate skin pore widening. The results from bioengineering measurements were compared with clinical visual assessment. In order to quantify skin pore widening, three-dimensional data of skin pore were produced by a stereoimage optical topometer (SOT). The sizes of follicular infundibulum were measured quantitatively, with reserved sebum by Sebutape. 50 female volunteers were divided into two groups. Group A was tested by the cosmetics including active ingredient and group B by placebo. The constricting effect of skin pores by cosmetics was measured for immediate effect and long-term effect. In the immediate effect, there was no statistical difference between groups A and B in visual scoring. In SOT, the size of the skin pores of group A had changed after application of cosmetics but there were no changes in group B. In the long-term effect, there was no statistical difference between groups A and B in visual scoring. TA, TV, SA, and SV of skin pores of groups A and B were decreased in 3 and 6 months by SOT. In Sebutape measurement, there was decreased volume of reserved sebum in groups A and B. The result of the Sebutape study was similar to that of SOT. Evaluation of skin pore change by visual assessment is difficult, but bioengineering tools are more reliable and useful methods for the assessment of skin pore change.

  19. AN INVESTIGATION OF THE VARIATION OF PORE STRUCTURE IN EUCALYPTUS FIBRE DURING RECYCLING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wen Jie Guo

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Variation in the pore structure of eucalyptus fibre during recycling was investigated using low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, atomic force microscopy (AFM, and fractal geometry. The Brunauer- Emmett-Teller (BET surface area of the fibre fell to 55.1% of the original value after the first cycle, and to 49.0% after the second cycle, ultimately declining to 35.0% after the fourth. The Barret-Joyner- Halenda (BJH adsorption cumulative pore volume fell to 38.4% of the original by the fourth. After four cycles, the average pore diameter fell to 82% of the original. AFM tests showed that the pore structure in fibre expressed high self-similarity in statistics, and the pore structure in the fibre could be regarded as a fractal. Fractal geometry analysis of the results showed that the fractal dimension of eucalyptus virgin fibre is 2.954. With the number of process cycles increasing, the fractal dimension fell to a minimum of 2.886 after four cycles. The water retention value (WRV of the fibre was proportional to the fractal dimension and the crystallinity of fibre.

  20. Effects of pore sizes and oxygen-containing functional groups on desulfurization activity of Fe/NAC prepared by ultrasonic-assisted impregnation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shu, Song; Guo, Jia-Xiu; Liu, Xiao-Li; Wang, Xue-Jiao; Yin, Hua-Qiang; Luo, De-Ming

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Fe/NAC-60 exhibits the best desulfurization activity. • Different oscillation time can change surface area and pore volume of catalysts. • Ultrasonic oscillation increases Fe dispersion on carrier and effective pores. • Pore sizes play a crucial role during the SO 2 removal. - Abstract: A series of Fe-loaded activated carbons treated by HNO 3 (Fe/NAC) were prepared by incipient impregnation method with or without ultrasonic assistance and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy with energy disperse spectroscope (SEM-EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and N 2 adsorption/desorption. The desulfurization activities were evaluated at a fixed bed reactor under a mixed gas simulated from flue gas. The results showed that desulfurization activity from excellent to poor is as follows: Fe/NAC-60 > Fe/NAC-80 > Fe/NAC-30 > Fe/NAC-15 > Fe/NAC-0 > Fe/NAC-100 > NAC. Fe/NAC-60 exhibits the best desulfurization activity and has breakthrough sulfur capacity of 319 mg/g and breakthrough time of 540 min. The introduction of ultrasonic oscillation does not change the form of Fe oxides on activated carbon but can change the dispersion and relative contents of Fe 3 O 4 . The types of oxygen-containing functional groups have no obvious change for all samples but the texture properties show some differences when they are oscillated for different times. The fresh Fe/NAC-60 has a surface area of 1045 m 2 /g and total pore volume of 0.961 cm 3 /g with micropore volume of 0.437 cm 3 /g and is larger than Fe/NAC-0 (823 m 2 /g, 0.733 and 0.342 cm 3 /g). After desulfurization, surface area and pore volume of all samples decrease significantly, and those of the exhausted Fe/NAC-60 decrease to 233 m 2 /g and 0.481 cm 3 /g, indicating that some byproducts deposit on surface to cover pores. Pore size distribution influences SO 2 adsorption, and fresh Fe/NAC-60 has

  1. Biot Critical Frequency Applied as Common Friction Factor for Chalk with Different Pore Fluids and Temperatures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andreassen, Katrine Alling; Fabricius, Ida Lykke

    2010-01-01

    Injection of water into chalk hydrocarbon reservoirs has lead to mechanical yield and failure. Laboratory experiments on chalk samples correspondingly show that the mechanical properties of porous chalk depend on pore fluid and temperature. Water has a significant softening effect on elastic...... and we propose that the fluid effect on mechanical properties of highly porous chalk may be the result of liquid‐solid friction. Applying a different strain or stress rate is influencing the rock strength and needs to be included. The resulting function is shown to relate to the material dependent...... and rate independent b-factor used when describing the time dependent mechanical properties of soft rock or soils. As a consequence it is then possible to further characterize the material constant from the porosity and permeability of the rock as well as from pore fluid density and viscosity which...

  2. Lattice density functional theory investigation of pore shape effects. I. Adsorption in single nonperiodic pores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malanoski, A P; van Swol, Frank

    2002-10-01

    A fully explicit in three dimensions lattice density functional theory is used to investigate adsorption in single nonperiodic pores. The effect of varying pore shape from the slits and cylinders that are normally simulated was our primary interest. A secondary concern was the results for pores with very large diameters. The shapes investigated were square pores with or without surface roughness, cylinders, right triangle pores, and trapezoidal pores. It was found that pores with very similar shape factors gave similar results but that the introduction of acute angled corners or very large side ratio lengths in rectangular pores gave results that were significantly different. Further, a rectangular pore going towards the limit of infinite side ratio does not approach the results of a slit pore. In all of these cases, the importance of features that are present for only a small portion of the pore is demonstrated.

  3. Micro-CT scan reveals an unexpected high-volume and interconnected pore network in a Cretaceous Sanagasta dinosaur eggshell.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hechenleitner, E Martín; Grellet-Tinner, Gerald; Foley, Matthew; Fiorelli, Lucas E; Thompson, Michael B

    2016-03-01

    The Cretaceous Sanagasta neosauropod nesting site (La Rioja, Argentina) was the first confirmed instance of extinct dinosaurs using geothermal-generated heat to incubate their eggs. The nesting strategy and hydrothermal activities at this site led to the conclusion that the surprisingly 7 mm thick-shelled eggs were adapted to harsh hydrothermal microenvironments. We used micro-CT scans in this study to obtain the first three-dimensional microcharacterization of these eggshells. Micro-CT-based analyses provide a robust assessment of gas conductance in fossil dinosaur eggshells with complex pore canal systems, allowing calculation, for the first time, of the shell conductance through its thickness. This novel approach suggests that the shell conductance could have risen during incubation to seven times more than previously estimated as the eggshell erodes. In addition, micro-CT observations reveal that the constant widening and branching of pore canals form a complex funnel-like pore canal system. Furthermore, the high density of pore canals and the presence of a lateral canal network in the shell reduce the risks of pore obstruction during the extended incubation of these eggs in a relatively highly humid and muddy nesting environment. © 2016 The Author(s).

  4. Polyaniline nanofibers with a high specific surface area and an improved pore structure for supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Hailing; Li, Xingwei; Wang, Gengchao

    2015-10-01

    Polyaniline (PANI) with a high specific surface area and an improved pore structure (HSSA-PANI) has been prepared by using a facile method, treating PANI nanofibers with chloroform (CHCl3), and its structure, morphology and pore structure are investigated. The specific surface area and pore volume of HSSA-PANI are 817.3 m2 g-1 and 0.6 cm3 g-1, and those of PANI are 33.6 m2 g-1 and 0.2 cm3 g-1. As electrode materials, a large specific surface area and pore volume can provide high electroactive regions, accelerate the diffusion of ions, and mitigate the electrochemical degradation of active materials. Compared with PANI, the capacity retention rate of HSSA-PANI is 90% with a growth of current density from 5.0 to 30 A g-1, and that of PANI is 29%. At a current density of 30 A g-1, the specific capacitance of HSSA-PANI still reaches 278.3 F g-1, and that of PANI is 86.7 F g-1. At a current density of 5.0 A g-1, the capacitance retention of HSSA-PANI is 53.1% after 2000 cycles, and that of PANI electrode is only 28.1%.

  5. Well log and seismic data analysis for complex pore-structure carbonate reservoir using 3D rock physics templates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hongbing; Zhang, Jiajia

    2018-04-01

    The pore structure in heterogeneous carbonate rock is usually very complex. This complex pore system makes the relationship between the velocity and porosity of the rock highly scattered, so that for the classical two-dimensional rock physics template (2D RPT) it is not enough to accurately describe the quantitative relationship between the rock elastic parameters of this kind of reservoir and its porosity and water saturation. Therefore it is possible to attribute the effect of pore type to that of the porosity or water saturation, and leads to great deviations when applying such a 2D RPT to predict the porosity and water saturation in seismic reservoir prediction and hydrocarbon detection. This paper first presents a method to establish a new three-dimensional rock physics template (3D RPT) by integrating the Gassmann equations and the porous rock physics model, and use it to characterize the quantitative relation between rock elastic properties and the reservoir parameters including the pore aspect ratio, porosity and water saturation, and to predict these parameters from the known elastic properties. The test results on the real logging and seismic inversion data show that the 3D RPT can accurately describe the variations of elastic properties with the porosity, water saturation and pore-structure parameters, and effectively improve the accuracy of reservoir parameters prediction.

  6. An investigation into the effects of pore connectivity on T2 NMR relaxation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghomeshi, Shahin; Kryuchkov, Sergey; Kantzas, Apostolos

    2018-04-01

    Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a powerful technique used to characterize fluids and flow in porous media. The NMR relaxation curves are closely related to pore geometry, and the inversion of the NMR relaxometry data is known to give useful information with regards to pore size distribution (PSD) through the relative amplitudes of the fluids stored in the small and large pores. While this information is crucial, the main challenge for the successful use of the NMR measurements is the proper interpretation of the measured signals. Natural porous media patterns consist of complex pore structures with many interconnected or "coupled" regions, as well as isolated pores. This connectivity along the throats changes the relaxation distribution and in order to properly interpret this data, a thorough understanding of the effects of pore connectivity on the NMR relaxation distribution is warranted. In this paper we address two main points. The first pertains to the fact that there is a discrepancy between the relaxation distribution obtained from experiments, and the ones obtained from solving the mathematical models of diffusion process in the digitized images of the pore space. There are several reasons that may attribute to this such as the lack of a proper incorporation of surface roughness into the model. However, here we are more interested in the effects of pore connectivity and to understand why the typical NMR relaxation distribution obtained from experiments are wider, while the numerical simulations predict that a wider NMR relaxation distribution may indicate poor connectivity. Secondly, by not taking into account the pore coupling effects, from our experience in interpreting the data, we tend to underestimate the pore volume of small pores and overestimate the amplitudes in the large pores. The role of pore coupling becomes even more prominent in rocks with small pore sizes such as for example in shales, clay in sandstones, and in the microstructures of

  7. Improved capacitance characteristics of electrospun ACFs by pore size control and vanadium catalyst.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Im, Ji Sun; Woo, Sang-Wook; Jung, Min-Jung; Lee, Young-Seak

    2008-11-01

    Nano-sized carbon fibers were prepared by using electrospinning, and their electrochemical properties were investigated as a possible electrode material for use as an electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC). To improve the electrode capacitance of EDLC, we implemented a three-step optimization. First, metal catalyst was introduced into the carbon fibers due to the excellent conductivity of metal. Vanadium pentoxide was used because it could be converted to vanadium for improved conductivity as the pore structure develops during the carbonization step. Vanadium catalyst was well dispersed in the carbon fibers, improving the capacitance of the electrode. Second, pore-size development was manipulated to obtain small mesopore sizes ranging from 2 to 5 nm. Through chemical activation, carbon fibers with controlled pore sizes were prepared with a high specific surface and pore volume, and their pore structure was investigated by using a BET apparatus. Finally, polyacrylonitrile was used as a carbon precursor to enrich for nitrogen content in the final product because nitrogen is known to improve electrode capacitance. Ultimately, the electrospun activated carbon fibers containing vanadium show improved functionality in charge/discharge, cyclic voltammetry, and specific capacitance compared with other samples because of an optimal combination of vanadium, nitrogen, and fixed pore structures.

  8. Development of a toxicity-based fractionation approach for the identification of phototoxic PAHs in pore water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kosian, P.A.; Makynen, E.A.; Ankley, G.T.; Monson, P.D.

    1995-01-01

    Environmental matrices often contain complex mixtures of chemical compounds, however, typically only a few chemicals are responsible for observed toxicity. To determine those chemicals responsible for toxicity, a toxicity-based fractionation technique coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) has been used for the isolation and identification of nonpolar toxicants in aqueous samples. In this study, this technique was modified to separate and identify polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) responsible for phototoxicity in pore water. Whole pore water, obtained from sediments collected near an oil refinery discharge site, was found to be toxic to Lumbriculus variegatus in the presence of ultraviolet (UV) light. Solid phase extraction disks and high pressure liquid chromatography were used, in conjunction with toxicity tests with L. variegatus, to extract and fractionate phototoxic chemicals from the pore water. GC/MS analysis was performed on the toxic fractions and a tentative list of compound identifications were made based on interpretation of mass spectra and elution information from the chromatographic separation. The compounds identified include PAHs and substituted PAHs that are known or predicted to be phototoxic in the presence of UV light. The results show that a modified toxicity-based fractionation approach can be successfully applied to identify phototoxic PAHs in sediment pore water and therefore used in the assessment of contaminated sediments

  9. Pore pressure control on faulting behavior in a block-gouge system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Z.; Juanes, R.

    2016-12-01

    Pore fluid pressure in a fault zone can be altered by natural processes (e.g., mineral dehydration and thermal pressurization) and industrial operations involving subsurface fluid injection/extraction for the development of energy and water resources. However, the effect of pore pressure change on the stability and slip motion of a preexisting geologic fault remain poorly understood; yet they are critical for the assessment of seismic risk. In this work, we develop a micromechanical model to investigate the effect of pore pressure on faulting behavior. The model couples pore network fluid flow and mechanics of the solid grains. We conceptualize the fault zone as a gouge layer sandwiched between two blocks; the block material is represented by a group of contact-bonded grains and the gouge is composed of unbonded grains. A pore network is extracted from the particulate pack of the block-gouge system with pore body volumes and pore throat conductivities calculated rigorously based on the geometry of the local pore space. Pore fluid exerts pressure force onto the grains, the motion of which is solved using the discrete element method (DEM). The model updates the pore network regularly in response to deformation of the solid matrix. We study the fault stability in the presence of a pressure inhomogeneity (gradient) across the gouge layer, and compare it with the case of homogeneous pore pressure. We consider both normal and thrust faulting scenarios with a focus on the onset of shear failure along the block-gouge interfaces. Numerical simulations show that the slip behavior is characterized by intermittent dynamics, which is evident in the number of slipping contacts at the block-gouge interfaces and the total kinetic energy of the gouge particles. Numerical results also show that, for the case of pressure inhomogeneity, the onset of slip occurs earlier for the side with higher pressure, and that this onset appears to be controlled by the maximum pressure of both sides

  10. Pore structure modification of diatomite as sulfuric acid catalyst support by high energy electron beam irradiation and hydrothermal treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Chong; Zhang, Guilong; Wang, Min; Chen, Jianfeng; Cai, Dongqing; Wu, Zhengyan

    2014-08-01

    High energy electron beam (HEEB) irradiation and hydrothermal treatment (HT), were applied in order to remove the impurities and enlarge the pore size of diatomite, making diatomite more suitable to be a catalyst support. The results demonstrated that, through thermal, charge, impact and etching effects, HEEB irradiation could make the impurities in the pores of diatomite loose and remove some of them. Then HT could remove rest of them from the pores and contribute significantly to the modification of the pore size distribution of diatomite due to thermal expansion, water swelling and thermolysis effects. Moreover, the pore structure modification improved the properties (BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) specific surface area, bulk density and pore volume) of diatomite and the catalytic efficiency of the catalyst prepared from the treated diatomite.

  11. Pore size control of Pitch-based activated carbon fibers by pyrolytic deposition of propylene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xie Jinchuan; Wang Xuhui; Deng Jiyong; Zhang Lixing

    2005-01-01

    In this paper, we attempted to narrow the pore size of Pitch-based activated carbon fiber (Pitch-ACF) by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of propylene at 700 deg. C. The BET equation was used to estimate the specific surface areas. The micropore volumes were determined using DR equation, t-plot and α s -plot, and mesopore surface areas were determined by t-plot and α s -plot. The pore size distribution (PSD) of micropores and mesopore was investigated by micropore analysis method (MP method) and MK method, respectively. The relation between the graphite-like crystal interlayer distance and pore size was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results showed that the pore size of Pitch-ACF was gradually narrowed with increasing deposition time. The catalytic activation of Ni was attempted when Pitch-ACF was modified simultaneously by pyrolysis of propylene. The results obtained from the analysis of PSD of micropores, mesopores and macropores in Ni-P-ACF by density function theory (DFT) showed that the pore structure and surface chemistry were greatly changed due to introducing nickel catalyst

  12. A new method for calculating gas content of coal reservoirs with consideration of a micro-pore overpressure environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jinxing Song

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available When the gas content of a coal reservoir is calculated, the reservoir pressure measured by well logging and well testing is generally used for inversion calculation instead of gas pressure. However, the calculation result is not accurate because the reservoir pressure is not equal to the gas pressure in overpressure environments. In this paper, coal samples of different ranks in Shanxi and Henan are collected for testing the capillary pressure of coal pores. Based on the formation process of CBM reservoirs and the hydrocarbon generation and expulsion history of coal beds, the forming mechanisms of micro-pore overpressure environments in coal reservoirs were analyzed. Accordingly, a new method for calculating the gas content of coal reservoirs with consideration of a micro-pore overpressure environment was developed. And it was used to calculate the gas content of No. 1 coal bed of the 2nd member of Lower Permian Shanxi Fm in the Zhongmacun Coal Mine in Jiaozuo, Henan. It is indicated that during the formation and evolution of coals, some solid organic matters were converted into gas and water, and gas–water contact is surely formed in pores. In the end, capillary pressure is generated, so the gas pressure in micro-pores is much higher than the hydrostatic column pressure, which results in a micro-pore overpressure environment. Under such an environment, gas pressure is higher than reservoir pressure, so the gas content of coal reservoirs calculated previously based on the conventional reservoir pressure evaluation are usually underestimated. It is also found that the micro-pore overpressure environment exerts a dominating effect on the CBM content calculation of 3–100 nm pores, especially that of 3–10 nm pores, but a little effect on that of pores >100 nm. In conclusion, this new method clarifies the pressure environment of CBM gas reservoirs, thereby ensuring the calculation accuracy of gas content of coal reservoirs.

  13. CFG-7-P3 : potential of aggregate-associated biodegradation of high-molecular-weight hydrocarbon fractions in crude-oil contaminated soils from a northern Canadian site

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chang, W.; Snelgrove, J.; Akbari, A.; Ghoshal, S. [McGill Univ., Montreal, PQ (Canada). Dept. of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics

    2010-07-01

    Soil aggregation can limit aerobic hydrocarbon biodegradation rates due to the slower intra-pore diffusion of nutrients, oxygen and hydrocarbons. This study investigated the influence of soil aggregation at a pilot-scale biopile of crude oil-contaminated soil shipped from a site in the Northwest Territories. Attempts were made to stimulate indigenous microbial activity of the hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria through soil aeration and nutrient amendments in a tank maintained at 15 degrees C. Results showed that nutrient amendment significantly enhanced aggregation. After 60 days, approximately 50 per cent of the initial total hydrocarbon productivity (TPH) was reduced in both the treated and untreated biopile. However, a TPH analysis of soil aggregate levels showed that the biodegradation of high weight hydrocarbon fractions in macroaggregates was more significantly reduced in the nutrient-amended soils. Results suggested that the soil particles in the macroaggregates were more loosely clustered, and may have supported enhanced hydrocarbon biodegradation.

  14. Pore-scale simulation of fluid flow and solute dispersion in three-dimensional porous media

    KAUST Repository

    Icardi, Matteo; Boccardo, Gianluca; Marchisio, Daniele L.; Tosco, Tiziana; Sethi, Rajandrea

    2014-01-01

    In the present work fluid flow and solute transport through porous media are described by solving the governing equations at the pore scale with finite-volume discretization. Instead of solving the simplified Stokes equation (very often employed

  15. Cell wall microstructure, pore size distribution and absolute density of hemp shiv

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Y.; Lawrence, M.; Ansell, M. P.; Hussain, A.

    2018-04-01

    This paper, for the first time, fully characterizes the intrinsic physical parameters of hemp shiv including cell wall microstructure, pore size distribution and absolute density. Scanning electron microscopy revealed microstructural features similar to hardwoods. Confocal microscopy revealed three major layers in the cell wall: middle lamella, primary cell wall and secondary cell wall. Computed tomography improved the visualization of pore shape and pore connectivity in three dimensions. Mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) showed that the average accessible porosity was 76.67 ± 2.03% and pore size classes could be distinguished into micropores (3-10 nm) and macropores (0.1-1 µm and 20-80 µm). The absolute density was evaluated by helium pycnometry, MIP and Archimedes' methods. The results show that these methods can lead to misinterpretation of absolute density. The MIP method showed a realistic absolute density (1.45 g cm-3) consistent with the density of the known constituents, including lignin, cellulose and hemi-cellulose. However, helium pycnometry and Archimedes' methods gave falsely low values owing to 10% of the volume being inaccessible pores, which require sample pretreatment in order to be filled by liquid or gas. This indicates that the determination of the cell wall density is strongly dependent on sample geometry and preparation.

  16. Pore REconstruction and Segmentation (PORES) method for improved porosity quantification of nanoporous materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Van Eyndhoven, G., E-mail: geert.vaneyndhoven@uantwerpen.be [iMinds-Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Kurttepeli, M. [EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Van Oers, C.J.; Cool, P. [Laboratory of Adsorption and Catalysis, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Bals, S. [EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Batenburg, K.J. [iMinds-Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Centrum Wiskunde and Informatica, Science Park 123, NL-1090 GB Amsterdam (Netherlands); Mathematical Institute, Universiteit Leiden, Niels Bohrweg 1, NL-2333 CA Leiden (Netherlands); Sijbers, J. [iMinds-Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk (Belgium)

    2015-01-15

    Electron tomography is currently a versatile tool to investigate the connection between the structure and properties of nanomaterials. However, a quantitative interpretation of electron tomography results is still far from straightforward. Especially accurate quantification of pore-space is hampered by artifacts introduced in all steps of the processing chain, i.e., acquisition, reconstruction, segmentation and quantification. Furthermore, most common approaches require subjective manual user input. In this paper, the PORES algorithm “POre REconstruction and Segmentation” is introduced; it is a tailor-made, integral approach, for the reconstruction, segmentation, and quantification of porous nanomaterials. The PORES processing chain starts by calculating a reconstruction with a nanoporous-specific reconstruction algorithm: the Simultaneous Update of Pore Pixels by iterative REconstruction and Simple Segmentation algorithm (SUPPRESS). It classifies the interior region to the pores during reconstruction, while reconstructing the remaining region by reducing the error with respect to the acquired electron microscopy data. The SUPPRESS reconstruction can be directly plugged into the remaining processing chain of the PORES algorithm, resulting in accurate individual pore quantification and full sample pore statistics. The proposed approach was extensively validated on both simulated and experimental data, indicating its ability to generate accurate statistics of nanoporous materials. - Highlights: • An electron tomography reconstruction/segmentation method for nanoporous materials. • The method exploits the porous nature of the scanned material. • Validated extensively on both simulation and real data experiments. • Results in increased image resolution and improved porosity quantification.

  17. Effects of pore sizes and oxygen-containing functional groups on desulfurization activity of Fe/NAC prepared by ultrasonic-assisted impregnation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shu, Song [College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, Sichuan (China); Guo, Jia-Xiu, E-mail: guojiaxiu@scu.edu.cn [College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, Sichuan (China); National Engineering Technology Research Center for Flue Gas Desulfurization, Chengdu 610065, Sichuan (China); Sichuan Provincial Environmental Protection Environmental Catalysis and Materials Engineering Technology Center, Chengdu 610065, Sichuan (China); Liu, Xiao-Li [National Engineering Technology Research Center for Flue Gas Desulfurization, Chengdu 610065, Sichuan (China); Wang, Xue-Jiao [College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, Sichuan (China); Yin, Hua-Qiang [College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, Sichuan (China); National Engineering Technology Research Center for Flue Gas Desulfurization, Chengdu 610065, Sichuan (China); Sichuan Provincial Environmental Protection Environmental Catalysis and Materials Engineering Technology Center, Chengdu 610065, Sichuan (China); Luo, De-Ming [National Engineering Technology Research Center for Flue Gas Desulfurization, Chengdu 610065, Sichuan (China)

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Fe/NAC-60 exhibits the best desulfurization activity. • Different oscillation time can change surface area and pore volume of catalysts. • Ultrasonic oscillation increases Fe dispersion on carrier and effective pores. • Pore sizes play a crucial role during the SO{sub 2} removal. - Abstract: A series of Fe-loaded activated carbons treated by HNO{sub 3} (Fe/NAC) were prepared by incipient impregnation method with or without ultrasonic assistance and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy with energy disperse spectroscope (SEM-EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and N{sub 2} adsorption/desorption. The desulfurization activities were evaluated at a fixed bed reactor under a mixed gas simulated from flue gas. The results showed that desulfurization activity from excellent to poor is as follows: Fe/NAC-60 > Fe/NAC-80 > Fe/NAC-30 > Fe/NAC-15 > Fe/NAC-0 > Fe/NAC-100 > NAC. Fe/NAC-60 exhibits the best desulfurization activity and has breakthrough sulfur capacity of 319 mg/g and breakthrough time of 540 min. The introduction of ultrasonic oscillation does not change the form of Fe oxides on activated carbon but can change the dispersion and relative contents of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}. The types of oxygen-containing functional groups have no obvious change for all samples but the texture properties show some differences when they are oscillated for different times. The fresh Fe/NAC-60 has a surface area of 1045 m{sup 2}/g and total pore volume of 0.961 cm{sup 3}/g with micropore volume of 0.437 cm{sup 3}/g and is larger than Fe/NAC-0 (823 m{sup 2}/g, 0.733 and 0.342 cm{sup 3}/g). After desulfurization, surface area and pore volume of all samples decrease significantly, and those of the exhausted Fe/NAC-60 decrease to 233 m{sup 2}/g and 0.481 cm{sup 3}/g, indicating that some byproducts deposit on surface to cover pores. Pore size distribution

  18. Fractal Characteristics of Pores in Taiyuan Formation Shale from Hedong Coal Field, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Kunjie; Zeng, Fangui; Cai, Jianchao; Sheng, Guanglong; Xia, Peng; Zhang, Kun

    For the purpose of investigating the fractal characteristics of pores in Taiyuan formation shale, a series of qualitative and quantitative experiments were conducted on 17 shale samples from well HD-1 in Hedong coal field of North China. The results of geochemical experiments show that Total organic carbon (TOC) varies from 0.67% to 5.32% and the organic matters are in the high mature or over mature stage. The shale samples consist mainly of clay minerals and quartz with minor pyrite and carbonates. The FE-SEM images indicate that three types of pores, organic-related pores, inorganic-related pores and micro-fractures related pores, are developed well, and a certain number of intragranular pores are found inside quartz and carbonates formed by acid liquid corrosion. The pore size distributions (PSDs) broadly range from several to hundreds nanometers, but most pores are smaller than 10nm. As the result of different adsorption features at relative pressure (0-0.5) and (0.5-1) on the N2 adsorption isotherm, two fractal dimensions D1 and D2 were obtained with the Frenkel-Halsey-Hill (FHH) model. D1 and D2 vary from 2.4227 to 2.6219 and from 2.6049 to 2.7877, respectively. Both TOC and brittle minerals have positive effect on D1 and D2, whereas clay minerals, have a negative influence on them. The fractal dimensions are also influenced by the pore structure parameters, such as the specific surface area, BJH pore volume, etc. Shale samples with higher D1 could provide more adsorption sites leading to a greater methane adsorption capacity, whereas shale samples with higher D2 have little influence on methane adsorption capacity.

  19. ACTIVATION OF CLAY SAMPLE FROM ZARIA L

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Chemistry

    concentration range of 5%, 10%, to 30% (v/v), at 90oC ± 2oC for 3 hours, and heat ... tocoferols, hydrocarbons and natural pigments ... growth, development and processing of the oil seed; ... and pore volume improve the adsorption capacity of.

  20. Investigation of pore-scale flow physics in porous media burners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sobhani, Sadaf; Muhunthan, Priyanka; Boigne, Emeric; Mohaddes, Danyal; Ihme, Matthias; Stanford University Team

    2017-11-01

    Porous media burners (PMBs) operate on the principle that the solid porous matrix serves as a means of internally recirculating heat from the combustion products upstream to the reactants, enabling a reduction of the lean-flammability limit, higher power dynamic range, and lower NOx and CO emissions as compared to conventional systems. Accurate predictions of the flow features and properties such as pressure loss in reticulated ceramic foams is an important step in the characterization and optimization of combustion in porous media. In this work, an integrated framework is proposed from obtaining the porous sample to performing a computational fluid dynamics simulation, including X-ray microtomography scanning, digital topology rendering, and volume meshing. Three-dimensional numerical simulations of the flow in the complex geometries of porous foams are obtained by solution of the Navier-Stokes equations using an unstructured, finite-volume solver. This capability enables the investigation of pore-scale flow physics in a wide range of porous materials used in PMBs. In this talk, results obtained at pore-scale Reynolds numbers of order 10 to 100 in a Silicone Carbide foam are presented to demonstrate this capability.

  1. Equilibrium passive sampling as a tool to study polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Baltic Sea sediment pore-water systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lang, Susann-Cathrin; Hursthouse, Andrew; Mayer, Philipp

    2015-01-01

    Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) was applied to provide the first large scale dataset of freely dissolved concentrations for 9 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Baltic Sea sediment cores. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coated glass fibers were used for ex-situ equilibrium sampling followed...

  2. Effect of uncertainty in pore volumes on the uncertainty in amount adsorbed at high-pressures on activated carbon cloth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pendleton, Ph.; Badalyan, A.

    2005-01-01

    determination on the adsorption capacity and the specific surface excess on FMI/250 ACC at high-pressures, assess the extent of hysteresis in the pore volume and size distribution as a result of low-high-low pressure cycling, and show the influence of chemisorbed oxygen on the amount adsorbed and the materials physical property values. [1] E. Dimotakis, M. P. Cal, J. Economy, M. J. Rood, S. Larson, Environmental Science and Technology, 29, 1876,1995. [2] D. Lozano-Castello, J. Alcaniz-Monge, M. A. de la Casa-Lillo, D. Cazorla-Amoros, A. Linares-Solano, Fuel, 81, 1777, 2 002. [3] Sh. Jiang, J. A. Zollweg, K. E. Gubbins, Journal of Physical Chemistry, 98, 5709,1994. (authors)

  3. Experimental Investigation of Evolution of Pore Structure in Longmaxi Marine Shale Using an Anhydrous Pyrolysis Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhaodong Xi

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available To better understanding the evolutionary characteristics of pore structure in marine shale with high thermal maturity, a natural Longmaxi marine shale sample from south China with a high equivalent vitrinite reflectance value (Ro = 2.03% was selected to conduct an anhydrous pyrolysis experiment (500–750 °C, and six artificial shale samples (pyrolysis products spanning a maturity range from Ro = 2.47% to 4.87% were obtained. Experimental procedures included mercury intrusion, nitrogen adsorption, and carbon dioxide adsorption, and were used to characterize the pore structure. In addition, fractal theory was applied to analyze the heterogeneous pore structure. The results showed that this sample suite had large differences in macropore, mesopore, and micropore volume (PV, as well as specific surface area (SSA and pore size distributions (PSD, at different temperatures. Micropore, mesopore, and macropore content increased, from being unheated to 600 °C, which caused the pore structure to become more complex. The content of small diameter pores (micropores and fine mesopores, <10 nm decreased and pores with large diameters (large mesopores and macropores, >10 nm slightly increased from 600 to 750 °C. Fractal analysis showed that larger pore sizes had more complicated pore structure in this stage. The variance in pore structure for samples during pyrolysis was related to the further transformation of organic matter and PSD rearrangement. According to the data in this study, two stages were proposed for the pore evolution for marine shale with high thermal maturity.

  4. Sorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) during the filtration of water samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Herbert, M.; Schueth, C.; Pyka, W.

    1992-01-01

    Filtration experiments were preformed for three selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH-Fluorene, Fluoranthene and Benz(b)-fluoranthene) dissolved in water by varying filter materials, filter-pore sizes and filter equipment. The rate of recovery of PAH depended on the materials and methods applied. Organic filter materials showed a by far stronger sorption than inorganic materials. The losses for organic filters increased up to 100% with decreasing pore-size. The percentage loss was observed to increase with increasing octanol-water distribution coefficient (K OW ). Saturation tests revealed that the amount of water, necessary to saturate the filtration apparatus with and without filter-paper, also increased with the K OW . For BBF several liters would be necessary for saturation. It can be concluded, that the filtration of water samples, analysed for PAH, can lead to considerable errors in the analytical results, particularly for those PAH with log K OW larger than 5. (orig.)

  5. Elimination and accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban stormwater wet detention ponds

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Istenič, Daria; Arias, Carlos Alberto; Matamoros, Victor

    2011-01-01

    The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water and sediments of seven wet detention ponds receiving urban stormwater were investigated. The ponds comprised traditional wet detention ponds with a permanent wet volume and a storage volume as well as ponds that were expanded...

  6. The Effect of the Pore Entrance on Particle Motion in Slit Pores: Implications for Ultrathin Membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delavari, Armin; Baltus, Ruth

    2017-08-10

    Membrane rejection models generally neglect the effect of the pore entrance on intrapore particle transport. However, entrance effects are expected to be particularly important with ultrathin membranes, where membrane thickness is typically comparable to pore size. In this work, a 2D model was developed to simulate particle motion for spherical particles moving at small Re and infinite Pe from the reservoir outside the pore into a slit pore. Using a finite element method, particles were tracked as they accelerated across the pore entrance until they reached a steady velocity in the pore. The axial position in the pore where particle motion becomes steady is defined as the particle entrance length (PEL). PELs were found to be comparable to the fluid entrance length, larger than the pore size and larger than the thickness typical of many ultrathin membranes. Results also show that, in the absence of particle diffusion, hydrodynamic particle-membrane interactions at the pore mouth result in particle "funneling" in the pore, yielding cross-pore particle concentration profiles focused at the pore centerline. The implications of these phenomena on rejection from ultrathin membranes are examined.

  7. Prédiction des propriétés volumétriques des hydrocarbures par une translation de volume améliorée Prediction of the Volumetric Properties of Hydrocarbons with an Improved Volume Translation Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ungerer P.

    2006-12-01

    -ci, s'avère cohérente avec les règles de mélange quand l'on regroupe plusieurs constituants en un pseudo-constituant. Son application aux mélanges pétroliers apparaît donc prometteuse. This summary contains formulas (*** which can not be displayed on the screen. Following the work of Péneloux et al. (1982 , several attempts have been made to improve density calculations from equations of state by the use of alternative volume translation methods (Soreide, 1989; Magoulas and Tassios, 1990; Coniglio, 1993. The present work aims at improving these predictions, particularly in the case of oil and gas reservoirs (temperature up to 200°C and pressures as high as 120 MPa, using the Peng-Robinson equation of state. As volume translation methods sometimes show inconsistencies at high pressure (e. g. , negative thermal expansion coefficient we had to develop an original expression. For this purpose, we used high pressure density measurements instead of saturated liquid densities. Several pure hydrocarbons from various families were considered : C6 to C40 n-alkanes, cyclohexane, C6 to C12 monoaromatics. Within a good approximation, the volume translation c is thus shown to follow a linear dependancy with temperature and with molecular weight :c(T = (0. 023 - 0. 00056 MWT + (- 34. 5 + 0. 4666 MWwhere c is in cm³/mol, T in K and MW in g/mol. When this expression is used, average errors at high pressure are low (less than 3% for the C6 to C13 hydrocarbons investigated. For heavier hydrocarbons, its predictions are sensitive to critical properties and the following expression is recommended :(***where v(Tref, Pref is the liquid molar volume computed by the untranslated equation of state in the same conditions as those where a density measurement (pref is available. With the exception of the near-critical region, the method is still accurate at low pressure. The method does not display the inconsistencies of previous methods, and it is also shown to be consistent with mixing

  8. Effect of pyrolysis temperature on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons toxicity and sorption behaviour of biochars prepared by pyrolysis of paper mill effluent treatment plant sludge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devi, Parmila; Saroha, Anil K

    2015-09-01

    The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) toxicity and sorption behaviour of biochars prepared from pyrolysis of paper mill effluent treatment plant (ETP) sludge in temperature range 200-700 °C was studied. The sorption behaviour was found to depend on the degree of carbonization where the fractions of carbonized and uncarbonized organic content in the biochar act as an adsorption media and partition media, respectively. The sorption and partition fractions were quantified by isotherm separation method and isotherm parameters were correlated with biochar properties (aromaticity, polarity, surface area, pore volume and ash content). The risk assessment for the 16 priority EPA PAHs present in the biochar matrix was performed and it was found that the concentrations of the PAHs in the biochar were within the permissible limits prescribed by US EPA (except BC400 and BC500 for high molecular weight PAHs). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Effects of the soil pore network architecture on the soil's physical functionalities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smet, Sarah; Beckers, Eléonore; Léonard, Angélique; Degré, Aurore

    2017-04-01

    The soil fluid movement's prediction is of major interest within an agricultural or environmental scope because many processes depend ultimately on the soil fluids dynamic. It is common knowledge that the soil microscopic pore network structure governs the inner-soil convective fluids flow. There isn't, however, a general methodthat consider the pore network structure as a variable in the prediction of thecore scale soil's physical functionalities. There are various possible representations of the microscopic pore network: sample scale averaged structural parameters, extrapolation of theoretic pore network, or use of all the information available by modeling within the observed pore network. Different representations implydifferent analyzing methodologies. To our knowledge, few studies have compared the micro-and macroscopic soil's characteristics for the same soil core sample. The objective of our study is to explore the relationship between macroscopic physical properties and microscopic pore network structure. The saturated hydraulic conductivity, the air permeability, the retention curve, and others classical physical parameters were measured for ten soil samples from an agricultural field. The pore network characteristics were quantified through the analyses of X-ray micro-computed tomographic images(micro-CT system Skyscan-1172) with a voxel size of 22 µm3. Some of the first results confirmed what others studies had reported. Then, the comparison between macroscopic properties and microscopic parameters suggested that the air movements depended mostly on the pore connectivity and tortuosity than on the total porosity volume. We have also found that the fractal dimension calculated from the X-ray images and the fractal dimension calculated from the retention curve were significantly different. Our communication will detailthose results and discuss the methodology: would the results be similar with a different voxel size? What are the calculated and measured

  10. Biot Critical Frequency Applied to Description of Failure and Yield of Highly Porous Chalk with Different Pore Fluids

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andreassen, Katrine Alling; Fabricius, Ida Lykke

    2010-01-01

    Injection of water into chalk hydrocarbon reservoirs has led to mechanical yield and failure. Laboratory experiments on chalk samples correspondingly show that the mechanical properties of porous chalk depend on pore fluid and temperature. In case of water-saturated samples, the concentration...... is controlled by solid-fluid friction. The reference frequency is thus a measure of this friction, and we propose that the fluid effect on mechanical properties of chalk may be the result of liquid-solid friction. We reviewed 622 published experiments on mechanical properties of porous chalk. The data include...... chalk samples that were tested at temperatures from 20 °C to 130 °C with the following pore fluids: fresh water, synthetic seawater, glycol, and oil of varying viscosity. The critical frequency is calculated for each experiment. For each specimen, we calculate the thickness to the slipping plane outside...

  11. Compressive behavior of pervious concretes and a quantification of the influence of random pore structure features

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deo, Omkar; Neithalath, Narayanan

    2010-01-01

    Research highlights: → Identified the relevant pore structure features of pervious concretes, provided methodologies to extract those, and quantified the influence of these features on compressive response. → A model for stress-strain relationship of pervious concretes, and relationship between model parameters and parameters of the stress-strain relationship developed. → Statistical model for compressive strength as a function of pore structure features; and a stochastic model for the sensitivity of pore structure features in strength prediction. - Abstract: Properties of a random porous material such as pervious concrete are strongly dependent on its pore structure features, porosity being an important one among them. This study deals with developing an understanding of the material structure-compressive response relationships in pervious concretes. Several pervious concrete mixtures with different pore structure features are proportioned and subjected to static compression tests. The pore structure features such as pore area fractions, pore sizes, mean free spacing of the pores, specific surface area, and the three-dimensional pore distribution density are extracted using image analysis methods. The compressive stress-strain response of pervious concretes, a model to predict the stress-strain response, and its relationship to several of the pore structure features are outlined. Larger aggregate sizes and increase in paste volume fractions are observed to result in increased compressive strengths. The compressive response is found to be influenced by the pore sizes, their distributions and spacing. A statistical model is used to relate the compressive strength to the relevant pore structure features, which is then used as a base model in a Monte-Carlo simulation to evaluate the sensitivity of the predicted compressive strength to the model terms.

  12. Investigations into the free-volume changes within starch/plasticizer/nanoclay systems using Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Huihua, E-mail: h.liu@federation.edu.au [School of Health Sciences, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, Vic (Australia); Chaudhary, Deeptangshu, E-mail: deepc@ers.com.au [ERS Environmental Risk Solutions PTY LTD, Perth, WA (Australia); Campbell, Colin, E-mail: colin.campbell@anu.edu.au [ARC Centre of Excellence for Antimatter-Matter Studies (CAMS), Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra (Australia); Roberts, Jason, E-mail: jxr107@physics.anu.edu.au [ARC Centre of Excellence for Antimatter-Matter Studies (CAMS), Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra (Australia); Buckman, Stephen, E-mail: stephen.buckman@anu.edu.au [ARC Centre of Excellence for Antimatter-Matter Studies (CAMS), Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra (Australia); Sullivan, James, E-mail: james.sullivan@anu.edu.au [ARC Centre of Excellence for Antimatter-Matter Studies (CAMS), Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra (Australia)

    2014-11-14

    The free-volume of a matrix is a fundamental parameter that relates to its molecular and bulk characteristics, such as crystalline change and glass transition behavior. In starch-based bionanocomposite, we investigated the effect of the addition of montmorillonite nanoclay (MMT) and food plasticizers (glycerol and sorbitol) on changes of molecular pore size (including pore volume and pore distribution) using the Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS) method. The results demonstrated counter-intuitive impact of MMT on the total free-volume where the total free-volume increased within the polymeric matrix. When compared to the pure matrix free-volume, the addition of MMT also resulted in the appearance of a broader distribution of the void sizes. The plasticizers, on the other hand, apparently occupied the void spaces, and therefore decreased the free-volume of the matrix. Further, together with the small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis, we concluded that this is a result of interplay between the plasticizer-plasticizer interactions and the polymer–plasticizer interactions. For example, in the starch/glycerol/MMT system, the pore radii slightly decrease upon the increasing of glycerol amount (OG210 = O.27 nm and OG220 = 0.26 nm), but the relative weight did increase with the increasing glycerol concentration. However, increasing the sorbitol amount increased the pore size from 0.23 nm(OS210) to 0.28 nm(OS220). Furthermore, the addition MMT in the OS010 system, promote the emergence of a new dateable pore radius(0.90 nm), and the total weight significantly increased from 13.70 (OS010) to 19.5% (OS210). We suggest that the pore variation (size and distribution) due to the MMT and plasticizers are reflected in the polymer glass transition and crystallinity because ultimately, the, total free-volume is a reflection of level of interactions existing within the bulk of these nanocomposites. - Highlights: • PALS is applied to explore the

  13. Wettability effect on capillary trapping of supercritical CO2 at pore-scale: micromodel experiment and numerical modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, R.; Wan, J.

    2015-12-01

    Wettability of reservoir minerals along pore surfaces plays a controlling role in capillary trapping of supercritical (sc) CO2 in geologic carbon sequestration. The mechanisms controlling scCO2 residual trapping are still not fully understood. We studied the effect of pore surface wettability on CO2 residual saturation at the pore-scale using engineered high pressure and high temperature micromodel (transparent pore networks) experiments and numerical modeling. Through chemical treatment of the micromodel pore surfaces, water-wet, intermediate-wet, and CO2-wet micromodels can be obtained. Both drainage and imbibition experiments were conducted at 8.5 MPa and 45 °C with controlled flow rate. Dynamic images of fluid-fluid displacement processes were recorded using a microscope with a CCD camera. Residual saturations were determined by analysis of late stage imbibition images of flow path structures. We performed direct numerical simulations of the full Navier-Stokes equations using a volume-of-fluid based finite-volume framework for the primary drainage and the followed imbibition for the micromodel experiments with different contact angles. The numerical simulations agreed well with our experimental observations. We found that more scCO2 can be trapped within the CO2-wet micromodel whereas lower residual scCO2 saturation occurred within the water-wet micromodels in both our experiments and the numerical simulations. These results provide direct and consistent evidence of the effect of wettability, and have important implications for scCO2 trapping in geologic carbon sequestration.

  14. Aromatic hydrocarbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roder, M.

    1985-01-01

    Papers dealing with radiolysis of aromatic hydrocarbons of different composition (from benzene to terphenyls and hydrocarbons with condensed rings) as well as their mixtures (with alkanes, alkenes, other aromatic hydrocarbons) are reviewed. High radiation stability of aromatic hydrocarbons in condensed phases associated with peculiarities of molecular structure of compounds is underlined. Mechanisms of radiolytic processes, vaues of product yields are considered

  15. Hydrodeoxygenation of heavy oils derived from low-temperature coal gasification over NiW catalysts-effect of pore structure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dieter Leckel [Sasol Technology Research and Development, Sasolburg (South Africa). Fischer-Tropsch Refinery Catalysis

    2008-01-15

    The effect of the pore structure on the hydroprocessing of heavy distillate oils derived from low-temperature coal gasification residues was studied using four NiW catalysts with different pore size distributions. The hydroprocessing was conducted at a pressure of 17.5 MPa, a temperature range of 370-410{sup o}C, and a 0.50 h{sup -1} space velocity. The degree of hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) in terms of phenolics removal was influenced by the catalyst pore structure, with the most preferable peak pore diameter for HDO ranging between 6.8 and 16 nm. The catalyst with the highest volume of pores in the 3.5-6 nm range showed the lowest HDO activity. The apparent activation energies for the HDO reaction varied between 59 and 87 kJ/mol, whereby the lowest values are obtained for the catalysts with a peak pore diameter of 11 and 16 nm. 30 refs., 5 figs., 6 tabs.

  16. Characterization of pore-filling of spiro-MeOTAD in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells and its consequence in device performance

    KAUST Repository

    Ding, I-Kang; Té treault, Nicolas; Hardin, Brian E.; Smith, Eva H.; Grä tzel, Michael; McGehee, Michael D.

    2009-01-01

    that spiro-OMeTAD can penetrate the entire depth of the film, and its concentration is constant throughout the film. We determine that in a 2.5-•m-thick film, the volume of the pores is 60-65% filled. The pores become less filled when thicker films are used

  17. The pore structure and fractal characteristics of shales with low thermal maturity from the Yuqia Coalfield, northern Qaidam Basin, northwestern China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, Haihai; Shao, Longyi; Li, Yonghong; Li, Zhen; Zhang, Wenlong; Wen, Huaijun

    2018-03-01

    The continental shales from the Middle Jurassic Shimengou Formation of the northern Qaidam Basin, northwestern China, have been investigated in recent years because of their shale gas potential. In this study, a total of twenty-two shale samples were collected from the YQ-1 borehole in the Yuqia Coalfield, northern Qaidam Basin. The total organic carbon (TOC) contents, pore structure parameters, and fractal characteristics of the samples were investigated using TOC analysis, low-temperature nitrogen adsorption experiments, and fractal analysis. The results show that the average pore size of the Shimengou shales varied from 8.149 nm to 20.635 nm with a mean value of 10.74 nm, which is considered mesopore-sized. The pores of the shales are mainly inkbottle- and slit-shaped. The sedimentary environment plays an essential role in controlling the TOC contents of the low maturity shales, with the TOC values of shales from deep to semi-deep lake facies (mean: 5.23%) being notably higher than those of the shore-shallow lake facies (mean: 0.65%). The fractal dimensions range from 2.4639 to 2.6857 with a mean of 2.6122, higher than those of marine shales, which indicates that the pore surface was rougher and the pore structure more complex in these continental shales. The fractal dimensions increase with increasing total pore volume and total specific surface area, and with decreasing average pore size. With increasing TOC contents in shales, the fractal dimensions increase first and then decrease, with the highest value occurring at 2% of TOC content, which is in accordance with the trends between the TOC and both total specific surface area and total pore volume. The pore structure complexity and pore surface roughness of these low-maturity shales would be controlled by the combined effects of both sedimentary environments and the TOC contents.

  18. Direct observations of the 3D pore network of a Callovo-Oxfordian clay-stone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Robinet, J.C.; Talandier, J.; Davy, C.A.; Ghayaza, M.; Skoczylas, F.; Troadec, D.; Sardini, P.

    2012-01-01

    Document available in extended abstract form only. Long term deep underground storage of radioactive nuclear waste is planned in the East of France within an argillaceous rock layer (the host rock), also called argillite, situated at ca. 450-500 m depth. Andra, the French national agency for nuclear waste management, is in charge of assessing the feasibility, the safety and the performance of this underground disposal. The drilling of storage tunnels generates an Excavated Damaged Zone (EDZ), where argillite is macro-cracked in various locations. This requires strengthening by different means, e.g. shotcrete or pre-fabricated concrete arches. It is also expected that underground water seepage will contribute to argillite sealing: mainly self-sealing, and sealing at the interface with concrete. Sealing phenomena include crystalline swelling of smectitic clay components of argillite and inter-particle swelling of clay minerals due to osmosis mechanisms. Small scale pores and mineral organisation of the COx clay-stone are widely acknowledged to control transfer properties of water, gas and varied solutes. In order to assess these properties, the COx small-scale structure has been imaged down to micrometric resolution by various means, including classical Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray computed microtomography and autoradiography. To go further into pore and mineral characterisation of COx clay-stone, the following investigations are currently under way: (i) acquiring/quantifying the 3D geometry of the pore network of undisturbed COx with a nano-metric resolution and (ii) imaging/quantifying the small-scale (mm-nm) structure of self-sealed volumes. The FIB (Focused Ion Beam) /SEM technique allows performing 3D observations of solid volumes of ca. a few microns, with a resolution of about ten nanometers, by acquiring and computing regularly spaced 2D SEM images. This technique provides quantification of the 3D spatial distribution mainly of macro- and meso-pores

  19. A method for eliminating sulfur compounds from fluid, saturated, aliphatic hydrocarbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fakhriev, A.M.; Galiautdinov, N.G.; Kashevarov, L.A.; Mazgarov, A.M.

    1982-01-01

    The method for eliminating sulfur compounds from fluid, saturated, aliphatic hydrocarbons, which involves extracting hydrocarbons using a dimethylsulfoxide extractant, is improved by using a dimethylsulfoxide blend and 10-60 percent (by volume) diethylenetriamine or polyethylenepolyamine which contains diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine and tetraethylenepentamine, in order to eliminate the above compounds. Polyethylenepolyamine is produced as a by-product during the production of ethylenediamine. Elimination is performed at 0-50 degrees and 1-60 atmospheres of pressure. Here, the extractant may contain up to 10 percent water. The use of the proposed method, rather than the existing method, will make it possible to increase hydrocarbon elimination from mercaptans by 40 percent and from H/sub 2/S by 10 percent when the same amount is eliminated from dialkylsulfides.

  20. Porosity of Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) incorporating high volume fly ash

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kristiawan, S. A.; Sunarmasto; Murti, G. Y.

    2017-02-01

    Degradation of concrete could be triggered by the presence of aggressive agents from the environment into the body of concrete. The penetration of these agents is influenced by the pore characteristics of the concrete. Incorporating a pozzolanic material such as fly ash could modify the pore characteristic of the concrete. This research aims to investigate the influence of incorporating fly ash at high volume level on the porosity of Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC). Laboratory investigations were carried out following the ASTM C642 for measuring density and volume of permeable pores (voids) of the SCC with varying fly ash contents (50-70% by weight of total binder). In addition, a measurement of permeable voids by saturation method was carried out to obtain an additional volume of voids that could not be measured by the immersion and boiling method of ASTM C642. The results show that the influence of fly ash content on the porosity appears to be dependent on age of SCC. At age less than 56 d, fly ash tends to cause an increase of voids but at 90 d of age it reduces the pores. The additional pores that can be penetrated by vacuum saturation method counts about 50% of the total voids.

  1. The effect of synthesis parameters on the geometry and dimensions of mesoporous hydroxyapatite nanoparticles in the presence of 1-dodecanethiol as a pore expander

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bakhtiari, L.; Rezaie, H.R.; Javadpour, J.; Erfan, M.; Shokrgozar, M.A.

    2015-01-01

    Mesoporous hydroxyapatite with different pore diameters and pore volumes were synthesized by the self-assembly method using Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as the cationic surfactant and 1-dodecanethiol as the pore expander at different micellization pHs, solvent types and surfactant concentrations. Results of field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) showed a decrease in length/diameter ratio of rod-like particles by an increase in micellization pH and also a sphere to rod transition in morphology by an increase in CTAB concentration. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area and Low angle X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the optimized mesoporous hydroxyapatite with controlled pore structure can be obtained under basic micellization pH (about 12, pH of complete ionization of 1-dodecanethiol) by using water as the solvent and a high content of cationic surfactant. The results also show that micellization pH has a strong effect on pore structure and changing the pH can shift the mesostructure to a macroporous structure with morphological changes. - Highlights: • Synthesis of mesoporous hydroxyapatite with controlled pore structure • Introduced a facile way to obtain mesoporous hydroxyapatite with high pore volume • Evaluation of morphological changes as a function of synthesis parameters

  2. Mesoporous ethanesilica materials with bimodal and trimodal pore-size distributions synthesised in the presence of cobalt ions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alufelwi M. Tshavhungwe

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Mesoporous organosilica materials containing ethane groups in their framework were formed with two and three pore sizes (i.e. bimodal and trimodal pores when synthesised by the sol-gel method in the presence of cobalt ions. The compounds 1,2-bistrimethoxysilylethane and tetraethylorthosilicate were used as silicon sources and the reactions were done in the presence of a surfactant, which served as a template. Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy revealed that organic functional groups were incorporated into the ethanesilica. Powder X-ray diffraction and nitrogen adsorption data indicated that the mesophase and textural properties (surface area, pore volume, pore diameter of the materials were dependent on the ageing temperature, the amount/ratio of silica precursors and cobalt ion incorporation. Secondary mesopores were drastically reduced by changing the ratio of silicon precursors.

  3. Effects of pore shape and porosity on the properties of porous LNKN ceramics as bone substitute

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Qi; Chen Qiang; Zhu Jianguo; Huang Chunpeng; Darvell, Brian W.; Chen Zhiqing

    2008-01-01

    A porous lead-free piezoelectric ceramic is investigated as direct bone substitute. Porous lithium sodium potassium niobate (Li 0.06 Na 0.5 K 0.44 )NbO 3 specimens were prepared by pore-forming method. Different volume fraction of ammonium oxalate monohydrate and poly(methyl methacrylate) were used as porogens to obtain different pore shape and porosity. Scanning electron microscopy showed a bicontinuous 3-3 structure of interconnected pores 150-250 μm in size. The piezoelectric constants and electromechanical coupling coefficients may be controlled by both size and shape of the porogens to tune for the best biological response. Such materials show promise for use as a piezoelectric composite bone substitute

  4. Synthesis and characterization of high-surface-area millimeter-sized silica beads with hierarchical multi-modal pore structure by the addition of agar

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Han, Yosep; Choi, Junhyun [Department of Mineral Resources and Energy Engineering, Chonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do 561–756 (Korea, Republic of); Tong, Meiping, E-mail: tongmeiping@iee.pku.edu.cn [The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Kim, Hyunjung, E-mail: kshjkim@jbnu.ac.kr [Department of Mineral Resources and Energy Engineering, Chonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do 561–756 (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-04-01

    Millimeter-sized spherical silica foams (SSFs) with hierarchical multi-modal pore structure featuring high specific surface area and ordered mesoporous frameworks were successfully prepared using aqueous agar addition, foaming and drop-in-oil processes. The pore-related properties of the prepared spherical silica (SSs) and SSFs were systematically characterized by field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), small-angle X-ray diffraction (SAXRD), Hg intrusion porosimetry, and N{sub 2} adsorption–desorption isotherm measurements. Improvements in the BET surface area and total pore volume were observed at 504 m{sup 2} g{sup −1} and 5.45 cm{sup 3} g{sup −1}, respectively, after an agar addition and foaming process. Despite the increase in the BET surface area, the mesopore wall thickness and the pore size of the mesopores generated from the block copolymer with agar addition were unchanged based on the SAXRD, TEM, and BJH methods. The SSFs prepared in the present study were confirmed to have improved BET surface area and micropore volume through the agar loading, and to exhibit interconnected 3-dimensional network macropore structure leading to the enhancement of total porosity and BET surface area via the foaming process. - Highlights: • Millimeter-sized spherical silica foams (SSFs) are successfully prepared. • SSFs exhibit high BET surface area and ordered hierarchical pore structure. • Agar addition improves BET surface area and micropore volume of SSFs. • Foaming process generates interconnected 3-D network macropore structure of SSFs.

  5. Pore structure modification of diatomite as sulfuric acid catalyst support by high energy electron beam irradiation and hydrothermal treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Chong; Zhang, Guilong; Wang, Min; Chen, Jianfeng; Cai, Dongqing; Wu, Zhengyan

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • High energy electron beam (HEEB) irradiation and hydrothermal treatment were used. • HEEB irradiation could make the impurities in the pores of diatomite loose. • Hydrothermal treatment (HT) could remove these impurities from the pores. • They could effectively improve pore size distribution and decrease the bulk density. • Catalytic performance of the corresponding catalyst was significantly improved. - Abstract: High energy electron beam (HEEB) irradiation and hydrothermal treatment (HT), were applied in order to remove the impurities and enlarge the pore size of diatomite, making diatomite more suitable to be a catalyst support. The results demonstrated that, through thermal, charge, impact and etching effects, HEEB irradiation could make the impurities in the pores of diatomite loose and remove some of them. Then HT could remove rest of them from the pores and contribute significantly to the modification of the pore size distribution of diatomite due to thermal expansion, water swelling and thermolysis effects. Moreover, the pore structure modification improved the properties (BET (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) specific surface area, bulk density and pore volume) of diatomite and the catalytic efficiency of the catalyst prepared from the treated diatomite

  6. Pore structure modification of diatomite as sulfuric acid catalyst support by high energy electron beam irradiation and hydrothermal treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Chong [Research Center of the Ministry of Education for High Gravity Engineering and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Zhang, Guilong; Wang, Min [Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China); Chen, Jianfeng [Research Center of the Ministry of Education for High Gravity Engineering and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Cai, Dongqing, E-mail: dqcai@ipp.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China); Wu, Zhengyan, E-mail: zywu@ipp.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China)

    2014-08-15

    Highlights: • High energy electron beam (HEEB) irradiation and hydrothermal treatment were used. • HEEB irradiation could make the impurities in the pores of diatomite loose. • Hydrothermal treatment (HT) could remove these impurities from the pores. • They could effectively improve pore size distribution and decrease the bulk density. • Catalytic performance of the corresponding catalyst was significantly improved. - Abstract: High energy electron beam (HEEB) irradiation and hydrothermal treatment (HT), were applied in order to remove the impurities and enlarge the pore size of diatomite, making diatomite more suitable to be a catalyst support. The results demonstrated that, through thermal, charge, impact and etching effects, HEEB irradiation could make the impurities in the pores of diatomite loose and remove some of them. Then HT could remove rest of them from the pores and contribute significantly to the modification of the pore size distribution of diatomite due to thermal expansion, water swelling and thermolysis effects. Moreover, the pore structure modification improved the properties (BET (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) specific surface area, bulk density and pore volume) of diatomite and the catalytic efficiency of the catalyst prepared from the treated diatomite.

  7. An inverse-source problem for maximization of pore-fluid oscillation within poroelastic formations

    KAUST Repository

    Jeong, C.; Kallivokas, L. F.

    2016-01-01

    This paper discusses a mathematical and numerical modeling approach for identification of an unknown optimal loading time signal of a wave source, atop the ground surface, that can maximize the relative wave motion of a single-phase pore fluid within fluid-saturated porous permeable (poroelastic) rock formations, surrounded by non-permeable semi-infinite elastic solid rock formations, in a one-dimensional setting. The motivation stems from a set of field observations, following seismic events and vibrational tests, suggesting that shaking an oil reservoir is likely to improve oil production rates. This maximization problem is cast into an inverse-source problem, seeking an optimal loading signal that minimizes an objective functional – the reciprocal of kinetic energy in terms of relative pore-fluid wave motion within target poroelastic layers. We use the finite element method to obtain the solution of the governing wave physics of a multi-layered system, where the wave equations for the target poroelastic layers and the elastic wave equation for the surrounding non-permeable layers are coupled with each other. We use a partial-differential-equation-constrained-optimization framework (a state-adjoint-control problem approach) to tackle the minimization problem. The numerical results show that the numerical optimizer recovers optimal loading signals, whose dominant frequencies correspond to amplification frequencies, which can also be obtained by a frequency sweep, leading to larger amplitudes of relative pore-fluid wave motion within the target hydrocarbon formation than other signals.

  8. An inverse-source problem for maximization of pore-fluid oscillation within poroelastic formations

    KAUST Repository

    Jeong, C.

    2016-07-04

    This paper discusses a mathematical and numerical modeling approach for identification of an unknown optimal loading time signal of a wave source, atop the ground surface, that can maximize the relative wave motion of a single-phase pore fluid within fluid-saturated porous permeable (poroelastic) rock formations, surrounded by non-permeable semi-infinite elastic solid rock formations, in a one-dimensional setting. The motivation stems from a set of field observations, following seismic events and vibrational tests, suggesting that shaking an oil reservoir is likely to improve oil production rates. This maximization problem is cast into an inverse-source problem, seeking an optimal loading signal that minimizes an objective functional – the reciprocal of kinetic energy in terms of relative pore-fluid wave motion within target poroelastic layers. We use the finite element method to obtain the solution of the governing wave physics of a multi-layered system, where the wave equations for the target poroelastic layers and the elastic wave equation for the surrounding non-permeable layers are coupled with each other. We use a partial-differential-equation-constrained-optimization framework (a state-adjoint-control problem approach) to tackle the minimization problem. The numerical results show that the numerical optimizer recovers optimal loading signals, whose dominant frequencies correspond to amplification frequencies, which can also be obtained by a frequency sweep, leading to larger amplitudes of relative pore-fluid wave motion within the target hydrocarbon formation than other signals.

  9. Positron annihilation and 129Xe NMR studies of free volume in polymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagasaka, Bunsow; Eguchi, Taro; Nakayama, Hirokazu; Nakamura, Nobuo; Ito, Yasuo

    2000-01-01

    The existence and the average size of free volume in bisphenol-A polycarbonate (PC), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), poly (2,6-dimethyl-phenylene oxide)(PPO), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) were studied by positron annihilation and 129 Xe NMR measurements. The 129 Xe NMR chemical shifts for xenon adsorbed in the polymers indicated that the average pore size of the free volume increased in the following order: PC, LDPE, PPO, and PTFE. This order of the pore size of the free volume agrees well with that estimated from the longest lifetime (τ 3 ) of ortho-positronium formed in the polymers. The unique correlation that δ -1 ∝ r is established between the 129 Xe NMR chemical shift (δ) and the pore size (r), which is deduced from the positron annihilation measurements.

  10. Evaluation of the effect of varying the workability in concrete pore structure by using X-ray microtomography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. E. Bernardes

    Full Text Available The useful life of concrete is associated with the penetrative ability of aggressive agents on their structures. Structural parameters such as porosity, pore distribution and connectivity have great influence on the properties of mass transport in porous solids. In the present study, the effect of varying the workability of concrete in fresh state, produced through the use of additives, on pore structure and on the mechanical compressive strength of hardened concrete was assessed. The pore structure was analyzed with the aid of X-ray microtomography, and the results obtained were compared to the total pore volume calculated from data derived from helium and mercury pycnometry tests. A good approximation between the porosity values obtained through the two techniques was observed, and it was found that, regardless of concrete consistency, the samples from the surface of the specimens showed a percentage of pores higher than those taken from the more inner layers.

  11. Pore water sampling in acid sulfate soils: a new peeper method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnston, Scott G; Burton, Edward D; Keene, Annabelle F; Bush, Richard T; Sullivan, Leigh A; Isaacson, Lloyd

    2009-01-01

    This study describes the design, deployment, and application of a modified equilibration dialysis device (peeper) optimized for sampling pore waters in acid sulfate soils (ASS). The modified design overcomes the limitations of traditional-style peepers, when sampling firm ASS materials over relatively large depth intervals. The new peeper device uses removable, individual cells of 25 mL volume housed in a 1.5 m long rigid, high-density polyethylene rod. The rigid housing structure allows the device to be inserted directly into relatively firm soils without requiring a supporting frame. The use of removable cells eliminates the need for a large glove-box after peeper retrieval, thus simplifying physical handling. Removable cells are easily maintained in an inert atmosphere during sample processing and the 25-mL sample volume is sufficient for undertaking multiple analyses. A field evaluation of equilibration times indicates that 32 to 38 d of deployment was necessary. Overall, the modified method is simple and effective and well suited to acquisition and processing of redox-sensitive pore water profiles>1 m deep in acid sulfate soil or any other firm wetland soils.

  12. Synthesis and characterization of thermally stable large-pore mesoporous nanocrystallineanatase

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ermokhina, Natalia I.; Nevinskiy, Vitaly A.; Manorik, Piotr A.; Ilyin, Vladimir G. [L.V. Pisarzhevskiy Institute of Physical Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 31 Prospekt Nauki, Kyiv 03028 (Ukraine); Novichenko, Viktor N.; Shcherbatiuk, Mykola M.; Klymchuk, Dmitro O. [M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 2Tereshchenkivska St., 01601, Kyiv (Ukraine); Tsyba, Mykola M. [Institute for Sorption and Problems of Endoecology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 13 Naumov St., Kyiv 03164 (Ukraine); Puziy, Alexander M., E-mail: alexander.puziy@ispe.kiev.ua [Institute for Sorption and Problems of Endoecology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 13 Naumov St., Kyiv 03164 (Ukraine)

    2013-04-15

    Thermally stable mesoporous nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} with a pure anatase structure was obtained by sol–gel synthesis (in combination with hydrothermal treatment) using titanium tetrabutoxide and dibenzo-18-crown-6 as a structure-directing agent in presence of surfactant and/or La{sup 3+} ions additives. Nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} demonstrates various textures with a well-defined spherical morphology (micro- and nanospheres), a crystallite size of no greater than 10 nm (XRD), and a narrow pore size distribution. Spherical particles of micrometer scale in the presence of La{sup 3+} ions do not form. TiO{sub 2} calcined (at 500 °C) after hydrothermal treatment (at 175 °C) has a significantly more developed porous structure as compared with TiO{sub 2} which was not treated hydrothermally. For example, specific surface area amounts 137 m{sup 2} g{sup −1} and 69 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}, pore volume 0.98 cm{sup 3} g{sup −1} and 0.21 cm{sup 3} g{sup −1}, pore diameter 17.5 nm and 12.5 nm respectively for samples hydrothermally treated and not treated. - Graphical abstract: Large-pore mesoporous nanocristalline anatase. Highlights: ► Large-pore mesoporous nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} was obtained by sol–gel synthesis. ► Crown ether was used as template in presence of surfactant and/or La{sup 3+} ions. ► Anatase (crystalline size<11 nm) is the only crystalline phase present in TiO{sub 2}. ► TiO{sub 2} shows well-defined homogeneous spherical morphology (micro- and nano-spheres)

  13. The reformation of liquid hydrocarbons in an aqueous discharge reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Xuming; Cha, Min Suk

    2015-01-01

    We present an aqueous discharge reactor for the reformation of liquid hydrocarbons. To increase a dielectric constant of a liquid medium, we added distilled water to iso-octane and n-dodecane. As expected, we found decreased discharge onset voltage and increased discharge power with increased water content. Results using optical emission spectroscopy identified OH radicals and O atoms as the predominant oxidative reactive species with the addition of water. Enriched CH radicals were also visualized, evidencing the existence of cascade carbon–carbon cleavage and dehydrogenation processes in the aqueous discharge. The gaseous product consisted primarily of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and unsaturated hydrocarbons. The composition of the product was readily adjustable by varying the volume of water added, which demonstrated a significant difference in composition with respect to the tested liquid hydrocarbon. In this study, we found no presence of CO 2 emissions or the contamination of the reactor by solid carbon deposition. These findings offer a new approach to the reforming processes of liquid hydrocarbons and provide a novel concept for the design of a practical and compact plasma reformer. (paper)

  14. Quicklime-induced changes of soil properties: Implications for enhanced remediation of volatile chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminated soils via mechanical soil aeration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Yan; Dong, Binbin; He, Xiaosong; Shi, Yi; Xu, Mingyue; He, Xuwen; Du, Xiaoming; Li, Fasheng

    2017-04-01

    Mechanical soil aeration is used for soil remediation at sites contaminated by volatile organic compounds. However, the effectiveness of the method is limited by low soil temperature, high soil moisture, and high soil viscosity. Combined with mechanical soil aeration, quicklime has a practical application value related to reinforcement remediation and to its action in the remediation of soil contaminated with volatile organic compounds. In this study, the target pollutant was trichloroethylene, which is a volatile chlorinated hydrocarbon pollutant commonly found in contaminated soils. A restoration experiment was carried out, using a set of mechanical soil-aeration simulation tests, by adding quicklime (mass ratios of 3, 10, and 20%) to the contaminated soil. The results clearly indicate that quicklime changed the physical properties of the soil, which affected the environmental behaviour of trichloroethylene in the soil. The addition of CaO increased soil temperature and reduced soil moisture to improve the mass transfer of trichloroethylene. In addition, it improved the macroporous cumulative pore volume and average pore size, which increased soil permeability. As soil pH increased, the clay mineral content in the soils decreased, the cation exchange capacity and the redox potential decreased, and the removal of trichloroethylene from the soil was enhanced to a certain extent. After the addition of quicklime, the functional group COO of soil organic matter could interact with calcium ions, which increased soil polarity and promoted the removal of trichloroethylene. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. The analysis and comparison of the ions present in the pore water of different cement systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jolliffe, C.B.

    1990-01-01

    Cementation is currently the main encapsulation route for the safe disposal of intermediate level radioactive waste. By analysis of the pore solutions extracted from hardened cement pastes any potential interactions between the cement matrix and/or the disposal container can be identified. The effect of hydration time on three different blended cement systems has been assessed by analysing the water extracted from the pore voids within the hardened cement pastes by use of a high force hydraulic press. The pH, redox potential, anion and cation concentrations were measured using standard analytical techniques. The results showed that as the cement systems hydrated the volume of pore water extracted decreased, causing a reduction in the ionic species released into solution. The strongly basic pore waters contained mainly potassium and sodium hydroxide and this feature needs to be taken into account when modelling radionuclide migration. (author)

  16. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of light hydrocarbons produced by radiation degradation of N, N-dimethyl hydroxylamine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Jinhua; Bao Borong; Wu Minghong; Sun Xilian; Zhang Xianye; Hu Jingxin; Ye Guoan

    2004-01-01

    This paper reports the qualitative and quantitative analysis of light hydrocarbons produced by radiation degradation of N, N-dimethyl hydroxylamine. These analyses were performed on the gas chromatograph, in which porous layer open tubular column coated with aluminum oxide and flame-ionization detector are used. For the doses between 10 and 1000 kGy, the light hydrocarbons produced by radiation degradation of N,N-dimethyl hydroxylamine are methane, ethane, ethene, propane, propene and n-butane. When the concentration of N,N-dimethyl hydroxylamine is 0.2 mol/L, the volume fraction of methane is (9.996-247.5) x 10 -6 , the volume fraction of ethane, propane and n-butane is lower and that of ethene and propene is much lower. With the increase of dose the volume fraction of methane is increased but the volume fraction of ethane, ethene, propane, propene and n-butane is not obviously changed. (authors)

  17. Pore system characteristics of the Permian transitional shale reservoir in the Lower Yangtze Region, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taotao Cao

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The Permian shale, a set of transitional shale reservoir, is considered to be an important shale gas exploration target in the Lower Yangtze region. Due to little research conducted on the pore system characteristic and its controlling factors of the shale gas reservoir, SEM, FE-SEM, low-pressure N2 adsorption, and mercury intrusion tests were carried out on the Permian shales from the outcrop and HC well in the southern Anhui. The results show that the Permian shales mainly consist of organic matter, quartz, illite, calcite, and pyrite, of which pyrite occurs as framboids coexisting with organic matter and the organic matter is distributed in shales in stripped, interstitial, thin film and shell shapes. The basic pore types are inorganic mineral pore (intercrystalline pore, intergranular edge pore, intergranular pore, and interlayer pore in clay minerals and the organic pore and microfracture, of which organic pore and microfracture are the dominating pore types. In shale, organic pores are not developed at all in some organic grains but are well developed in others, which may be related to the types of and maceral compositions of kerogen. Under tectonic stress, shale rocks could develop mylonitization phenomenon exhibiting organic grains well blend with clay minerals, and produce a mass of microfractures and nanopores between organic matter grains and clay minerals. Mercury intrusion tests show that the shale is mainly composed of micropore and transition pore with high porosity, good pore connectivity and high efficiency of mercury withdraw, while the shale that mainly dominated by mesopore and macropore has a low porosity, poor pore connectivity, and low efficiency of the mercury withdraw. The volume percentage of mesopore and marcopore is increasing with the increase of quartz, and that of micropore and transition pore has a decreased tendency along with the increase of soluble organic matter (S1. Organic matter is the main contributor to

  18. Characterization of large-pore polymeric supports for use in perfusion biochromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitney, D; McCoy, M; Gordon, N; Afeyan, N

    1998-05-22

    Perfusion chromatography is uniquely characterized by the flow of a portion of the column eluent directly through the resin in the packed bed. The benefits of this phenomenon and some of the properties of perfusive resins have been described before, and can be summarized as enhanced mass transport to interior binding sites. Here we extend the understanding of this phenomenon by comparing resins with different pore size distributions. Resins are chosen to give approximately the same specific pore volumes (as shown in the characterization section) but the varying contribution of large pores is used to control the amount of liquid flowing through the beads. POROS R1 has the largest contribution of throughpores, and therefore the greatest intraparticle flow. POROS R2 has a lower contribution of throughpores, and a higher surface area coming from a greater population of diffusive pores, but still shows significant mass transport enhancements relative to a purely diffusive control. Oligo R3 is dominated by a high population of diffusive pores, and is used comparatively as a non-perfusive resin. Although the pore size distribution can be engineered to control mass transport rates, the resulting surface area is not the only means by which binding capacity can be controlled. Surface coatings are employed to increase binding capacity without fundamentally altering the mass transport properties. Models are used to describe the amount of flow transecting the beads, and comparisons of coated resins to uncoated (polystyrene) resins leads to the conclusion that these coatings do not obstruct the throughpore structures. This is an important conclusion since the binding capacity of the coated product, in some cases, is shown to be over 10-fold higher than the precursor polystyrene scaffold (i.e., POROS R1 or POROS R2).

  19. Pore Type Classification on Carbonate Reservoir in Offshore Sarawak using Rock Physics Model and Rock Digital Images

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lubis, L A; Harith, Z Z T

    2014-01-01

    It has been recognized that carbonate reservoirs are one of the biggest sources of hydrocarbon. Clearly, the evaluation of these reservoirs is important and critical. For rigorous reservoir characterization and performance prediction from geophysical measurements, the exact interpretation of geophysical response of different carbonate pore types is crucial. Yet, the characterization of carbonate reservoir rocks is difficult due to their complex pore systems. The significant diagenesis process and complex depositional environment makes pore systems in carbonates far more complicated than in clastics. Therefore, it is difficult to establish rock physics model for carbonate rock type. In this paper, we evaluate the possible rock physics model of 20 core plugs of a Miocene carbonate platform in Central Luconia, Sarawak. The published laboratory data of this area were used as an input to create the carbonate rock physics models. The elastic properties were analyzed to examine the validity of an existing analytical carbonate rock physics model. We integrate the Xu-Payne Differential Effective Medium (DEM) Model and the elastic modulus which was simulated from a digital carbonate rock image using Finite Element Modeling. The results of this integration matched well for the separation of carbonate pore types and sonic P-wave velocity obtained from laboratory measurement. Thus, the results of this study show that the integration of rock digital image and theoretical rock physics might improve the elastic properties prediction and useful for more advance geophysical techniques (e.g. Seismic Inversion) of carbonate reservoir in Sarawak

  20. Electroosmotic pore transport in human skin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uitto, Olivia D; White, Henry S

    2003-04-01

    To determine the pathways and origin of electroosmotic flow in human skin. Iontophoretic transport of acetaminophen in full thickness human cadaver skin was visualized and quantified by scanning electrochemical microscopy. Electroosmotic flow in the shunt pathways of full thickness skin was compared to flow in the pores of excised stratum corneum and a synthetic membrane pore. The penetration of rhodamine 6G into pore structures was investigated by laser scanning confocal microscopy. Electroosmotic transport is observed in shunt pathways in full thickness human skin (e.g., hair follicles and sweat glands), but not in pore openings of freestanding stratum corneum. Absolute values of the diffusive and iontophoretic pore fluxes of acetaminophen in full thickness human skin are also reported. Rhodamine 6G is observed to penetrate to significant depths (approximately 200 microm) along pore pathways. Iontophoresis in human cadaver skin induces localized electroosmotic flow along pore shunt paths. Electroosmotic forces arise from the passage of current through negatively charged mesoor nanoscale pores (e.g., gap functions) within cellular regions that define the pore structure beneath the stratum corneum.

  1. Laboratory characterization of shale pores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nur Listiyowati, Lina

    2018-02-01

    To estimate the potential of shale gas reservoir, one needs to understand the characteristics of pore structures. Characterization of shale gas reservoir microstructure is still a challenge due to ultra-fine grained micro-fabric and micro level heterogeneity of these sedimentary rocks. The sample used in the analysis is a small portion of any reservoir. Thus, each measurement technique has a different result. It raises the question which methods are suitable for characterizing pore shale. The goal of this paper is to summarize some of the microstructure analysis tools of shale rock to get near-real results. The two analyzing pore structure methods are indirect measurement (MIP, He, NMR, LTNA) and direct observation (SEM, TEM, Xray CT). Shale rocks have a high heterogeneity; thus, it needs multiscale quantification techniques to understand their pore structures. To describe the complex pore system of shale, several measurement techniques are needed to characterize the surface area and pore size distribution (LTNA, MIP), shapes, size and distribution of pore (FIB-SEM, TEM, Xray CT), and total porosity (He pycnometer, NMR). The choice of techniques and methods should take into account the purpose of the analysis and also the time and budget.

  2. Using BIB-SEM to determine pore morphology and pore size distributions in coal macerals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Giffin, S.; Littke, R. [RWTH Aachen Univ. (Germany). Inst. of Geology and Geochemistry of Petroleum and Coal; Klaver, J.; Urai, J.L. [RWTH Aachen Univ. (Germany). Structural Geology, Tectonics and Geomechanics

    2013-08-01

    The composition of coalbeds is considerably heterogeneous, affecting the transport pathways for fluids within the coal. Transport pathways include cleats and larger pores. However, only a few clues exist as the nature of these pores. This study examines the morphology and distribution of macro- and mesopores in coal samples, using broad ion beam (BIB) milling to prepare relief- and damage-free polished surfaces of coal samples for high-resolution SEM imaging. Broad ion beam milling is advantageous to focused ion beam milling in that a larger surface area can be milled. Combining that with SEM imaging results in a useful tool to study pore morphology and distributions in the size range between 10 nm and 10 {mu}m. Since BIB-sections of a few square millimeters are not large enough to be statistically representative, results cannot be easily interpreted from a coal seam standpoint. Therefore, porosity was investigated as a function of maceral type to characterize pore morphologies. Macerals from the vitrinite and inertinite groups were selected with a known relationship to bedding. BIB-sections were milled parallel to bedding and perpendicular to bedding, and the pores were evaluated in each section. The goal of this study is to (1) qualitatively describe pore morphology with respect to maceral type and (2) quantitatively characterize pore size distributions with respect to maceral and in relationship to bedding. Our results lead to a better understanding of bulk coal porosity due to the visual, spatial representation and quantification of pores in individual macerals. (orig.)

  3. Estimation of adsorption-induced pore pressure and confinement in a nanoscopic slit pore by a density functional theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grégoire, David; Malheiro, Carine; Miqueu, Christelle

    2018-03-01

    This study aims at characterising the adsorption-induced pore pressure and confinement in nanoscopic pores by molecular non-local density functional theory (DFT). Considering its important potential industrial applications, the adsorption of methane in graphitic slit pores has been selected as the test case. While retaining the accuracy of molecular simulations at pore scale, DFT has a very low computational cost that allows obtaining highly resolved pore pressure maps as a function of both pore width and thermodynamic conditions. The dependency of pore pressure on these parameters (pore width, pressure and temperature) is carefully analysed in order to highlight the effect of each parameter on the confined fluid properties that impact the solid matrix.

  4. Pore-scale simulation of wettability and interfacial tension effects on flooding process for enhanced oil recovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Jin; Wen, Dongsheng

    2017-08-27

    For enhanced oil recovery (EOR) applications, the oil/water flow characteristics during the flooding process was numerically investigated with the volume-of-fluid method at the pore scale. A two-dimensional pore throat-body connecting structure was established, and four scenarios were simulated in this paper. For oil-saturated pores, the wettability effect on the flooding process was studied; for oil-unsaturated pores, three effects were modelled to investigate the oil/water phase flow behaviors, namely the wettability effect, the interfacial tension (IFT) effect, and the combined wettability/IFT effect. The results show that oil saturated pores with the water-wet state can lead to 25-40% more oil recovery than with the oil-wet state, and the remaining oil mainly stays in the near wall region of the pore bodies for oil-wet saturated pores. For oil-unsaturated pores, the wettability effects on the flooding process can help oil to detach from the pore walls. By decreasing the oil/water interfacial tension and altering the wettability from oil-wet to water-wet state, the remaining oil recovery rate can be enhanced successfully. The wettability-IFT combined effect shows better EOR potential compared with decreasing the interfacial tension alone under the oil-wet condition. The simulation results in this work are consistent with previous experimental and molecular dynamics simulation conclusions. The combination effect of the IFT reducation and wettability alteration can become an important recovery mechanism in future studies for nanoparticles, surfactant, and nanoparticle-surfactant hybrid flooding process.

  5. Multi-scale Multi-dimensional Imaging and Characterization of Oil Shale Pyrolysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Y.; Saif, T.; Lin, Q.; Al-Khulaifi, Y.; Blunt, M. J.; Bijeljic, B.

    2017-12-01

    The microstructural evaluation of fine grained rocks is challenging which demands the use of several complementary methods. Oil shale, a fine-grained organic-rich sedimentary rock, represents a large and mostly untapped unconventional hydrocarbon resource with global reserves estimated at 4.8 trillion barrels. The largest known deposit is the Eocene Green River Formation in Western Colorado, Eastern Utah, and Southern Wyoming. An improved insight into the mineralogy, organic matter distribution and pore network structure before, during and after oil shale pyrolysis is critical to understanding hydrocarbon flow behaviour and improving recovery. In this study, we image Mahogany zone oil shale samples in two dimensions (2-D) using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and in three dimensions (3-D) using focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), laboratory-based X-ray micro-tomography (µCT) and synchrotron X-ray µCT to reveal a complex and variable fine grained microstructure dominated by organic-rich parallel laminations which are tightly bound in a highly calcareous and heterogeneous mineral matrix. We report the results of a detailed µCT study of the Mahogany oil shale with increasing pyrolysis temperature. The physical transformation of the internal microstructure and evolution of pore space during the thermal conversion of kerogen in oil shale to produce hydrocarbon products was characterized. The 3-D volumes of pyrolyzed oil shale were reconstructed and image processed to visualize and quantify the volume and connectivity of the pore space. The results show a significant increase in anisotropic porosity associated with pyrolysis between 300-500°C with the formation of micron-scale connected pore channels developing principally along the kerogen-rich lamellar structures.

  6. Pore structure and function of synthetic nanopores with fixed charges: tip shape and rectification properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    RamIrez, Patricio [Departament de Fisica Aplicada, Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, E-46022 Valencia (Spain); Apel, Pavel Yu [Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Joliot-Curie street 6, 141980 Dubna (Russian Federation); Cervera, Javier; Mafe, Salvador [Departament de Fisica de la Terra i Termodinamica, Universitat de Valencia, E-46100 Burjassot (Spain)], E-mail: patraho@fis.upv.es

    2008-08-06

    We present a complete theoretical study of the relationship between the structure (tip shape and dimensions) and function (selectivity and rectification) of asymmetric nanopores on the basis of previous experimental studies. The theoretical model uses a continuum approach based on the Nernst-Planck equations. According to our results, the nanopore transport properties, such as current-voltage (I-V) characteristics, conductance, rectification ratio, and selectivity, are dictated mainly by the shape of the pore tip (we have distinguished bullet-like, conical, trumpet-like, and hybrid shapes) and the concentration of pore surface charges. As a consequence, the nanopore performance in practical applications will depend not only on the base and tip openings but also on the pore shape. In particular, we show that the pore opening dimensions estimated from the pore conductance can be very different, depending on the pore shape assumed. The results obtained can also be of practical relevance for the design of nanopores, nanopipettes, and nanoelectrodes, where the electrical interactions between the charges attached to the nanostructure and the mobile charges confined in the reduced volume of the inside solution dictate the device performance in practical applications. Because single tracks are the elementary building blocks for nanoporous membranes, the understanding and control of their individual properties should also be crucial in protein separation, water desalination, and bio-molecule detection using arrays of identical nanopores.

  7. Pore structure and function of synthetic nanopores with fixed charges: tip shape and rectification properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    RamIrez, Patricio; Apel, Pavel Yu; Cervera, Javier; Mafe, Salvador

    2008-01-01

    We present a complete theoretical study of the relationship between the structure (tip shape and dimensions) and function (selectivity and rectification) of asymmetric nanopores on the basis of previous experimental studies. The theoretical model uses a continuum approach based on the Nernst-Planck equations. According to our results, the nanopore transport properties, such as current-voltage (I-V) characteristics, conductance, rectification ratio, and selectivity, are dictated mainly by the shape of the pore tip (we have distinguished bullet-like, conical, trumpet-like, and hybrid shapes) and the concentration of pore surface charges. As a consequence, the nanopore performance in practical applications will depend not only on the base and tip openings but also on the pore shape. In particular, we show that the pore opening dimensions estimated from the pore conductance can be very different, depending on the pore shape assumed. The results obtained can also be of practical relevance for the design of nanopores, nanopipettes, and nanoelectrodes, where the electrical interactions between the charges attached to the nanostructure and the mobile charges confined in the reduced volume of the inside solution dictate the device performance in practical applications. Because single tracks are the elementary building blocks for nanoporous membranes, the understanding and control of their individual properties should also be crucial in protein separation, water desalination, and bio-molecule detection using arrays of identical nanopores

  8. Pore structure and function of synthetic nanopores with fixed charges: tip shape and rectification properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramírez, Patricio; Apel, Pavel Yu; Cervera, Javier; Mafé, Salvador

    2008-08-06

    We present a complete theoretical study of the relationship between the structure (tip shape and dimensions) and function (selectivity and rectification) of asymmetric nanopores on the basis of previous experimental studies. The theoretical model uses a continuum approach based on the Nernst-Planck equations. According to our results, the nanopore transport properties, such as current-voltage (I-V) characteristics, conductance, rectification ratio, and selectivity, are dictated mainly by the shape of the pore tip (we have distinguished bullet-like, conical, trumpet-like, and hybrid shapes) and the concentration of pore surface charges. As a consequence, the nanopore performance in practical applications will depend not only on the base and tip openings but also on the pore shape. In particular, we show that the pore opening dimensions estimated from the pore conductance can be very different, depending on the pore shape assumed. The results obtained can also be of practical relevance for the design of nanopores, nanopipettes, and nanoelectrodes, where the electrical interactions between the charges attached to the nanostructure and the mobile charges confined in the reduced volume of the inside solution dictate the device performance in practical applications. Because single tracks are the elementary building blocks for nanoporous membranes, the understanding and control of their individual properties should also be crucial in protein separation, water desalination, and bio-molecule detection using arrays of identical nanopores.

  9. Role of nitrogen in pore development in activated carbon prepared by potassium carbonate activation of lignin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tsubouchi, Naoto, E-mail: tsubon@eng.hokudai.ac.jp; Nishio, Megumi; Mochizuki, Yuuki

    2016-05-15

    Highlights: • Activated carbon prepared from a lignin/urea/K{sub 2}CO{sub 3} mixture provides a high specific surface area and a large pore volume. • Part of the urea nitrogen present in the mixture is retained as heterocyclic nitrogen in the solid phase after activation/carbonization. • Pore development is thought to proceed through interactions between K-species and C–N forms. - Abstract: The present work focuses on the role of nitrogen in the development of pores in activated carbon produced from lignin by K{sub 2}CO{sub 3} activation, employing a fixed bed reactor under a high-purity He stream at temperatures of 500–900 °C. The specific surface area and pore volume obtained by activation of lignin alone are 230 m{sup 2}/g and 0.13 cm{sup 3}/g at 800 °C, and 540 m{sup 2}/g and 0.31 cm{sup 3}/g at 900 °C, respectively. Activation of a mixture of lignin and urea provides a significant increase in the surface area and volume, respectively reaching 3300–3400 m{sup 2}/g and 2.0–2.3 cm{sup 3}/g after holding at 800–900 °C for 1 h. Heating a lignin/urea/K{sub 2}CO{sub 3} mixture leads to a significant decrease in the yield of released N-containing gases compared to the results for urea alone and a lignin/urea mixture, and most of the nitrogen in the urea is retained in the solid phase. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses clearly show that part of the remaining nitrogen is present in heterocyclic structures (for example, pyridinic and pyrrolic nitrogen), and the rest is contained as KOCN at ≤600 °C and as KCN at ≥700 °C, such that the latter two compounds can be almost completely removed by water washing. The fate of nitrogen during heating of lignin/urea/K{sub 2}CO{sub 3} and role of nitrogen in pore development in activated carbon are discussed on the basis of the results mentioned above.

  10. Numerical investigation of micro-pore formation during substrate impact of molten droplets in spraying processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, H.; Lavernia, E.J.; Rangel, R.H.; Muehlberger, E.; Sickinger, A.

    1994-01-01

    The porosity that is commonly associated with discrete droplet processes, such as plasma spraying and spray deposition, effectively degrades the quality of the sprayed material. In the present study, micro-pore formation during the deformation and interaction of molten tungsten droplets impinging onto a flat substrate in spraying processes is numerically investigated. The numerical simulation is accomplished on the basis of the full Navier-Stokes equations and the Volume Of Fluid (VOF) function by using a 2-domain method for the thermal field and solidification problem and a two-phase flow continuum model for the flow problem with a growing solid layer. The possible mechanisms governing the formation of micro-pores are discussed. The effects of important processing parameters, such as droplet impact velocity, droplet temperature, substrate temperature, and droplet viscosity, on the micro-pore formation are addressed

  11. Hydrocarbon-degrading sulfate-reducing bacteria in marine hydrocarbon seep sediments

    OpenAIRE

    Kleindienst, Sara

    2012-01-01

    Microorganisms are key players in our biosphere because of their ability to degrade various organic compounds including a wide range of hydrocarbons. At marine hydrocarbon seeps, more than 90% of sulfate reduction (SR) is potentially coupled to non-methane hydrocarbon oxidation. Several hydrocarbon-degrading sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) were enriched or isolated from marine sediments. However, in situ active SRB remained largely unknown. In the present thesis, the global distribution and a...

  12. Lowering of the critical concentration for micelle formation in aqueous soap solutions by action of truly dissolved hydrocarbon at various temperatures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Markina, Z.N.; Kostova, N.Z.; Rebinder, P.A.

    1970-03-01

    The effect of dissolved hydrocarbons (octane, benzene, and ethylbenzene) on critical micelle concentration of aqueous solutions of sodium salts of fatty acids from caproate to sodium myristate at various temperatures was studied. Experimental results showed that formation of micelles is promoted by presence of hydrocarbons dissolved in the water phase. Such solutions have below normal critical micelle concentration. The change in critical micelle concentration decreases with increase in length of hydrocarbon chain in the soap molecule and with decrease of hydrocarbon solubility in pure water. The nature of the hydrocarbon also affects the forms and dimension of the micelle. Aromatic hydrocarbons increase micelle volume and greatly decrease C.M.C., while aliphatic hydrocarbons decrease C.M.C. slightly. (12 refs.)

  13. The reformation of liquid hydrocarbons in an aqueous discharge reactor

    KAUST Repository

    Zhang, Xuming

    2015-04-21

    We present an aqueous discharge reactor for the reformation of liquid hydrocarbons. To increase a dielectric constant of a liquid medium, we added distilled water to iso-octane and n-dodecane. As expected, we found decreased discharge onset voltage and increased discharge power with increased water content. Results using optical emission spectroscopy identified OH radicals and O atoms as the predominant oxidative reactive species with the addition of water. Enriched CH radicals were also visualized, evidencing the existence of cascade carbon-carbon cleavage and dehydrogenation processes in the aqueous discharge. The gaseous product consisted primarily of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and unsaturated hydrocarbons. The composition of the product was readily adjustable by varying the volume of water added, which demonstrated a significant difference in composition with respect to the tested liquid hydrocarbon. In this study, we found no presence of CO2 emissions or the contamination of the reactor by solid carbon deposition. These findings offer a new approach to the reforming processes of liquid hydrocarbons and provide a novel concept for the design of a practical and compact plasma reformer. © 2015 IOP Publishing Ltd.

  14. Quantitative analysis of nano-pore geomaterials and representative sampling for digital rock physics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, H.; Dewers, T. A.

    2014-12-01

    Geomaterials containing nano-pores (e.g., shales and carbonate rocks) have become increasingly important for emerging problems such as unconventional gas and oil resources, enhanced oil recovery, and geologic storage of CO2. Accurate prediction of coupled geophysical and chemical processes at the pore scale requires realistic representation of pore structure and topology. This is especially true for chalk materials, where pore networks are small and complex, and require characterization at sub-micron scale. In this work, we apply laser scanning confocal microscopy to characterize pore structures and microlithofacies at micron- and greater scales and dual focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) for 3D imaging of nanometer-to-micron scale microcracks and pore distributions. With imaging techniques advanced for nano-pore characterization, a problem of scale with FIB-SEM images is how to take nanometer scale information and apply it to the thin-section or larger scale. In this work, several texture characterization techniques including graph-based spectral segmentation, support vector machine, and principal component analysis are applied for segmentation clusters represented by 1-2 FIB-SEM samples per each cluster. Geometric and topological properties are analyzed and lattice-Boltzmann method (LBM) is used to obtain permeability at several different scales. Upscaling of permeability to the Darcy scale (e.g., the thin-section scale) with image dataset will be discussed with emphasis on understanding microfracture-matrix interaction, representative volume for FIB-SEM sampling, and multiphase flow and reactive transport. Funding from the DOE Basic Energy Sciences Geosciences Program is gratefully acknowledged. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under

  15. Hydrophobic polymers modification of mesoporous silica with large pore size for drug release

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhu Shenmin, E-mail: smzhu@sjtu.edu.c [Shanghai Jiao Tong University, State Key Lab of Metal Matrix Composites (China); Zhang Di; Yang Na [Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Key Lab of Molecular Engineering of Polymers (China)

    2009-04-15

    Mesostructure cellular foam (MCF) materials were modified with hydrophobic polyisoprene (PI) through free radical polymerization in the pores network, and the resulting materials (MCF-PI) were investigated as matrices for drug storage. The successful synthesis of PI inside MCF was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance ({sup 1}H NMR), X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD) and nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurements. It was interesting to find the resultant system held a relatively large pore size (19.5 nm) and pore volume (1.02 cm{sup 3} g{sup -1}), which would benefit for drug storage. Ibuprofen (IBU) and vancomycin were selected as model drugs and loaded onto unmodified MCF and modified MCF (MCF-PI). The adsorption capacities of these model drugs on MCF-PI were observed increase as compared to that of on pure MCF, due to the trap effects induced by polyisoprene chains inside the pores. The delivery system of MCF-PI was found to be more favorable for the adsorption of IBU (31 wt%, IBU/silica), possibly attributing to the hydrophobic interaction between IBU and PI formed on the internal surface of MCF matrix. The release of drug through the porous network was investigated by measuring uptake and release of IBU.

  16. Incorporation of the Pore Size Variation to Modeling of the Elastic Behavior of Metallic Open-Cell Foams

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ćwieka K.

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available In the present paper we present the approach for modeling of the elastic behavior of open-cell metallic foams concerning non-uniform pore size distribution. This approach combines design of foam structures and numerical simulations of compression tests using finite element method (FEM. In the design stage, Laguerre-Voronoi tessellations (LVT were performed on several sets of packed spheres with defined variation of radii, bringing about a set of foam structures with porosity ranging from 74 to 98% and different pore size variation quantified by the coefficient of pore volume variation, CV(V, from 0.5 to 2.1. Each structure was numerically subjected to uni-axial compression test along three directions within the elastic region. Basing on the numerical response, the effective Young’s modulus, Eeff, was calculated for each structure. It is shown that the Eeff is not only dependent on the porosity but also on the pore size variation.

  17. [A photographic scale for evaluating facial pores and analysis of factors associated with pore widening in Chengdu].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Qing; Zhou, Cheng-xia; Meng, Hui-min; Wang, Xi; Li, Li

    2010-09-01

    To develop a photographic scale for grading widening of pores, and to identify the factors associated with pore widening. People with widened pores were recruited, with photographs taken on their nasal tips, nasal alas and cheeks. A questionnaire survey was undertaken by dermatologists to assess the severity of pore widening. A Cumulative Logit Model was established to identify factors that were associated with pore widening. A total of 115 people participated in the study and 562 photographs were taken. The photographic scale was highly consistent with the clinical judgment. Another 1011 residents aged from 18 to 70 years old in Chengdu were surveyed. The logit model revealed that facial pore widening were associated with gender, age, oily skin, sun protection and anti-aging cosmetic. The photographic scale is reliable and easy to use. Gender, age and oily skin are risk factors, and sun protection and anti-aging cosmetic are protective factors with related to pore widening.

  18. A statistical image analysis framework for pore-free islands derived from heterogeneity distribution of nuclear pore complexes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mimura, Yasuhiro; Takemoto, Satoko; Tachibana, Taro; Ogawa, Yutaka; Nishimura, Masaomi; Yokota, Hideo; Imamoto, Naoko

    2017-11-24

    Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) maintain cellular homeostasis by mediating nucleocytoplasmic transport. Although cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) regulate NPC assembly in interphase, the location of NPC assembly on the nuclear envelope is not clear. CDKs also regulate the disappearance of pore-free islands, which are nuclear envelope subdomains; this subdomain gradually disappears with increase in homogeneity of the NPC in response to CDK activity. However, a causal relationship between pore-free islands and NPC assembly remains unclear. Here, we elucidated mechanisms underlying NPC assembly from a new perspective by focusing on pore-free islands. We proposed a novel framework for image-based analysis to automatically determine the detailed 'landscape' of pore-free islands from a large quantity of images, leading to the identification of NPC intermediates that appear in pore-free islands with increased frequency in response to CDK activity. Comparison of the spatial distribution between simulated and the observed NPC intermediates within pore-free islands showed that their distribution was spatially biased. These results suggested that the disappearance of pore-free islands is highly related to de novo NPC assembly and indicated the existence of specific regulatory mechanisms for the spatial arrangement of NPC assembly on nuclear envelopes.

  19. Analysis of over-pressure mechanisms in the Uinta Basin, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McPherson, B.; Bredehoeft, J. [Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (United States)

    1995-03-01

    Extremely high pore fluid pressures exist in the area of the Altamount/Bluebell oil field in the Uinta basin, Utah. We discuss two possible mechanisms for the cause of these over-pressures in this paper: (1) compaction disequilibrium, and (2) conversion of kerogen to liquid hydrocarbon (oil). Compaction disequilibrium occurs during periods of rapid sedimentation. If the permeability of deeply buried strata is low, then connate water within the rock matrix does not escape rapidly enough as compaction occurs; as sedimentary deposition continues, high pore fluid pressures develop. Conversion of solid kerogen to a liquid generates both a liquid and additional pore space for the liquid to occupy. If the volume of the liquid generated is just sufficient to fill the pore space generated, then there will be no accompanying effect on the pore pressure. If the liquid is less dense than the solid it replaces, then there is more liquid than pore space created; pore pressure will increase, causing flow away from the area of the reaction. Pore pressure is a sensitive measure of the balance between hydrocarbon generation and expulsion from the source into adjacent strata. If high pore pressures exist only where source rocks are thought to be generating oil, then kerogen conversion is a likely over-pressure mechanism. However, if over-pressures are found in low-permeability strata regardless of source rock proximity, then sedimentary compaction is probably a more dominant mechanism.

  20. Study of hydrocarbons in bottom sediments of the northern Dvina River-White Sea geochemical barrier during spring flood. Volume 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nemirovskaya, I.; Shevchenko, V.

    2007-01-01

    The Northern Dvina in Northern Russia is the main river of the White Sea reservoir. The water discharge is 108 km 3 per year. With active shipping and several large pulp and paper mills that operate in the region, the river is a supplier of polluting substances. Weathered oil and pyrogenic compounds dominate the composition of hydrocarbons. During flooding, the Northern Dvina - Dvina Bay geochemical barrier becomes a filter, which prevents pollutants from penetrating to the White Sea. This paper summarized data on the concentration and composition of hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the marine water and bottom sediments at the mouth of the Northern Dvina/White Sea. Nearly similar concentrations of organic compounds were found in the Northern Dvina River water and in the near-mouth White Sea water area. However, their distribution conforms to the marginal filter rules. Natural terrigenous hydrocarbon compounds were found to dominate in all forms. Biogenic autochthonous hydrocarbons were detected in the near-shore areas and in the outer zone of the marginal filter of the Northern Dvina River, where PAH are formed together with AHC. 20 refs., 2 tabs., 4 figs

  1. Pre-drilling prediction techniques on the high-temperature high-pressure hydrocarbon reservoirs offshore Hainan Island, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Hanyu; Liu, Huaishan; Wu, Shiguo; Sun, Jin; Yang, Chaoqun; Xie, Yangbing; Chen, Chuanxu; Gao, Jinwei; Wang, Jiliang

    2018-02-01

    Decreasing the risks and geohazards associated with drilling engineering in high-temperature high-pressure (HTHP) geologic settings begins with the implementation of pre-drilling prediction techniques (PPTs). To improve the accuracy of geopressure prediction in HTHP hydrocarbon reservoirs offshore Hainan Island, we made a comprehensive summary of current PPTs to identify existing problems and challenges by analyzing the global distribution of HTHP hydrocarbon reservoirs, the research status of PPTs, and the geologic setting and its HTHP formation mechanism. Our research results indicate that the HTHP formation mechanism in the study area is caused by multiple factors, including rapid loading, diapir intrusions, hydrocarbon generation, and the thermal expansion of pore fluids. Due to this multi-factor interaction, a cloud of HTHP hydrocarbon reservoirs has developed in the Ying-Qiong Basin, but only traditional PPTs have been implemented, based on the assumption of conditions that do not conform to the actual geologic environment, e.g., Bellotti's law and Eaton's law. In this paper, we focus on these issues, identify some challenges and solutions, and call for further PPT research to address the drawbacks of previous works and meet the challenges associated with the deepwater technology gap. In this way, we hope to contribute to the improved accuracy of geopressure prediction prior to drilling and provide support for future HTHP drilling offshore Hainan Island.

  2. Adsorption of volatile hydrocarbons in iron polysulfide chalcogels

    KAUST Repository

    Ahmed, Ejaz

    2014-11-01

    We report the synthesis, characterization and possible applications of three new metal-chalcogenide aerogels KFe3Co3S 21, KFe3Y3S22 and KFe 3Eu3S22. Metal acetates react with the alkali metal polychalcogenides in formamide/water mixture to form extended polymeric frameworks that exhibit gelation phenomena. Amorphous aerogels obtained after supercritical CO2 drying have BET surface area from 461 to 573 m 2/g. Electron microscopy images and nitrogen adsorption measurements showed that pore sizes are found in micro (below 2 nm), meso (2-50 nm), and macro (above 50 nm) porous regions. These chalcogels possess optical bandgaps in the range of 1.55-2.70 eV. These aerogels have been studied for the adsorption of volatile hydrocarbons and gases. A much higher adsorption of toluene in comparison with cyclohexane and cyclopentane vapors have been observed. The adsorption capacities of the three volatile hydrocarbons are found in the following order: toluene > cyclohexane > cyclopentane. It has been observed that high selectivity in adsorption is feasible with high-surface-area metal chalcogenides. Similarly, almost an eight to ten times increase in adsorption selectivity towards CO2 over H2/CH4 was observed in the aerogels. Moreover, reversible ion-exchange properties for K+/Cs+ ions have also been demonstrated. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Wettability impact on supercritical CO2 capillary trapping: Pore-scale visualization and quantification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Ran; Wan, Jiamin; Kim, Yongman; Tokunaga, Tetsu K.

    2017-08-01

    How the wettability of pore surfaces affects supercritical (sc) CO2 capillary trapping in geologic carbon sequestration (GCS) is not well understood, and available evidence appears inconsistent. Using a high-pressure micromodel-microscopy system with image analysis, we studied the impact of wettability on scCO2 capillary trapping during short-term brine flooding (80 s, 8-667 pore volumes). Experiments on brine displacing scCO2 were conducted at 8.5 MPa and 45°C in water-wet (static contact angle θ = 20° ± 8°) and intermediate-wet (θ = 94° ± 13°) homogeneous micromodels under four different flow rates (capillary number Ca ranging from 9 × 10-6 to 8 × 10-4) with a total of eight conditions (four replicates for each). Brine invasion processes were recorded and statistical analysis was performed for over 2000 images of scCO2 saturations, and scCO2 cluster characteristics. The trapped scCO2 saturation under intermediate-wet conditions is 15% higher than under water-wet conditions under the slowest flow rate (Ca ˜ 9 × 10-6). Based on the visualization and scCO2 cluster analysis, we show that the scCO2 trapping process in our micromodels is governed by bypass trapping that is enhanced by the larger contact angle. Smaller contact angles enhance cooperative pore filling and widen brine fingers (or channels), leading to smaller volumes of scCO2 being bypassed. Increased flow rates suppress this wettability effect.

  4. Significance of Microbiology in Porous Hydrocarbon Related Systems

    KAUST Repository

    Augsburger, Nicolas

    2017-07-01

    This thesis explores bio-mediated processes in geotechnical and petroleum engineering. Worldwide energy consumption is rapidly increasing as the world population and per-capita consumption rises. The US Energy Information Agency (EIA) predicts that hydrocarbons will remain the primary energy source to satisfy the surging energy demands in the near future. The three topics described in detail in this document aim to link microbiology with geotechnical engineering and the petroleum industry. Microorganisms have the potential to exploit residual hydrocarbons in depleted reservoirs in a technique known as microbial enhanced oil recovery, MEOR. The potential of biosurfactants was analyzed in detail with a literature review. Biosurfactant production is the most accepted MEOR technique, and has been successfully implemented in over 700 field cases. Temperature is the main limiting factor for these techniques. The dissolution of carbonates by microorganisms was investigated experimentally. We designed a simple, economical, and robust procedure to monitor diffusion through porous media. This technique determined the diffusion coefficient of H+ in 1.5% agar, 1.122 x 10-5 cm2 sec-1, by using bromothymol blue as a pH indicator and image processing. This robust technique allows for manipulation of the composition of the agar to identify the effect of specific compounds on diffusion. The Red Sea consists of multiple seeps; the nearby sediments are telltales of deeper hydrocarbon systems. Microbial communities associated with the sediments function as in-situ sensors that provide information about the presence of carbon sources, metabolites, and the remediation potential. Sediments seeps in the Red Sea revealed different levels of bioactivity. The more active seeps, from the southern site in the Red Sea, indicated larger pore sizes, higher levels of carbon, and bioactivity with both bacteria and archaeal species present.

  5. Sorption kinetics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons removal using granular activated carbon: Intraparticle diffusion coefficients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valderrama, C.; Gamisans, X.; Heras, X. de las; Farran, A.; Cortina, J.L.

    2008-01-01

    Granular activated carbon (GAC) was evaluated as a suitable sorbent for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) removal from aqueous solutions. For this purpose, kinetic measurements on the extraction of a family of six PAHs were taken. A morphology study was performed by means of a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of GAC samples. Analyses of the batch rate data for each PAH were carried out using two kinetic models: the homogenous particle diffusion model (HPDM) and the shell progressive model (SPM). The process was controlled by diffusion rate the solutes (PAHs) that penetrated the reacted layer at PAH concentrations in the range of 0.2-10 mg L -1 . The effective particle diffusion coefficients (D eff ) derived from the two models were determined from the batch rate data. The Weber and Morris intraparticle diffusion model made a double contribution to the surface and pore diffusivities in the sorption process. The D eff values derived from both the HPMD and SPM equations varied from 1.1 x 10 -13 to 6.0 x 10 -14 m 2 s -1 . The simplest model, the pore diffusion model, was applied first for data analysis. The model of the next level of complexity, the surface diffusion model, was applied in order to gain a deeper understanding of the diffusion process. This model is able to explain the data, and the apparent surface diffusivities are in the same order of magnitude as the values for the sorption of functionalized aromatic hydrocarbons (phenols and sulphonates) that are described in the literature

  6. Measuring kinetic drivers of pneumolysin pore structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbert, Robert J C; Sonnen, Andreas F-P

    2016-05-01

    Most membrane attack complex-perforin/cholesterol-dependent cytolysin (MACPF/CDC) proteins are thought to form pores in target membranes by assembling into pre-pore oligomers before undergoing a pre-pore to pore transition. Assembly during pore formation is into both full rings of subunits and incomplete rings (arcs). The balance between arcs and full rings is determined by a mechanism dependent on protein concentration in which arc pores arise due to kinetic trapping of the pre-pore forms by the depletion of free protein subunits during oligomerization. Here we describe the use of a kinetic assay to study pore formation in red blood cells by the MACPF/CDC pneumolysin from Streptococcus pneumoniae. We show that cell lysis displays two kinds of dependence on protein concentration. At lower concentrations, it is dependent on the pre-pore to pore transition of arc oligomers, which we show to be a cooperative process. At higher concentrations, it is dependent on the amount of pneumolysin bound to the membrane and reflects the affinity of the protein for its receptor, cholesterol. A lag occurs before cell lysis begins; this is dependent on oligomerization of pneumolysin. Kinetic dissection of cell lysis by pneumolysin demonstrates the capacity of MACPF/CDCs to generate pore-forming oligomeric structures of variable size with, most likely, different functional roles in biology.

  7. Formation of hydrocarbon compounds during the hydrocracking of non-edible vegetable oils with cobalt-nickel supported on hierarchical HZSM-5 catalyst

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marlinda, L.; Al-Muttaqii, M.; Roesyadi, A.; Prajitno, D. H.

    2017-05-01

    The hierarchical Co-Ni/HZSM-5 catalyst with hierarchical pore structure was prepared by desilication and incipient wetness impregnation. Hydrocracking of non-edible vegetable oils at temperature of 400 °C, 20±5 bar for 2 h was performed in the presence of this type of catalyst under hydrogen initial pressure in pressured batch reactor. Non-edible vegetable oils, such as Reutealis trisperma (Blanco) airy shaw (sunan candlenut) and Hevea brasiliensis (rubber seed) were chosen to study the effect of the degree of saturation and lateral chain length on hydrocarbon compounds obtained through hydrocracking. Cerbera manghas oil was also tested for comparison because the composition of fatty acid was different with the other oils The hydrocracking test indicated that liquid product produced has a similar hydrocarbon compounds with petroleum diesel. The most abundant hydrocarbon is pentadecane (n-C15) and heptadecane (n-C17). The high aromatic compounds were found in liquid product produced in hydrocracking of Sunan candlenut oil.

  8. Toxicity of sediment pore water associated with offshore oil and gas platforms in the Gulf of Mexico

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carr, R.S.; Chapman, D.C.

    1993-01-01

    As a part of a multidisciplinary program to assess the long-term impacts of offshore petroleum production in the Gulf of Mexico, a series of sediment porewater toxicity tests were conducted. Sediments were samples from five petroleum production platforms along five radial transects. Pore water was extracted from the sediment using a pressure extraction device, centrifuged, and frozen for later toxicity testing and chemical analysis. The sea urchin (Arbacia punctulata) embryological development assay and fertilization assay were used to assess porewater toxicity. Significant decreases in normal development of embryos was observed at 14 stations and fertilization was reduced at three stations. All stations with reduced fertilization also showed impaired development in the embryological development assay. All but three toxic sites were within 150 m of the platform. The six most toxic stations were at one platform near the Flower Garden reef, occurring near the platform along three radii; toxicity was always greater at the first site on a radium than at the second. Toxicity is discussed in relation to metal and hydrocarbon concentrations in whole sediment and in pore water

  9. The Controls of Pore-Throat Structure on Fluid Performance in Tight Clastic Rock Reservoir: A Case from the Upper Triassic of Chang 7 Member, Ordos Basin, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunlong Zhang

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The characteristics of porosity and permeability in tight clastic rock reservoir have significant difference from those in conventional reservoir. The increased exploitation of tight gas and oil requests further understanding of fluid performance in the nanoscale pore-throat network of the tight reservoir. Typical tight sandstone and siltstone samples from Ordos Basin were investigated, and rate-controlled mercury injection capillary pressure (RMICP and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR were employed in this paper, combined with helium porosity and air permeability data, to analyze the impact of pore-throat structure on the storage and seepage capacity of these tight oil reservoirs, revealing the control factors of economic petroleum production. The researches indicate that, in the tight clastic rock reservoir, largest throat is the key control on the permeability and potentially dominates the movable water saturation in the reservoir. The storage capacity of the reservoir consists of effective throat and pore space. Although it has a relatively steady and significant proportion that resulted from the throats, its variation is still dominated by the effective pores. A combination parameter (ε that was established to be as an integrated characteristic of pore-throat structure shows effectively prediction of physical capability for hydrocarbon resource of the tight clastic rock reservoir.

  10. Micro-computed tomography pore-scale study of flow in porous media: Effect of voxel resolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, S. M.; Gray, F.; Crawshaw, J. P.; Boek, E. S.

    2016-09-01

    avoids the problem of partial volume effects and reduces the scaling effect by preserving the pore-space properties influencing the transport properties. This is evidently compared in this study by predicting several pore network properties such as number of pores and throats, average pore and throat radius and coordination number for both scan based analysis and numerical coarsened data.

  11. Can ash clog soil pores?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoof, Cathelijne; Stoof, Cathelijne; Gevaert, Anouk; Gevaert, Anouk; Baver, Christine; Baver, Christine; Hassanpour, Bahareh; Hassanpour, Bahareh; Morales, Veronica; Morales, Veronica; Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Wei; Martin, Deborah; Martin, Deborah; Steenhuis, Tammo; Steenhuis, Tammo

    2015-04-01

    Wildfire can greatly increase a landscape's vulnerability to flooding and erosion events, and ash is thought to play a large role in controlling runoff and erosion processes after wildfire. Although ash can store rainfall and thereby reduce runoff and erosion for a limited period after wildfires, it has also been hypothesized to clog soil pores and reduce infiltration. Several researchers have attributed the commonly observed increase in runoff and erosion after fire to the potential pore-clogging effect of ash. Evidence is however incomplete, as to date, research has solely focused on identifying the presence of ash in the soil, with the actual flow processes associated with the infiltration and pore-clogging of ash remaining a major unknown. In several laboratory experiments, we tested the hypothesis that ash causes pore clogging to the point that infiltration is hampered and ponding occurs. We first visualized and quantified pore-scale infiltration of water and ash in sand of a range of textures and at various infiltration rates, using a digital bright field microscope capturing both photo and video. While these visualization experiments confirm field and lab observation of ash washing into soil pores, we did not observe any clogging of pores, and have not been able to create conditions for which this does occur. Additional electrochemical analysis and measurement of saturated hydraulic conductivity indicate that pore clogging by ash is not plausible. Electrochemical analysis showed that ash and sand are both negatively charged, showing that attachment of ash to sand and any resulting clogging is unlikely. Ash also had quite high saturated conductivity, and systems where ash was mixed in or lying on top of sand had similarly high hydraulic conductivity. Based on these various experiments, we cannot confirm the hypothesis that pore clogging by ash contributes to the frequently observed increase in post-fire runoff, at least for the medium to coarse sands

  12. On the predictivity of pore-scale simulations: estimating uncertainties with multilevel Monte Carlo

    KAUST Repository

    Icardi, Matteo

    2016-02-08

    A fast method with tunable accuracy is proposed to estimate errors and uncertainties in pore-scale and Digital Rock Physics (DRP) problems. The overall predictivity of these studies can be, in fact, hindered by many factors including sample heterogeneity, computational and imaging limitations, model inadequacy and not perfectly known physical parameters. The typical objective of pore-scale studies is the estimation of macroscopic effective parameters such as permeability, effective diffusivity and hydrodynamic dispersion. However, these are often non-deterministic quantities (i.e., results obtained for specific pore-scale sample and setup are not totally reproducible by another “equivalent” sample and setup). The stochastic nature can arise due to the multi-scale heterogeneity, the computational and experimental limitations in considering large samples, and the complexity of the physical models. These approximations, in fact, introduce an error that, being dependent on a large number of complex factors, can be modeled as random. We propose a general simulation tool, based on multilevel Monte Carlo, that can reduce drastically the computational cost needed for computing accurate statistics of effective parameters and other quantities of interest, under any of these random errors. This is, to our knowledge, the first attempt to include Uncertainty Quantification (UQ) in pore-scale physics and simulation. The method can also provide estimates of the discretization error and it is tested on three-dimensional transport problems in heterogeneous materials, where the sampling procedure is done by generation algorithms able to reproduce realistic consolidated and unconsolidated random sphere and ellipsoid packings and arrangements. A totally automatic workflow is developed in an open-source code [2015. https://bitbucket.org/micardi/porescalemc.], that include rigid body physics and random packing algorithms, unstructured mesh discretization, finite volume solvers

  13. Compendium of shock wave data. Section C. Organic compounds excluding hydrocarbons. Section D. Mixtures. Section E. Mixtures and solutions without chemical characterization. Compendium index

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    van Thiel, M.; shaner, J.; Salinas, E.

    1977-06-01

    This volume lists thermodynamic data for organic compounds excluding hydrocarbons, mixtures, and mixtures and solutions without chemical characterization. Alloys and some minerals are included among the mixtures. This volume also contains the index for the three-volume compendium

  14. Characterizing free volumes and layer structures in polymeric membranes using slow positron annihilation spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jean, Y C; Chen Hongmin; Awad, Somia; Zhang Sui; Chen Hangzheng; Lau, Cher Hon; Wang Huan; Li Fuyun; Chung, Tai-Shung; Lee, L James; Huang, James

    2011-01-01

    Positron annihilation spectroscopy coupled with a newly built slow positron beam at National University of Singapore has been used to study the free volume, pore, and depth profile (0 - 10 μm) in cellulose acetate polymeric membrane at the bottom and top sides of membranes for ionic separation in water purification applications. The S and R parameters from Doppler broadening energy of annihilation radiation representing free volumes (0.1-1 nm size) and pores (>1 nm-μm) as a function of depth have been analyzed into multilayers, i.e. skin dense, transition, and porous layers, respectively. The top side of membrane has large free volumes and pores and the bottom side has a skin dense layer, which plays a key role in membrane performance. Positron annihilation lifetime results provide additional information about free-volume size and distribution at the atomic and molecular scale in polymeric membrane systems. Doppler broadening energy and lifetime spectroscopies coupled with a variable mono-energy slow positron beam are sensitive and novel techniques for characterization of polymeric membrane in separation applications.

  15. Distribution of hydrocarbon-utilizing microorganisms and hydrocarbon biodegradation potentials in Alaskan continental shelf areas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roubal, G.; Atlas, R.M.

    1978-01-01

    Hydrocarbon-utilizing microogranisms were enumerated from Alaskan continental shelf areas by using plate counts and a new most-probable-number procedure based on mineralization of 14 C-labeled hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbon utilizers were ubiquitously distributed, with no significant overall concentration differences between sampling regions or between surface water and sediment samples. There were, however, significant seasonal differences in numbers of hydrocarbon utilizers. Distribution of hydrocarbon utilizers within Cook Inlet was positively correlated with occurrence of hydrocarbons in the environment. Hydrocarbon biodegradation potentials were measured by using 14 C-radiolabeled hydrocarbon-spiked crude oil. There was no significant correlation between numbers of hydrocarbon utilizers and hydrocarbon biodegradation potentials. The biodegradation potentials showed large seasonal variations in the Beaufort Sea, probably due to seasonal depletion of available nutrients. Non-nutrient-limited biodegradation potentials followed the order hexadecane > naphthalene >> pristane > benzanthracene. In Cook Inlet, biodegradation potentials for hexadecane and naphthalene were dependent on availability of inorganic nutrients. Biodegradation potentials for pristane and benzanthracene were restricted, probably by resistance to attack by available enzymes in the indigenous population

  16. Dissolution at porous interfaces VI: Multiple pore systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grijseels, H; Crommelin, D J; De Blaey, C J

    1984-12-01

    With the aid of rapidly dissolving sodium chloride particles, cubic pores were made in the surface of a theophylline tablet. The influence of the pores on the dissolution rate of the surface was investigated in a rotating disk apparatus. Like the drilled pores used in earlier studies, downstream on the surface they caused a turbulent flow regimen with the development of a trough due to enhanced erosion. The phenomenon of a critical pore diameter, discovered with single, drilled pores, seems to be applicable to the cubic pores investigated in this study, although a higher degree of surface coverage with pores caused complications, probably due to particles bordering one another and forming larger pores. The behavior of the porous surfaces at different rotation speeds was studied. Due to the presence of pores the laminar character of the boundary layer flow changes to turbulent, which induces locally an increased dissolution flux in the wake of a pore.

  17. Contaminant characterization of sediment and pore-water in the Clinch River and Poplar Creek

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Levine, D.A.; Harris, R.A.; Campbell, K.R.; Hargrove, W.W.; Rash, C.D.

    1995-01-01

    Sediment and pore-water samples were collected from 80 locations in the Clinch River and Poplar Creek system to characterize concentrations and spatial distribution of contaminants for use in ecological risk assessment. Sediment cores were collected at each site and the top 15 cm was analyzed to represent the biologically active zone. Sediment for pore-water extraction was collected in large volumes using a Ponar grab sampler. Pore-water was extracted from this sediment using centrifugation, All samples were analyzed for metals (including methyl mercury), organics, and radiological constituents. Additionally, sediment was analyzed for physical properties: particle size distribution, density, and porosity. Sediment and pore-water were also analyzed for total organic carbon and nitrogen and ammonia levels. Sediment and pore-water were also analyzed for total organic carbon and nitrogen and ammonia levels. Sediment and pre-water results indicate that there are several areas where concentrations of a variety of contaminants are high enough to causes ecological effects. These locations in the river are immediately downstream from know sources of Contamination from on-site DOE facilities. East Fork Poplar Creek is a source of several metals, including mercury, cadmium, chromium, and copper. Mitchell Branch is a source of number of metals, uranium isotopes, technetium-99, and several PAHs. There are two clear sources of arsenic and selenium to the system, one in Poplar Creek and one in Melton Hill Reservoir, both related to past disposal of coal-ash. High concentrations in sediments did not always coincide with high concentrations in pore-water for the same sites and contaminants. This appears to be related to particle size of the sediment and total organic carbon

  18. Plasma devices for hydrocarbon reformation

    KAUST Repository

    Cha, Min Suk

    2017-02-16

    Plasma devices for hydrocarbon reformation are provided. Methods of using the devices for hydrocarbon reformation are also provided. The devices can include a liquid container to receive a hydrocarbon source, and a plasma torch configured to be submerged in the liquid. The plasma plume from the plasma torch can cause reformation of the hydrocarbon. The device can use a variety of plasma torches that can be arranged in a variety of positions in the liquid container. The devices can be used for the reformation of gaseous hydrocarbons and/or liquid hydrocarbons. The reformation can produce methane, lower hydrocarbons, higher hydrocarbons, hydrogen gas, water, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, or a combination thereof.

  19. Physical Explanation of Archie's Porosity Exponent in Granular Materials: A Process-Based, Pore-Scale Numerical Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niu, Qifei; Zhang, Chi

    2018-02-01

    The empirical Archie's law has been widely used in geosciences and engineering to explain the measured electrical resistivity of many geological materials, but its physical basis has not been fully understood yet. In this study, we use a pore-scale numerical approach combining discrete element-finite difference methods to study Archie's porosity exponent m of granular materials over a wide porosity range. Numerical results reveal that at dilute states (e.g., porosity ϕ > 65%), m is exclusively related to the particle shape and orientation. As the porosity decreases, the electric flow in pore space concentrates progressively near particle contacts and m increases continuously in response to the intensified nonuniformity of the local electrical field. It is also found that the increase in m is universally correlated with the volume fraction of pore throats for all the samples regardless of their particle shapes, particle size range, and porosities.

  20. Variations in pore characteristics in high volatile bituminous coals: Implications for coal bed gas content

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mastalerz, Maria; Drobniak, A.; Strapoc, D.; Solano-Acosta, W.; Rupp, J.

    2008-01-01

    The Seelyville Coal Member of the Linton Formation (Pennsylvanian) in Indiana was studied to: 1) understand variations in pore characteristics within a coal seam at a single location and compare these variations with changes occurring between the same coal at different locations, 2) elaborate on the influence of mineral-matter and maceral composition on mesopore and micropore characteristics, and 3) discuss implications of these variations for coal bed gas content. The coal is high volatile bituminous rank with R0 ranging from 0.57% to 0.60%. BET specific surface areas (determined by nitrogen adsorption) of the coals samples studied range from 1.8 to 22.9??m2/g, BJH adsorption mesopore volumes from 0.0041 to 0.0339??cm3/g, and micropore volumes (determined by carbon dioxide adsorption) from 0.0315 to 0.0540??cm3/g. The coals that had the largest specific surface areas and largest mesopore volumes occur at the shallowest depths, whereas the smallest values for these two parameters occur in the deepest coals. Micropore volumes, in contrast, are not depth-dependent. In the coal samples examined for this study, mineral-matter content influenced both specific surface area as well as mesopore and micropore volumes. It is especially clear in the case of micropores, where an increase in mineral-matter content parallels the decrease of micropore volume of the coal. No obvious relationships were observed between the total vitrinite content and pore characteristics but, after splitting vitrinite into individual macerals, we see that collotelinite influences both meso- and micropore volume positively, whereas collodetrinite contributes to the reduction of mesopore and micropore volumes. There are large variations in gas content within a single coal at a single location. Because of this variability, the entire thickness of the coal must be desorbed in order to determine gas content reliably and to accurately calculate the level of gas saturation. ?? 2008 Elsevier B.V. All

  1. Hydrocarbon Reserves: Abundance or Scarcity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2005-07-01

    IFP and the OAPEC jointly organize a regular international seminar dealing with world oil-related problems appearing in the news. For the first time, this seminar has been opened to oil and gas company specialists, service companies, research centers and independents. This year's theme concerns oil and gas reserves: are they abundant or are we headed towards the shortages announced by some experts? This theme is especially topical in that: oil and gas currently meet two thirds of world energy needs and almost completely dominate the transport sector; the reserves declared by the OAPEC countries account for nearly half of world reserves; the price of a barrel of oil went through the roof in 2004; world energy demand is growing fast and alternative sources of energy are far from ready to take over from oil and gas in the next few decades. Since the reserves correspond to the volume it is technically and economically viable to produce, the seminar has, of course, dealt with the technical and economic questions that arise in connection with exploration and production, but it has also considered changes in the geopolitical context. Presentations by the leading companies of the OAPEC countries and by the IFP group were completed by presentation from the International Energy Agency (IEA), the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the IHS Energy Group, Total and Gaz de France. This document gathers the transparencies of the following presentations: Hydrocarbon reserves in OAPEC members countries: current and future (M. Al-Lababidi); Non OAPEC liquid reserves and production forecasts (Y. Mathieu); World oil and gas resources and production outlook (K. Chew); Global investments in the upstream (F. Birol); Total's policy in the oil and gas sector (C. de Margerie); Gaz de France's policy in the oil and gas sector (J. Abiteboul); NOC/IOC's opportunities in OPEC countries (I. Sandrea); Relationships between companies, countries and investors: How they may impact on the growth

  2. Hydrocarbon Reserves: Abundance or Scarcity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2005-01-01

    IFP and the OAPEC jointly organize a regular international seminar dealing with world oil-related problems appearing in the news. For the first time, this seminar has been opened to oil and gas company specialists, service companies, research centers and independents. This year's theme concerns oil and gas reserves: are they abundant or are we headed towards the shortages announced by some experts? This theme is especially topical in that: oil and gas currently meet two thirds of world energy needs and almost completely dominate the transport sector; the reserves declared by the OAPEC countries account for nearly half of world reserves; the price of a barrel of oil went through the roof in 2004; world energy demand is growing fast and alternative sources of energy are far from ready to take over from oil and gas in the next few decades. Since the reserves correspond to the volume it is technically and economically viable to produce, the seminar has, of course, dealt with the technical and economic questions that arise in connection with exploration and production, but it has also considered changes in the geopolitical context. Presentations by the leading companies of the OAPEC countries and by the IFP group were completed by presentation from the International Energy Agency (IEA), the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the IHS Energy Group, Total and Gaz de France. This document gathers the transparencies of the following presentations: Hydrocarbon reserves in OAPEC members countries: current and future (M. Al-Lababidi); Non OAPEC liquid reserves and production forecasts (Y. Mathieu); World oil and gas resources and production outlook (K. Chew); Global investments in the upstream (F. Birol); Total's policy in the oil and gas sector (C. de Margerie); Gaz de France's policy in the oil and gas sector (J. Abiteboul); NOC/IOC's opportunities in OPEC countries (I. Sandrea); Relationships between companies, countries and investors: How they may impact on the growth

  3. Petroleum hydrocarbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Farrington, J.W.; Teal, J.M.; Parker, P.L.

    1976-01-01

    Methods for analysis of petroleum hydrocarbons in marine samples are presented. Types of hydrocarbons present and their origins are discussed. Principles and methods of analysis are outlined. Infrared spectrometry, uv spectrometry, gas chromatography, mass spectroscopy, and carbon 14 measurements are described

  4. A free software for pore-scale modelling: solving Stokes equation for velocity fields and permeability values in 3D pore geometries

    KAUST Repository

    Gerke, Kirill; Vasilyev, Roman; Khirevich, Siarhei; Karsanina, Marina; Collins, Daniel; Korost, Dmitry; Mallants, Dirk

    2015-01-01

    In this contribution we introduce a novel free software which solves the Stokes equation to obtain velocity fields for low Reynolds-number flows within externally generated 3D pore geometries. Provided with velocity fields, one can calculate permeability for known pressure gradient boundary conditions via Darcy's equation. Finite-difference schemes of 2nd and 4th order of accuracy are used together with an artificial compressibility method to iteratively converge to a steady-state solution of Stokes' equation. This numerical approach is much faster and less computationally demanding than the majority of open-source or commercial softwares employing other algorithms (finite elements/volumes, lattice Boltzmann, etc.) The software consists of two parts: 1) a pre and post-processing graphical interface, and 2) a solver. The latter is efficiently parallelized to use any number of available cores (the speedup on 16 threads was up to 10-12 depending on hardware). Due to parallelization and memory optimization our software can be used to obtain solutions for 300x300x300 voxels geometries on modern desktop PCs. The software was successfully verified by testing it against lattice Boltzmann simulations and analytical solutions. To illustrate the software's applicability for numerous problems in Earth Sciences, a number of case studies have been developed: 1) identifying the representative elementary volume for permeability determination within a sandstone sample, 2) derivation of permeability/hydraulic conductivity values for rock and soil samples and comparing those with experimentally obtained values, 3) revealing the influence of the amount of fine-textured material such as clay on filtration properties of sandy soil. This work was partially supported by RSF grant 14-17-00658 (pore-scale modelling) and RFBR grants 13-04-00409-a and 13-05-01176-a.

  5. A free software for pore-scale modelling: solving Stokes equation for velocity fields and permeability values in 3D pore geometries

    KAUST Repository

    Gerke, Kirill

    2015-04-01

    In this contribution we introduce a novel free software which solves the Stokes equation to obtain velocity fields for low Reynolds-number flows within externally generated 3D pore geometries. Provided with velocity fields, one can calculate permeability for known pressure gradient boundary conditions via Darcy\\'s equation. Finite-difference schemes of 2nd and 4th order of accuracy are used together with an artificial compressibility method to iteratively converge to a steady-state solution of Stokes\\' equation. This numerical approach is much faster and less computationally demanding than the majority of open-source or commercial softwares employing other algorithms (finite elements/volumes, lattice Boltzmann, etc.) The software consists of two parts: 1) a pre and post-processing graphical interface, and 2) a solver. The latter is efficiently parallelized to use any number of available cores (the speedup on 16 threads was up to 10-12 depending on hardware). Due to parallelization and memory optimization our software can be used to obtain solutions for 300x300x300 voxels geometries on modern desktop PCs. The software was successfully verified by testing it against lattice Boltzmann simulations and analytical solutions. To illustrate the software\\'s applicability for numerous problems in Earth Sciences, a number of case studies have been developed: 1) identifying the representative elementary volume for permeability determination within a sandstone sample, 2) derivation of permeability/hydraulic conductivity values for rock and soil samples and comparing those with experimentally obtained values, 3) revealing the influence of the amount of fine-textured material such as clay on filtration properties of sandy soil. This work was partially supported by RSF grant 14-17-00658 (pore-scale modelling) and RFBR grants 13-04-00409-a and 13-05-01176-a.

  6. Hydrocarbons biodegradation in unsaturated porous medium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gautier, C.

    2007-12-01

    Biological processes are expected to play an important role in the degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in contaminated soils. However, factors influencing the kinetics of biodegradation are still not well known, especially in the unsaturated zone. To address these biodegradation questions in the unsaturated zone an innovative experimental set up based on a physical column model was developed. This experimental set up appeared to be an excellent tool for elaboration of a structured porous medium, with well defined porous network and adjusted water/oil saturations. Homogeneous repartition of both liquid phases (i.e., aqueous and non aqueous) in the soil pores, which also contain air, was achieved using ceramic membranes placed at the bottom of the soil column. Reproducible interfaces (and connectivity) are developed between gas, and both non mobile water and NAPL phases, depending on the above-defined characteristics of the porous media and on the partial saturations of these three phases (NAPL, water and gas). A respirometric apparatus was coupled to the column. Such experimental set up have been validated with hexadecane in dilution in an HMN phase. This approach allowed detailed information concerning n-hexadecane biodegradation, in aerobic condition, through the profile of the oxygen consumption rate. We have taken benefit of this technique, varying experimental conditions, to determine the main parameters influencing the biodegradation kinetics and compositional evolution of hydrocarbons, under steady state unsaturated conditions and with respect to aerobic metabolism. Impacts of the nitrogen quantity and of three different grain sizes have been examined. Biodegradation of petroleum cut, as diesel cut and middle distillate without aromatic fraction, were, also studied. (author)

  7. Development of gas chromatography-flame ionization detection system with a single column and liquid nitrogen-free for measuring atmospheric C2-C12 hydrocarbons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chengtang; Mu, Yujing; Zhang, Chenglong; Zhang, Zhibo; Zhang, Yuanyuan; Liu, Junfeng; Sheng, Jiujiang; Quan, Jiannong

    2016-01-04

    A liquid nitrogen-free GC-FID system equipped with a single column has been developed for measuring atmospheric C2-C12 hydrocarbons. The system is consisted of a cooling unit, a sampling unit and a separation unit. The cooling unit is used to meet the temperature needs of the sampling unit and the separation unit. The sampling unit includes a dehydration tube and an enrichment tube. No breakthrough of the hydrocarbons was detected when the temperature of the enrichment tube was kept at -90 °C and sampling volume was 400 mL. The separation unit is a small round oven attached on the cooling column. A single capillary column (OV-1, 30 m × 0.32 mm I.D.) was used to separate the hydrocarbons. An optimal program temperature (-60 ∼ 170 °C) of the oven was achieved to efficiently separate C2-C12 hydrocarbons. There were good linear correlations (R(2)=0.993-0.999) between the signals of the hydrocarbons and the enrichment amount of hydrocarbons, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was less than 5%, and the method detection limits (MDLs) for the hydrocarbons were in the range of 0.02-0.10 ppbv for sampling volume of 400 mL. Field measurements were also conducted and more than 50 hydrocarbons from C2 to C12 were detected in Beijing city. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Converting high boiling hydrocarbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Terrisse, H; DuFour, L

    1929-02-12

    A process is given for converting high boiling hydrocarbons into low boiling hydrocarbons, characterized in that the high boiling hydrocarbons are heated to 200 to 500/sup 0/C in the presence of ferrous chloride and of such gases as hydrogen, water gas, and the like gases under a pressure of from 5 to 40 kilograms per square centimeter. The desulfurization of the hydrocarbons occurs simultaneously.

  9. Microbial communities involved in methane production from hydrocarbons in oil sands tailings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siddique, Tariq; Penner, Tara; Klassen, Jonathan; Nesbø, Camilla; Foght, Julia M

    2012-09-04

    Microbial metabolism of residual hydrocarbons, primarily short-chain n-alkanes and certain monoaromatic hydrocarbons, in oil sands tailings ponds produces large volumes of CH(4) in situ. We characterized the microbial communities involved in methanogenic biodegradation of whole naphtha (a bitumen extraction solvent) and its short-chain n-alkane (C(6)-C(10)) and BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) components using primary enrichment cultures derived from oil sands tailings. Clone libraries of bacterial 16S rRNA genes amplified from these enrichments showed increased proportions of two orders of Bacteria: Clostridiales and Syntrophobacterales, with Desulfotomaculum and Syntrophus/Smithella as the closest named relatives, respectively. In parallel archaeal clone libraries, sequences affiliated with cultivated acetoclastic methanogens (Methanosaetaceae) were enriched in cultures amended with n-alkanes, whereas hydrogenotrophic methanogens (Methanomicrobiales) were enriched with BTEX. Naphtha-amended cultures harbored a blend of these two archaeal communities. The results imply syntrophic oxidation of hydrocarbons in oil sands tailings, with the activities of different carbon flow pathways to CH(4) being influenced by the primary hydrocarbon substrate. These results have implications for predicting greenhouse gas emissions from oil sands tailings repositories.

  10. Synthesis and Characterization of Wooden Magnetic Activated Carbon Fibers with Hierarchical Pore Structures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongna Li

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Wooden magnetic activated carbon fibers (WMACFs with hierarchical pore structures were obtained by adding magnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4 nanoparticles into the liquefied wood. The structures and properties of WMACFs were analyzed by scanning electronmicroscopy (SEM, X-ray diffraction (XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, N2 adsorption, and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM. The results showed that WMACFs had high Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET surface area (1578 m2/g and total pore volume (0.929 cm3/g, of which 45% was the contribution of small mesopores of 2–3 nm. It is believed that Fe3O4 nanoparticles play an important role in the formation of hierarchical pores. With the Fe3O4 content increasing, the yield rate of WMACFs decreased, and the Fe3O4 crystal plane diffraction peaks and characteristic adsorption peaks were obviously observed. At the same time, it was also found that WMACFs had favorable magnetic properties when the Fe3O4 content was above 1.5%. As a result, WMACFs could be a promising candidate for high efficiency, low cost, and convenient separation for the magnetic field.

  11. Can The Pore Scale Geometry Explain Soil Sample Scale Hydrodynamic Properties?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah Smet

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available For decades, the development of new visualization techniques has brought incredible insights into our understanding of how soil structure affects soil function. X-ray microtomography is a technique often used by soil scientists but challenges remain with the implementation of the procedure, including how well the samples represent the uniqueness of the pore network and structure and the systemic compromise between sample size and resolution. We, therefore, chose to study soil samples from two perspectives: a macroscopic scale with hydrodynamic characterization and a microscopic scale with structural characterization through the use of X-ray microtomography (X-ray μCT at a voxel size of 21.53 μm3 (resampled at 433 μm3. The objective of this paper is to unravel the relationships between macroscopic soil properties and microscopic soil structure. The 24 samples came from an agricultural field (Cutanic Luvisol and the macroscopic hydrodynamic properties were determined using laboratory measurements of the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks, air permeability (ka, and retention curves (SWRC. The X-ray μCT images were segmented using a global method and multiple microscopic measurements were calculated. We used Bayesian statistics to report the credible correlation coefficients and linear regressions models between macro- and microscopic measurements. Due to the small voxel size, we observed unprecedented relationships, such as positive correlations between log(Ks and a μCT global connectivity indicator, the fractal dimension of the μCT images or the μCT degree of anisotropy. The air permeability measured at a water matric potential of −70 kPa was correlated to the average coordination number and the X-ray μCT porosity, but was best explained by the average pore volume of the smallest pores. Continuous SWRC were better predicted near saturation when the pore-size distributions calculated on the X-ray μCT images were used as model input. We

  12. Pore-scale modeling of capillary trapping in water-wet porous media: A new cooperative pore-body filling model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruspini, L. C.; Farokhpoor, R.; Øren, P. E.

    2017-10-01

    We present a pore-network model study of capillary trapping in water-wet porous media. The amount and distribution of trapped non-wetting phase is determined by the competition between two trapping mechanisms - snap-off and cooperative pore-body filling. We develop a new model to describe the pore-body filling mechanism in geologically realistic pore-networks. The model accounts for the geometrical characteristics of the pore, the spatial location of the connecting throats and the local fluid topology at the time of the displacement. We validate the model by comparing computed capillary trapping curves with published data for four different water-wet rocks. Computations are performed on pore-networks extracted from micro-CT images and process-based reconstructions of the actual rocks used in the experiments. Compared with commonly used stochastic models, the new model describes more accurately the experimental measurements, especially for well connected porous systems where trapping is controlled by subtleties of the pore structure. The new model successfully predicts relative permeabilities and residual saturation for Bentheimer sandstone using in-situ measured contact angles as input to the simulations. The simulated trapped cluster size distributions are compared with predictions from percolation theory.

  13. Numerical investigation of CO2 storage in hydrocarbon field using a geomechanical-fluid coupling model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guang Li

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Increasing pore pressure due to CO2 injection can lead to stress and strain changes of the reservoir. One of the safely standards for long term CO2 storage is whether stress and strain changes caused by CO2 injection will lead to irreversible mechanical damages of the reservoir and impact the integrity of caprock which could lead to CO2 leakage through previously sealing structures. Leakage from storage will compromise both the storage capacity and the perceived security of the project, therefore, a successful CO2 storage project requires large volumes of CO2 to be injected into storage site in a reliable and secure manner. Yougou hydrocarbon field located in Orods basin was chosen as storage site based on it's stable geological structure and low leakage risks. In this paper, we present a fluid pressure and stress-strain variations analysis for CO2 geological storage based on a geomechanical-fluid coupling model. Using nonlinear elasticity theory to describe the geomechanical part of the model, while using the Darcy's law to describe the fluid flow. Two parts are coupled together using the poroelasticity theory. The objectives of our work were: 1 evaluation of the geomechanical response of the reservoir to different CO2 injection scenarios. 2 assessment of the potential leakage risk of the reservoir caused by CO2 injection.

  14. Sources of hydrocarbons in urban road dust: Identification, quantification and prediction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mummullage, Sandya; Egodawatta, Prasanna; Ayoko, Godwin A; Goonetilleke, Ashantha

    2016-09-01

    Among urban stormwater pollutants, hydrocarbons are a significant environmental concern due to their toxicity and relatively stable chemical structure. This study focused on the identification of hydrocarbon contributing sources to urban road dust and approaches for the quantification of pollutant loads to enhance the design of source control measures. The study confirmed the validity of the use of mathematical techniques of principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) for source identification and principal component analysis/absolute principal component scores (PCA/APCS) receptor model for pollutant load quantification. Study outcomes identified non-combusted lubrication oils, non-combusted diesel fuels and tyre and asphalt wear as the three most critical urban hydrocarbon sources. The site specific variabilities of contributions from sources were replicated using three mathematical models. The models employed predictor variables of daily traffic volume (DTV), road surface texture depth (TD), slope of the road section (SLP), effective population (EPOP) and effective impervious fraction (EIF), which can be considered as the five governing parameters of pollutant generation, deposition and redistribution. Models were developed such that they can be applicable in determining hydrocarbon contributions from urban sites enabling effective design of source control measures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. FINGERPRINT MATCHING BASED ON PORE CENTROIDS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Malathi

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available In recent years there has been exponential growth in the use of bio- metrics for user authentication applications. Automated Fingerprint Identification systems have become popular tool in many security and law enforcement applications. Most of these systems rely on minutiae (ridge ending and bifurcation features. With the advancement in sensor technology, high resolution fingerprint images (1000 dpi pro- vide micro level of features (pores that have proven to be useful fea- tures for identification. In this paper, we propose a new strategy for fingerprint matching based on pores by reliably extracting the pore features The extraction of pores is done by Marker Controlled Wa- tershed segmentation method and the centroids of each pore are con- sidered as feature vectors for matching of two fingerprint images. Experimental results shows that the proposed method has better per- formance with lower false rates and higher accuracy.

  16. The effect of swelling agent on the pore characteristics of mesoporous hydroxyapatite nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. Bakhtiari

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The effect of swelling agent on the physicochemical properties of mesoporous hydroxyapatite particles synthesized by self-assembly process has been investigated. Cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB and 1-dodecanethiol were used as soft template and swelling agent respectively. The results of the field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM, X-ray diffraction (XRD, simultaneous thermal analysis (STA, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET surface area, small-angle X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR assessments revealed that in the case of low concentration, 1-dodecanethiol performed as swelling agent and caused an increase in the pore size. However, at higher concentrations it led to the formation of microemulsion and foamy structures. The optimum swelling agent: surfactant mass ratio in synthesis of mesoporous hydroxyapatite particles with high pore volume was determined to be around 2.1 in this study.

  17. The effect of swelling agent on the pore characteristics of mesoporous hydroxyapatite nanoparticles

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    L. Bakhtiari; J. Javadpour; H.R. Rezaie; M. Erfan; M.A. Shokrgozar

    2015-01-01

    The effect of swelling agent on the physicochemical properties of mesoporous hydroxyapatite particles synthesized by self-assembly process has been investigated. Cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and 1-dodecanethiol were used as soft template and swelling agent respectively. The results of the field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), simultaneous thermal analysis (STA), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, small-angle X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) assessments revealed that in the case of low concentration, 1-dodecanethiol performed as swelling agent and caused an increase in the pore size. However, at higher concentrations it led to the formation of microemulsion and foamy structures. The optimum swelling agent:surfactant mass ratio in synthesis of mesoporous hydroxyapatite particles with high pore volume was determined to be around 2.1 in this study.

  18. Cavitation and pore blocking in nanoporous glasses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reichenbach, C; Kalies, G; Enke, D; Klank, D

    2011-09-06

    In gas adsorption studies, porous glasses are frequently referred to as model materials for highly disordered mesopore systems. Numerous works suggest that an accurate interpretation of physisorption isotherms requires a complete understanding of network effects upon adsorption and desorption, respectively. The present article deals with nitrogen and argon adsorption at different temperatures (77 and 87 K) performed on a series of novel nanoporous glasses (NPG) with different mean pore widths. NPG samples contain smaller mesopores and significantly higher microporosity than porous Vycor glass or controlled pore glass. Since the mean pore width of NPG can be tuned sensitively, the evolution of adsorption characteristics with respect to a broadening pore network can be investigated starting from the narrowest nanopore width. With an increasing mean pore width, a H2-type hysteresis develops gradually which finally transforms into a H1-type. In this connection, a transition from a cavitation-induced desorption toward desorption controlled by pore blocking can be observed. Furthermore, we find concrete hints for a pore size dependence of the relative pressure of cavitation in highly disordered pore systems. By comparing nitrogen and argon adsorption, a comprehensive insight into adsorption mechanisms in novel disordered materials is provided. © 2011 American Chemical Society

  19. Biofilm formation on a TiO2 nanotube with controlled pore diameter and surface wettability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anitha, V C; Narayan Banerjee, Arghya; Woo Joo, Sang; Lee, Jin-Hyung; Lee, Jintae; Ki Min, Bong

    2015-01-01

    Titania (TiO 2 ) nanotube arrays (TNAs) with different pore diameters (140 − 20 nm) are fabricated via anodization using hydrofluoric acid (HF) containing ethylene glycol (EG) by changing the HF-to-EG volume ratio and the anodization voltage. To evaluate the effects of different pore diameters of TiO 2 nanotubes on bacterial biofilm formation, Shewanella oneidensis (S. oneidensis) MR-1 cells and a crystal-violet biofilm assay are used. The surface roughness and wettability of the TNA surfaces as a function of pore diameter, measured via the contact angle and AFM techniques, are correlated with the controlled biofilm formation. Biofilm formation increases with the decreasing nanotube pore diameter, and a 20 nm TiO 2 nanotube shows the maximum biofilm formation. The measurements revealed that 20 nm surfaces have the least hydrophilicity with the highest surface roughness of ∼17 nm and that they show almost a 90% increase in the effective surface area relative to the 140 nm TNAs, which stimulate the cells more effectively to produce the pili to attach to the surface for more biofilm formation. The results demonstrate that bacterial cell adhesion (and hence, biofilm formation) can effectively be controlled by tuning the roughness and wettability of TNAs via controlling the pore diameters of TNA surfaces. This biofilm formation as a function of the surface properties of TNAs can be a potential candidate for both medical applications and as electrodes in microbial fuel cells. (paper)

  20. The Arabidopsis Nuclear Pore and Nuclear Envelope

    OpenAIRE

    Meier, Iris; Brkljacic, Jelena

    2010-01-01

    The nuclear envelope is a double membrane structure that separates the eukaryotic cytoplasm from the nucleoplasm. The nuclear pores embedded in the nuclear envelope are the sole gateways for macromolecular trafficking in and out of the nucleus. The nuclear pore complexes assembled at the nuclear pores are large protein conglomerates composed of multiple units of about 30 different nucleoporins. Proteins and RNAs traffic through the nuclear pore complexes, enabled by the interacting activities...

  1. LOX/hydrocarbon rocket engine analytical design methodology development and validation. Volume 2: Appendices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niiya, Karen E.; Walker, Richard E.; Pieper, Jerry L.; Nguyen, Thong V.

    1993-05-01

    This final report includes a discussion of the work accomplished during the period from Dec. 1988 through Nov. 1991. The objective of the program was to assemble existing performance and combustion stability models into a usable design methodology capable of designing and analyzing high-performance and stable LOX/hydrocarbon booster engines. The methodology was then used to design a validation engine. The capabilities and validity of the methodology were demonstrated using this engine in an extensive hot fire test program. The engine used LOX/RP-1 propellants and was tested over a range of mixture ratios, chamber pressures, and acoustic damping device configurations. This volume contains time domain and frequency domain stability plots which indicate the pressure perturbation amplitudes and frequencies from approximately 30 tests of a 50K thrust rocket engine using LOX/RP-1 propellants over a range of chamber pressures from 240 to 1750 psia with mixture ratios of from 1.2 to 7.5. The data is from test configurations which used both bitune and monotune acoustic cavities and from tests with no acoustic cavities. The engine had a length of 14 inches and a contraction ratio of 2.0 using a 7.68 inch diameter injector. The data was taken from both stable and unstable tests. All combustion instabilities were spontaneous in the first tangential mode. Although stability bombs were used and generated overpressures of approximately 20 percent, no tests were driven unstable by the bombs. The stability instrumentation included six high-frequency Kistler transducers in the combustion chamber, a high-frequency Kistler transducer in each propellant manifold, and tri-axial accelerometers. Performance data is presented, both characteristic velocity efficiencies and energy release efficiencies, for those tests of sufficient duration to record steady state values.

  2. Production of hydrocarbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Day, D T; Day, R E

    1920-04-27

    A process is disclosed of converting hydro-carbon oils having high boiling points to hydro-carbon oils having low boiling points, which process comprises adding the oil to be treated to a mass of hydro-carbon oil bearing shale, passing the shale with the oil through a conveyor retort and subjecting the material while in the retort to a heat treatment involving a temperature of at least 500/sup 0/F.

  3. Pore facies analysis: incorporation of rock properties into pore geometry based classes in a Permo-Triassic carbonate reservoir in the Persian Gulf

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rahimpour-Bonab, H; Aliakbardoust, E

    2014-01-01

    Pore facies analysis is a useful method for the classification of reservoir rocks according to pore geometry characteristics. The importance of this method is related to the dependence of the dynamic behaviour of the reservoir rock on the pore geometry. In this study, pore facies analysis was performed by the quantification and classification of the mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP) curves applying the multi-resolution graph-based clustering (MRGC) method. Each pore facies includes a limited variety of rock samples with different depositional fabrics and diagenetic histories, which are representative of one type of pore geometry. The present pore geometry is the result of the interaction between the primary rock fabric and its diagenetic overprint. Thus the variations in petrographic properties can be correlated with the pore geometry characteristics. Accordingly, the controlling parameters in the pore geometry characteristics were revealed by detailed petrographic analysis in each pore facies. The reservoir rock samples were then classified using the determined petrographic properties which control the pore system quality. This method is proposed for the classification of reservoir rocks in complicated carbonate reservoirs, in order to reduce the incompatibility of traditional facies analysis with pore system characteristics. The method is applicable where enough capillary pressure data is not available. (papers)

  4. 3D electrical image in area contaminated by hydrocarbons at the Cubatao, Brazil, industrial pole; Imageamento eletrico 3D em area contaminada por hidrocarbonetono no polo industrial de Cubatao - SP, Brasil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baessa, Marcus Paulus Martins [Centro de Pesquisas e Desenvolvimento Leopoldo Americo Miguez de Mello, CENPES, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)], E-mail: marcus.baessa@petrobras.br; Oliva, Andresa; Kiang, Chang Hung [Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Rio Claro, SP (Brazil)], E-mails: aoliva@rc.unesp.br, chang@rc.unesp.br

    2010-12-15

    This work presents the results of geophysical surveys performed over an oil contaminated site in the Polo Industrial de Cubatao - Sao Paulo. The aim is to characterize geoelectrical signatures associated to hydrocarbon presence in order to delimit and calculate the volume of the contaminated area. For this study were used Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) and 3D Electrical Imaging for characterization of geology and geoelectrical response of the contaminant. The results showed that the hydrocarbon presence is associated to conductive anomalies due to products from biodegradation. The conductive anomalies are disseminated over the area, totalizing 1365.3 m3 volume. This volume, however, corresponds only to the residual phase contaminants, since it was not possible to map free-phase hydrocarbons. (author)

  5. Mesoporous templated silicas: stability, pore size engineering and catalytic activation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vansant, Etienne

    2003-01-01

    The Laboratory of Adsorption and Catalysis has focused its research activities on the synthesis and activation of new porous materials. In the past few years, we have succeeded in developing easy and reproducible pathways to synthesize a huge variety of mesoporous crystalline materials. Points of interest in the synthesis of Mesoporous Templated Silicas are (i) stabilization of the structure, to withstand hydrothermal, thermal and mechanical pressure, (ii) pore size engineering to systematically control the pore size, pore volume and the ratio micro/mesopores and (iii) ease and reproducibility of the synthesis procedure, applying green principles, such as template recuperation. By carefully adapting the synthesis conditions and composition of the synthesis gel, using surfactants (long chain quaternary ammonium ions) and co-templates (long chain amines, alcohols or alkanes), the pore size of the obtained materials can be controlled from 1.5 to 7.0 nm, retaining the very narrow pore size distribution. Alternatively, materials with combined micro- and mesoporosity can be synthesized, using neutral surfactants (triblock copolymers). Hereby, the optimization of the SBA-15 and SBA-16 synthesis is being done in order to create mesoporous materials with microporous walls. The second research line is the controlled activation of MTS materials, by grafting or incorporation of catalytic active centers. We have developed for this purpose the Molecular Designed Dispersion method, which uses metal diketonate complexes as precursors. It is shown that in all cases the dispersion of the metal oxides on the surface is much better compared to the conventional grafting techniques. We have studied and published activation with V, Ti, Mo, Fe, Al and Cr species on different MTS materials. The structure and location of the active metal ion is the subject of an extensive spectroscopic investigation, using FT-IR, FT-Raman, UV-Vis DR coupled with selective chemisorption experiments and

  6. Domain of composition and finite volume schemes on non-matching grids; Decomposition de domaine et schemas volumes finis sur maillages non-conformes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saas, L.

    2004-05-01

    This Thesis deals with sedimentary basin modeling whose goal is the prediction through geological times of the localizations and appraisal of hydrocarbons quantities present in the ground. Due to the natural and evolutionary decomposition of the sedimentary basin in blocks and stratigraphic layers, domain decomposition methods are requested to simulate flows of waters and of hydrocarbons in the ground. Conservations laws are used to model the flows in the ground and form coupled partial differential equations which must be discretized by finite volume method. In this report we carry out a study on finite volume methods on non-matching grids solved by domain decomposition methods. We describe a family of finite volume schemes on non-matching grids and we prove that the associated global discretized problem is well posed. Then we give an error estimate. We give two examples of finite volume schemes on non matching grids and the corresponding theoretical results (Constant scheme and Linear scheme). Then we present the resolution of the global discretized problem by a domain decomposition method using arbitrary interface conditions (for example Robin conditions). Finally we give numerical results which validate the theoretical results and study the use of finite volume methods on non-matching grids for basin modeling. (author)

  7. Pore surface engineering in covalent organic frameworks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagai, Atsushi; Guo, Zhaoqi; Feng, Xiao; Jin, Shangbin; Chen, Xiong; Ding, Xuesong; Jiang, Donglin

    2011-11-15

    Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are a class of important porous materials that allow atomically precise integration of building blocks to achieve pre-designable pore size and geometry; however, pore surface engineering in COFs remains challenging. Here we introduce pore surface engineering to COF chemistry, which allows the controlled functionalization of COF pore walls with organic groups. This functionalization is made possible by the use of azide-appended building blocks for the synthesis of COFs with walls to which a designable content of azide units is anchored. The azide units can then undergo a quantitative click reaction with alkynes to produce pore surfaces with desired groups and preferred densities. The diversity of click reactions performed shows that the protocol is compatible with the development of various specific surfaces in COFs. Therefore, this methodology constitutes a step in the pore surface engineering of COFs to realize pre-designed compositions, components and functions.

  8. Relationship between pore structure and compressive strength

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Properties of concrete are strongly dependent on its pore structure features, porosity being an important one among them. This study deals with developing an understanding of the pore structure-compressive strength relationship in concrete. Several concrete mixtures with different pore structures are proportioned and ...

  9. The impact of pressure-dependent interfacial tension and buoyancy forces upon pressure depletion in virgin hydrocarbon reservoirs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McDougall, S.R.; Mackay, E.J. [Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh (United Kingdom). Dept. of Petroleum Engineering

    1998-07-01

    This paper describes a combined experimental and theoretical study of the microscopic pore-scale physics characterizing gas and liquid production from hydrocarbon reservoirs during pressure depletion. The primary focus of the study was to examine the complex interactions between interfacial tension and buoyancy forces during gas evolution within a porous medium containing oil, water and gas. A specialized 2-dimensional glass micromodel, capable of operating at pressure in excess of 35 MPa was used to visualize the physical mechanisms governing such microscopic processes. In addition, a 3-dimensional, 3-phase numerical pore-scale simulator was developed that can be used to examine gas evolution over a range of different lengthscales and for a wide range of fluid and rock properties. The model incorporates all of the important physics observed in associated laboratory micromodel experiments, including: embryonic nucleation, supersaturation effects, multiphase diffusion, bubble growth-migration-fragmentation, and three-phase spreading coefficients. The precise pore-scale mechanisms governing gas evolution were found to be far more subtle than earlier models would suggest because of the large variation of gas/oil interfacial tension with pressure. This has a profound effect upon the migration of gas structures during depletion and, in models pertaining to reservoir rock, the process of gas migration is consequently much slower than previously thought. This is the first time that such a phenomena has been modelled at the pore-scale and the implications for production forecasting are thought to be significant. (author)

  10. A pore water conductivity sensor

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hilhorst, M.A.

    2001-01-01

    The electrical permittivity and conductivity of the bulk soil are a function of the permittivity and conductivity of the pore water. For soil water contents higher than 0.10 both functions are equal, facilitating in situ conductivity measurements of the pore water. A novel method is described, based

  11. Hydrocarbon Reserves: Abundance or Scarcity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2005-07-01

    IFP and the OAPEC jointly organize a regular international seminar dealing with world oil-related problems appearing in the news. For the first time, this seminar has been opened to oil and gas company specialists, service companies, research centers and independents. This year's theme concerns oil and gas reserves: are they abundant or are we headed towards the shortages announced by some experts? This theme is especially topical in that: oil and gas currently meet two thirds of world energy needs and almost completely dominate the transport sector; the reserves declared by the OAPEC countries account for nearly half of world reserves; the price of a barrel of oil went through the roof in 2004; world energy demand is growing fast and alternative sources of energy are far from ready to take over from oil and gas in the next few decades. Since the reserves correspond to the volume it is technically and economically viable to produce, the seminar has, of course, dealt with the technical and economic questions that arise in connection with exploration and production, but it has also considered changes in the geopolitical context. Presentations by the leading companies of the OAPEC countries and by the IFP group were completed by presentation from the International Energy Agency (IEA), the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the IHS Energy Group, Total and Gaz de France. This document gathers the transparencies of the following presentations: Hydrocarbon reserves in OAPEC members countries: current and future (M. Al-Lababidi); Non OAPEC liquid reserves and production forecasts (Y. Mathieu); World oil and gas resources and production outlook (K. Chew); Global investments in the upstream (F. Birol); Total's policy in the oil and gas sector (C. de Margerie); Gaz de France's policy in the oil and gas sector (J. Abiteboul); NOC/IOC's opportunities in OPEC countries (I. Sandrea); Relationships between companies, countries and investors: How they may

  12. Thermodynamic functions of hydration of hydrocarbons at 298.15 K and 0.1 MPa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plyasunov, Andrey V.; Shock, Everett L.

    2000-02-01

    An extensive compilation of experimental data yielding the infinite dilution partial molar Gibbs energy of hydration Δ hGO, enthalpy of hydration Δ hHO, heat capacity of hydration Δ hCpO, and volume V2O, at the reference temperature and pressure, 298.15 K and 0.1 MPa, is presented for hydrocarbons (excluding polyaromatic compounds) and monohydric alcohols. These results are used in a least-squares procedure to determine the numerical values of the corresponding properties of the selected functional groups. The simple first order group contribution method, which in general ignores nearest-neighbors and steric hindrance effects, was chosen to represent the compiled data. Following the precedent established by Cabani et al. (1981), the following groups are considered: CH 3, CH 2, CH, C for saturated hydrocarbons; c-CH 2, c-CH, c-C for cyclic saturated hydrocarbons; CH ar, C ar for aromatic hydrocarbons (containing the benzene ring); C=C, C≡C for double and triple bonds in linear hydrocarbons, respectively; c-C=C for the double bond in cyclic hydrocarbons; H for a hydrogen atom attached to the double bond (both in linear and cyclic hydrocarbons) or triple bond; and OH for the hydroxyl functional group. In addition it was found necessary to include the "pseudo"-group I(C-C) to account for the specific interactions of the neighboring hydrocarbon groups attached to the benzene or cyclic ring (in the latter case only for cis-isomers). Results of this study, the numerical values of the group contributions, will allow in most cases reasonably accurate estimations of Δ hGO, Δ hHO, Δ hCpO, and V2O at 298.15 K, 0.1 MPa for many hydrocarbons involved in geochemical and environmental processes.

  13. Three-dimensional characterization of pores in Ti-6Al-4V alloy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Márcia Regina Baldissera

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available The direct three-dimensional characterization of opaque materials through serial sectioning makes possible to visualize and better quantify a material microstructure, using classical metallographic techniques coupled with computer-aided reconstruction. Titanium alloys are used as biomaterials for bone implants because of its excellent mechanical properties, biocompatibility and enhanced corrosion resistance. The Ti-6Al-4V alloy (in wt. (% with porous microstructure permits the ingrowths of new-bone tissues improving the fixation bone/implant. This is important to understand connectivity, morphology and spatial distribution of pores in microstructure. The Ti-6Al-4V alloy compacts were produced by powder metallurgy and sintered at three distinct temperatures (1250, 1400 and 1500 °C to obtain distinct microstructures in terms of residual porosity. The visualization of the reconstructed 3D microstructure provides a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the porosity of Ti6Al4V alloy (volume fraction and pore morphology.

  14. Pore-Size-Tuned Graphene Oxide Frameworks as Ion-Selective and Protective Layers on Hydrocarbon Membranes for Vanadium Redox-Flow Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Soohyun; Choi, Junghoon; Choi, Chanyong; Heo, Jiyun; Kim, Dae Woo; Lee, Jang Yong; Hong, Young Taik; Jung, Hee-Tae; Kim, Hee-Tak

    2018-05-07

    The laminated structure of graphene oxide (GO) membranes provides exceptional ion-separation properties due to the regular interlayer spacing ( d) between laminate layers. However, a larger effective pore size of the laminate immersed in water (∼11.1 Å) than the hydrated diameter of vanadium ions (>6.0 Å) prevents its use in vanadium redox-flow batteries (VRFB). In this work, we report an ion-selective graphene oxide framework (GOF) with a d tuned by cross-linking the GO nanosheets. Its effective pore size (∼5.9 Å) excludes vanadium ions by size but allows proton conduction. The GOF membrane is employed as a protective layer to address the poor chemical stability of sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) (SPAES) membranes against VO 2 + in VRFB. By effectively blocking vanadium ions, the GOF/SPAES membrane exhibits vanadium-ion permeability 4.2 times lower and a durability 5 times longer than that of the pristine SPAES membrane. Moreover, the VRFB with the GOF/SPAES membrane achieves an energy efficiency of 89% at 80 mA cm -2 and a capacity retention of 88% even after 400 cycles, far exceeding results for Nafion 115 and demonstrating its practical applicability for VRFB.

  15. Adsorption and double layer charging in molecular sieve carbons in relation to molecular dimensions and pore structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koresh, J.

    1982-09-01

    The pore structure of a fibrous carbon molecular sieve was studied by adsorption of molecular probes. Mild activation steps enabled the graduated opening of critical pore dimensions in the range 3.1-5.0 A, which keeps adsorption selectivity between molecules differing by 0.2 A in cross section diameter, to be considerably greater than 100/1. High adsorption stereospecificity over a wide pore dimension range enabled the studied adsorbates to be ordered in a sequence of increasing critical molecular dimension. Estimation of molecular dimensions by various experimental methods was discussed and their relevance to nonspherical molecules was evaluated. Polar molecules assume different dimensions depending on whether the carbon surface was polar (oxidized) or not. Hydrogen acquires, surprisingly, large width in accordance with its high liquid molar volume. Adsorbent-adsorbate interactions play a crucial role in determining molecular dimensions. Adsorption of ions from aqueous solutions into the developed ultramicropores of fibrous carbon electrodes was also studied. The dependence of the double layer capacitance and the charging rate on the pore critical dimension and on surface oxidation was studied using linear potential sweep voltametry. (Author)

  16. Atmospheric chlorinated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in East Asia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kakimoto, Kensaku; Nagayoshi, Haruna; Konishi, Yoshimasa; Kajimura, Keiji; Ohura, Takeshi; Hayakawa, Kazuichi; Toriba, Akira

    2014-09-01

    This study estimates atmospheric concentrations of chlorinated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (ClPAHs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in East Asia using a Gas Chromatograph with High Resolution Mass Spectrometer (GC-HRMS). ClPAHs are ubiquitously generated from PAHs through substitution, and some ClPAHs show higher aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-mediated activities than their parent PAHs. Atmospheric particles were collected using a high-volume air sampler equipped with a quartz-fiber filter. We determined the ClPAH concentrations of atmospheric particles collected in Japan (Sapporo, Sagamihara, Kanazawa, and Kitakyushu), Korea (Busan), and China (Beijing). The concentrations of ClPAHs were highest in the winter Beijing sample, where the total mean concentration was approximately 15-70 times higher than in the winter samples from Japan and Korea. The concentrations of Σ19ClPAHs and Σ9PAHs were significantly correlated in the Kanazawa and the Busan samples. This indicates that within those cities ClPAHs and PAHs share the same origin, implying direct chlorination of parent PAHs. Toxic equivalent concentrations (TEQs) of the total ClPAHs and PAHs were lowest in Kanazawa in the summer, reaching 1.18 and 2610fg-TEQm(-3) respectively, and highest in Beijing in the winter, reaching 627 and 4240000fg-TEQm(-3) respectively. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Performance of a Throttle Cycle Refrigerator with Nitrogen-Hydrocarbon and Argon-Hydrocarbon Mixtures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venkatarathnam, G.; Senthil Kumar, P.; Srinivasa Murthy, S.

    2004-06-01

    Throttle cycle refrigerators are a class of vapor compression refrigerators that can provide refrigeration at cryogenic temperatures and operate with refrigerant mixtures. The performance of our prototype refrigerators with nitrogen-hydrocarbon, nitrogen-hydrocarbon-helium and argon-hydrocarbon refrigerant mixtures is presented in this paper.

  18. Petroleum hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Hong Kong marine sediments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zheng, G.J.; Richardson, B.J.

    1999-01-01

    A total of 20 surficial sediment samples, obtained from Hong Kong coastal waters, were analysed for petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) and a suite of 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The results indicate that Hong Kong coastal sediments are often seriously polluted with petroleum related hydrocarbons. This is especially so in heavily urbanised or industrialized localities, such as Kowloon Bay (Victoria Harbour), Tsing Yi North and Tolo Harbour. Petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants in marine sediments are believed to be mainly derived from the transportation of oil, shipping activities, spillages, and industrial, stormwater and waste wastewater discharge. The ratio of unresolved complex mixture (UCM) to n-alkanes, carbon preference index (CPI), and n-C 16 values indicate that the main contribution to petroleum hydrocarbon contamination is via oil and its products. Pollutant sources appear to be stable and continuing when compared with previous data. (author)

  19. Purifying hydrocarbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Demoulins, H D; Garner, F H

    1923-02-07

    Hydrocarbon distillates, including natural gases and vapors produced by cracking hydrocarbon oils, are desulfurized etc. by treating the vapor with an aqueous alkaline solution of an oxidizing agent. The hydrocarbons may be previously purified by sulfuric acid. In examples aqueous solutions of sodium or calcium hydrochlorite containing 1.5 to 5.0 grams per liter of available chlorine and sufficient alkali to give an excess of 0.1 percent in the spent reagent are preheated to the temperature of the vapor, and either sprayed or atomized into the vapors near the outlet of the dephlegmator or fractionating tower, or passed in countercurrent to the vapors through one or a series of scrubbers.

  20. Bioremediation of soils contaminated by hydrocarbons at the coastal zone of “Punta Majagua”.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jelvys Bermúdez Acosta

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this research was to describe and assess the main results in the process of bioremediation of 479 m3 of petroleum residuals spilled on the soil and restrained into four deposits of fuel on the coastal zone of “Punta Majagua”, Cienfuegos. The volume of hydrocarbons spilled and contained into the tanks was determined by means of their previous mixture with fertile ground in a ratio of 3/1. The hydrocarbons were disposed in a bioremediation area of 115 m X 75m built in situ. In turn 54, 5 m3 of BIOIL - FC were applied, which were fermented in an industrial bioreactor of 12000 L. An initial sampling was carried out registering values of total hydrocarbons (HTP higher than 41880 mg/kg, with high concentrations of Saturated hydrocarbons, aromatics, resins, asphaltens (SARA. Three subsequent samples were taken with a sampling interval of 0, 45, 90 and 120 days of the application. An average concentration of 1884.57 mg/kg of total hydrocarbons was obtained at 120 days with an average removal rate of 94.8%, moreover values of 94.6%, 90.78%, 86.99% y 79.9% of SARA were respectively reported.

  1. The one-dimensional compression method for extraction of pore water from unsaturated tuff and effects on pore-water chemistry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Higgins, J.D.; Burger, P.A. [Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States); Yang, L.C. [Geological Survey, Denver, CO (United States)

    1997-12-31

    Study of the hydrologic system at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, requires extraction of pore-water samples from unsaturated tuff bedrock. Two generations of compression cells have been designed and tested for extracting representative, unaltered pore-water samples from unsaturated tuff cores. The one-dimensional compression cell has a maximum compressive stress rating of 552 MPa. Results from 86 tests show that the minimum degree of saturation for successful extraction of pore water was about 14% for non welded tuff and about 61% for densely welded tuff. The high-pressure, one-dimensional compression cell has a maximum compressive stress rating of 827 MPa. Results from 109 tests show that the minimum degree of saturation for successful extraction of pore water was about 7.5% for non welded tuff and about 34% for densely welded tuff. Geochemical analyses show that, in general, there is a decrease in ion concentration of pore waters as extraction pressures increase. Only small changes in pore-water composition occur during the one-dimensional extraction test.

  2. Process for paraffin isomerization of a distillate range hydrocarbon feedstock

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, N.Y.; Garwood, W.E.; McCullen, S.B.

    1993-01-19

    Various catalytic processes have been proposed to isomerize n-paraffins so as to lower the pour point of distillate range hydrocarbon feedstocks. However, many available feedstocks contain nitrogen impurities which tend to poison conventional paraffin isomerization catalysts. A process has been developed to obviate or alleviate this problem. According to the invention, the paraffin-containing feedstock is contacted with a crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite catalyst having pore openings defined by a ratio of sorption of n-hexane to o-xylene of over 3 vol % and the ability to crack 3-methylpentane in preference to 2,3 dimethylbutane under defined conditions. The zeolite catalyst includes a Group VIII metal and has a zeolite SiO[sub 2]/Al[sub 2]O[sub 3] ratio of at least 20:1. The contacting is carried out at 199-454 C and a pressure of 100-1,000 psig, preferably 250-600 psig. The group of medium pore zeolites which can be used in the process of the invention includes ZSM-22, ZSM-23, and ZSM-35. The Group VIII metals used in the catalyst are preferably selected from Pt, Pd, Ir, Os, Rh, and Ru and the metal is preferably incorporated into the zeolite by ion exchange up to a metal content of preferably 0.1-3 wt %. Experiments are described to illustrate the invention. 1 tab.

  3. Change of the human taste bud volume over time.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srur, Ehab; Stachs, Oliver; Guthoff, Rudolf; Witt, Martin; Pau, Hans Wilhelm; Just, Tino

    2010-08-01

    The specific aim of this study is to measure the taste volume in healthy human subjects over a 2.5-month period and to demonstrate morphological changes of the peripheral taste organs. Eighteen human taste buds in four fungiform papillae (fPap) were examined over a 10-week period. The fungiform papillae investigated were selected based on the form of the papillae or the arrangement of surface taste pores. Measurements were performed over 10 consecutive weeks, with five scans in a day once a week. The following parameters were measured: height and diameter of the taste bud, diameter of the fungiform papilla and diameter of the taste pore. The findings of this exploratory study indicated that (1) taste bud volumes changed over a 10-week period, (2) the interval between two volume maxima within the 10-week period was 3-5 weeks, and (3) the diameter of the fPap did not correlate with the volume of a single taste bud or with the volume of all taste buds in the fPap within the 10-week period. This exploratory in vivo study revealed changes in taste bud volumes in healthy humans with age-related gustatory sensitivity. These findings need to be considered when studying the effect of denervation of fungiform papillae in vivo using confocal microscopy. Crown Copyright 2009. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Effect of Pore Pressure on Slip Failure of an Impermeable Fault: A Coupled Micro Hydro-Geomechanical Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Z.; Juanes, R.

    2015-12-01

    The geomechanical processes associated with subsurface fluid injection/extraction is of central importance for many industrial operations related to energy and water resources. However, the mechanisms controlling the stability and slip motion of a preexisting geologic fault remain poorly understood and are critical for the assessment of seismic risk. In this work, we develop a coupled hydro-geomechanical model to investigate the effect of fluid injection induced pressure perturbation on the slip behavior of a sealing fault. The model couples single-phase flow in the pores and mechanics of the solid phase. Granular packs (see example in Fig. 1a) are numerically generated where the grains can be either bonded or not, depending on the degree of cementation. A pore network is extracted for each granular pack with pore body volumes and pore throat conductivities calculated rigorously based on geometry of the local pore space. The pore fluid pressure is solved via an explicit scheme, taking into account the effect of deformation of the solid matrix. The mechanics part of the model is solved using the discrete element method (DEM). We first test the validity of the model with regard to the classical one-dimensional consolidation problem where an analytical solution exists. We then demonstrate the ability of the coupled model to reproduce rock deformation behavior measured in triaxial laboratory tests under the influence of pore pressure. We proceed to study the fault stability in presence of a pressure discontinuity across the impermeable fault which is implemented as a plane with its intersected pore throats being deactivated and thus obstructing fluid flow (Fig. 1b, c). We focus on the onset of shear failure along preexisting faults. We discuss the fault stability criterion in light of the numerical results obtained from the DEM simulations coupled with pore fluid flow. The implication on how should faults be treated in a large-scale continuum model is also presented.

  5. Propagation of a plasma streamer in catalyst pores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Quan-Zhi; Bogaerts, Annemie

    2018-03-01

    Although plasma catalysis is gaining increasing interest for various environmental applications, the underlying mechanisms are still far from understood. For instance, it is not yet clear whether and how plasma streamers can propagate in catalyst pores, and what is the minimum pore size to make this happen. As this is crucial information to ensure good plasma-catalyst interaction, we study here the mechanism of plasma streamer propagation in a catalyst pore, by means of a two-dimensional particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision model, for various pore diameters in the nm-range to μm-range. The so-called Debye length is an important criterion for plasma penetration into catalyst pores, i.e. a plasma streamer can penetrate into pores when their diameter is larger than the Debye length. The Debye length is typically in the order of a few 100 nm up to 1 μm at the conditions under study, depending on electron density and temperature in the plasma streamer. For pores in the range of ∼50 nm, plasma can thus only penetrate to some extent and at very short times, i.e. at the beginning of a micro-discharge, before the actual plasma streamer reaches the catalyst surface and a sheath is formed in front of the surface. We can make plasma streamers penetrate into smaller pores (down to ca. 500 nm at the conditions under study) by increasing the applied voltage, which yields a higher plasma density, and thus reduces the Debye length. Our simulations also reveal that the plasma streamers induce surface charging of the catalyst pore sidewalls, causing discharge enhancement inside the pore, depending on pore diameter and depth.

  6. Low permeability Neogene lithofacies in Northern Croatia as potential unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malvić, Tomislav; Sučić, Antonija; Cvetković, Marko; Resanović, Filip; Velić, Josipa

    2014-06-01

    We present two examples of describing low permeability Neogene clastic lithofacies to outline unconventional hydrocarbon lithofacies. Both examples were selected from the Drava Depression, the largest macrostructure of the Pannonian Basin System located in Croatia. The first example is the Beničanci Field, the largest Croatian hydrocarbon reservoir discovered in Badenian coarse-grained clastics that consists mostly of breccia. The definition of low permeability lithofacies is related to the margins of the existing reservoir, where the reservoir lithology changed into a transitional one, which is mainly depicted by the marlitic sandstones. However, calculation of the POS (probability of success of new hydrocarbons) shows critical geological categories where probabilities are lower than those in the viable reservoir with proven reserves. Potential new hydrocarbon volumes are located in the structural margins, along the oil-water contact, with a POS of 9.375%. These potential reserves in those areas can be classified as probable. A second example was the Cremušina Structure, where a hydrocarbon reservoir was not proven, but where the entire structure has been transferred onto regional migration pathways. The Lower Pontian lithology is described from well logs as fine-grained sandstones with large sections of silty or marly clastics. As a result, the average porosity is low for conventional reservoir classification (10.57%). However, it is still an interesting case for consideration as a potentially unconventional reservoir, such as the "tight" sandstones.

  7. Facial skin pores: a multiethnic study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flament, Frederic; Francois, Ghislain; Qiu, Huixia; Ye, Chengda; Hanaya, Tomoo; Batisse, Dominique; Cointereau-Chardon, Suzy; Seixas, Mirela Donato Gianeti; Dal Belo, Susi Elaine; Bazin, Roland

    2015-01-01

    Skin pores (SP), as they are called by laymen, are common and benign features mostly located on the face (nose, cheeks, etc) that generate many aesthetic concerns or complaints. Despite the prevalence of skin pores, related literature is scarce. With the aim of describing the prevalence of skin pores and anatomic features among ethnic groups, a dermatoscopic instrument, using polarized lighting, coupled to a digital camera recorded the major features of skin pores (size, density, coverage) on the cheeks of 2,585 women in different countries and continents. A detection threshold of 250 μm, correlated to clinical scorings by experts, was input into a specific software to further allow for automatic counting of the SP density (N/cm(2)) and determination of their respective sizes in mm(2). Integrating both criteria also led to establishing the relative part of the skin surface (as a percentage) that is actually covered by SP on cheeks. The results showed that the values of respective sizes, densities, and skin coverage: 1) were recorded in all studied subjects; 2) varied greatly with ethnicity; 3) plateaued with age in most cases; and 4) globally refected self-assessment by subjects, in particular those who self-declare having "enlarged pores" like Brazilian women. Inversely, Chinese women were clearly distinct from other ethnicities in having very low density and sizes. Analyzing the present results suggests that facial skin pore's morphology as perceived by human eye less result from functional criteria of associated appendages such as sebaceous glands. To what extent skin pores may be viewed as additional criteria of a photo-altered skin is an issue to be further addressed.

  8. Tröger’s Base Ladder Polymer for Membrane-Based Hydrocarbon Separation

    KAUST Repository

    Alhazmi, Abdulrahman

    2017-05-01

    The use of polymeric membranes for natural gas separation has rapidly increased during the past three decades, particularly for carbon dioxide separation from natural gas. Another valuable application is the separation of heavy hydrocarbons from methane (fuel gas conditioning), more importantly for remote area and off-shore applications. A new potential polymeric membrane that might be utilized for natural gas separations is a Tröger’s base ladder polymer (PIM-Trip-TB-2). This glassy polymeric membrane was synthesized by the polymerization reaction of 9, 10-dimethyl-2,6 (7) diaminotriptycene with dimethoxymethane. In this research, the polymer was selected due to its high surface area and highly interconnected microporous structure. Sorption isotherms of nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O¬2), methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), ethane (C2H6), propane (C3H8), and n-butane (n-C4H10) were measured at 35 °C over a range of pressures using a Hiden Intelligent Gravimetric Analyzer, IGA. The more condensable gases (C2H6, CO2, C3H8, and n-C4H10) showed high solubility due to their high affinity to the polymer matrix. The permeation coefficients were determined for various gases at 35 °C and pressure difference of 5 bar via the constant-pressure/variable-volume method. The PIM-Trip-TB-2 film exhibited high performance for several high-impact applications, such as O2/N2, H2/N2 and H2/CH4. Also, physical aging for several gases was examined by measuring the permeability coefficients at different periods of time. Moreover, a series of mixed-gas permeation tests was performed using 2 vol.% n-C4H10/98 vol.% CH4 and the results showed similar transport characteristics to other microporous polymers with pores of less than 2 nm. The work performed in this research suggested that PIM-Trip-TB-2 is suitable for the separation of: (i) higher hydrocarbons from methane and (ii) small, non-condensable gases such as O2/N2 and H2/CH4.

  9. Systematically controlled pore system of ordered mesoporous carbons using phosphoric acid as the in situ generated catalysts for carbonization and activation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jin, Xing; Lee, Chang Hyun; Kim, Jin Hoe; You, Dae Jong; Shon, Jeong Kuk; Kim, Ji Man [Dept. of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon (Korea, Republic of); Pak, Chan Ho [Fuel Cell Group, Corporate R and D Center, Samsung SDI Co. Ltd., Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-08-15

    We report on a facile synthesis of the ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) materials with systematically controlled microporosity and mesoporosity simultaneously through the nano-replication route using phosphoric acid as the acid catalyst and activation agent. The use of phosphoric acid affects the pore structures of OMC materials, such as the formation of numerous micropores by activation of the carbon framework and the enlargement of mesopores by spontaneous phase separation during the carbonization. The mesopore sizes, surface areas, total pore volumes, and micropore volumes of the OMC materials are highly dependent on the phosphoric acid content and can be systematically controlled in the range 3.7–7.5 nm, 1027–2782 m{sup 2} g{sup -1}, 1.12–3.53 cm{sup 3} g{sup -1} and 0.34–0.95 cm{sup 3} g{sup -1}, respectively. OMC materials with systematically controlled pore structures were successfully synthesized using phosphoric acid as the carbonization catalyst and mesoporous silica materials with cubic Ia3d and 2-D hexagonal mesostructures as the templates. The phosphoric acid in the synthesis of ordered mesoporous carbon materials acts as the chemical activating agent for micropore generation of the carbon framework and pore-expanding agent for controlling of mesopore size, in addition to functioning as the acid catalyst. The present synthesis pathway is very useful for preparing OMC materials with tunable mesopore sizes and well-developed microporosities at the same time.

  10. Computed Microtomography Quantification of Internal Pore Geometry of Soil Aggregates from Contrasting Land Management Types

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ananyeva, K.; Wang, W.; Smucker, A. J.; Kravchenko, A. N.; Chun, H. C.; Rivers, M. L.

    2010-12-01

    Structure of soil aggregate interiors controls intra-aggregate processes and provides important contributions to the biogeochemical processes of the soil profile. Applications of computed microtomography (CMT) to soil science have enabled the direct and nondestructive analyses of internal aggregate pore structures within soil volumes. The main objective of this study was to employ CMT to examine the internal pore structures of soil aggregates, 4 to 6.3 mm across, sampled at 0-20 cm depths from contrasting long-term land management types. Intra-aggregate pore-size distributions were compared among land management types. Porosity below CMT resolution (tillage, grass vegetation) than that of aggregates managed by conventional tillage (CT) used for agriculture. There was also greater percentage of intra-aggregate pores >400 µm in aggregates from NS than CT or NT management systems. In the range 15-100 µm, however, porosity of CT aggregates exceeded that of NS and NT aggregates. Total intra-aggregate porosities were similar and higher for both CT and NS (34.6 and 34.7%, correspondingly) than the 32.6% for NT aggregates. Although statistically significant, this difference (CT or NS vs. NT) was practically small, requiring at least 48 replications to be detected. These results indicate that long-term differences in management affected intra-aggregate pore size distributions. Increased 15-100 µm porosity in CT aggregates is probably related to their greater fragility. A combination of higher microporosity (400 µm in NS aggregates may generate more favorable conditions for microbial activity through a combination of larger intra-aggregate regions with high water-holding capacities and increased aeration and preferential flow pathways for intra-aggregate solute and gas transport. Our current focus is comparing and relating specifics of internal pore structures in the aggregates from contrasting land management types, to the measurements of solution and microbial flow

  11. Visualization of enzyme activities inside earthworm pores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoang, Duyen; Razavi, Bahar S.

    2015-04-01

    In extremely dynamic microhabitats as bio-pores made by earthworm, the in situ enzyme activities are assumed as a footprint of complex biotic interactions. Our study focused on the effect of earthworm on the enzyme activities inside bio-pores and visualizing the differences between bio-pores and earthworm-free soil by zymography technique (Spohn and Kuzyakov, 2013). For the first time, we aimed at quantitative imaging of enzyme activities in bio-pores. Lumbricus terrestris L. was placed into transparent box (15×20×15cm). After two weeks when bio-pore systems were formed by earthworms, we visualized in situ enzyme activities of five hydrolytic enzymes (β-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, chitinase, xylanase, leucine-aminopeptidase, and phosphatase. Zymography showed higher activity of β-glucosidase, chitinase, xylanase and phosphatase in biopores comparing to bulk soil. However, the differences in activity of cellobiohydrolase and leucine aminopeptidase between bio-pore and bulk soil were less pronounced. This demonstrated an applicability of zymography approach to monitor and to distinguish the in situ activity of hydrolytic enzymes in soil biopores.

  12. The application of the pore population balance method to the calculation of the radiolytic weight loss and gas transport property changes of nuclear graphites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnson, P.A.V.

    1982-01-01

    A pore population balance equation, previously used to describe the physical property changes of porous carbons during thermal oxidation in carbon dioxide, has been modified to treat the radiolytic oxidation of graphite in CO 2 /CO/CH 4 gas mixtures. Good agreement has been obtained between theory and experiment for the variation in the gas transport coefficients B, K and lambda of gilsonite graphite with absorbed radiation dose. Calculations indicate that the addition of blind pores to the transport porosity, and an allowance for the opening of closed pores with burn-off, do not account for the experimental fractional weight loss curve. An excellent fit is obtained, however, if a small volume of cylindrical pores of a mean radius approximately equal to the diffusion length of oxidising species in the coolant are present in the pore size spectrum. Gilsonite graphite therefore behaves as if the pore size distribution function is trimodal, with mean radii at about 0.5μm, 2.48μm and greater than or equal to 10.57μm. (author)

  13. Real-Time Pore Pressure Detection: Indicators and Improved Methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jincai Zhang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available High uncertainties may exist in the predrill pore pressure prediction in new prospects and deepwater subsalt wells; therefore, real-time pore pressure detection is highly needed to reduce drilling risks. The methods for pore pressure detection (the resistivity, sonic, and corrected d-exponent methods are improved using the depth-dependent normal compaction equations to adapt to the requirements of the real-time monitoring. A new method is proposed to calculate pore pressure from the connection gas or elevated background gas, which can be used for real-time pore pressure detection. The pore pressure detection using the logging-while-drilling, measurement-while-drilling, and mud logging data is also implemented and evaluated. Abnormal pore pressure indicators from the well logs, mud logs, and wellbore instability events are identified and analyzed to interpret abnormal pore pressures for guiding real-time drilling decisions. The principles for identifying abnormal pressure indicators are proposed to improve real-time pore pressure monitoring.

  14. Preparation of Microcrystals of Piroxicam Monohydrate by Antisolvent Precipitation via Microfabricated Metallic Membranes with Ordered Pore Arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Othman, Rahimah; Vladisavljević, Goran T; Simone, Elena; Nagy, Zoltan K; Holdich, Richard G

    2017-12-06

    Microcrystals of piroxicam (PRX) monohydrate with a narrow size distribution were prepared from acetone/PRX solutions by antisolvent crystallization via metallic membranes with ordered pore arrays. Crystallization was achieved by controlled addition of the feed solution through the membrane pores into a well-stirred antisolvent. A complete transformation of an anhydrous form I into a monohydrate form of PRX was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The size of the crystals was 7-34 μm and was controlled by the PRX concentration in the feed solution (15-25 g L -1 ), antisolvent/solvent volume ratio (5-30), and type of antisolvent (Milli-Q water or 0.1-0.5 wt % aqueous solutions of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), poly(vinyl alcohol) or Pluronic P-123). The smallest crystals were obtained by injecting 25 g L -1 PRX solution through a stainless-steel membrane with a pore size of 10 μm into a 0.06 wt % HPMC solution stirred at 1500 rpm using an antisolvent/solvent ratio of 20. HPMC provided better steric stabilization of microcrystals against agglomeration than poly(vinyl alcohol) and Pluronic P-123, due to hydrogen bonding interactions with PRX and water. A continuous production of large PRX monohydrate microcrystals with a volume-weighted mean diameter above 75 μm was achieved in a continuous stirred membrane crystallizer. Rapid pouring of Milli-Q water into the feed solution resulted in a mixture of highly polydispersed prism-shaped and needle-shaped crystals.

  15. Modelling bentonite pore waters for the Swiss high-level radioactive waste repository

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Curti, E.

    1993-11-01

    The main objective of this investigation is to contribute to definition of representative compositions of bentonite pore waters in the near-field of the Swiss repository for high-level radioactive waste. Such compositions are necessary for determining the solubility limits of radionuclides for the safety analysis KRISTALLIN I. The model developed here is based on the premise, supported by experimental data, that the composition of bentonite pore waters is largely controlled by the dissolution or precipitation of reactive trace solids in bentonite. Selectivity constants for the exchange equilibria among Na-K, Na-Ca, and Ca-Mg were derived from water-bentonite interaction experiments performed for NAGRA by the British Geological Survey (BGS). An important parameter for the prediction of radionuclide solubilities is the oxidation potential of the bentonite water. Since the BGS experiments yielded no information on this, the oxidation potential had to be estimated from model assumptions. Bentonite pore waters were defined by computer simulation with the geochemical code MINEQL. They have been modelled in a closed system, i.e. assuming the bentonite, once it has reacted with a fixed volume of groundwater, does not exchange further chemical species with an external reservoir. No attempt was made to model the evolution of the pore water by simulating diffusive exchange processes. It can be anticipated that uncertainties in the concentrations of some major elements (e.g. Al, Si) will not significantly affect the calculated radionuclide solubilities. The latter will depend primarily on the concentrations of a few major ligands (OH - , Cl - and CO 3 -2 ) and, for multivalent elements, also on the oxidation potential of the solution. (author) 10 figs., 22 tabs., 40 refs

  16. Use of nitrogen to remove solvent from through oven transfer adsorption desorption interface during analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by large volume injection in gas chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Áragón, Alvaro; Toledano, Rosa M; Cortés, José M; Vázquez, Ana M; Villén, Jesús

    2014-04-25

    The through oven transfer adsorption desorption (TOTAD) interface allows large volume injection (LVI) in gas chromatography and the on-line coupling of liquid chromatography and gas chromatography (LC-GC), enabling the LC step to be carried out in normal as well as in reversed phase. However, large amounts of helium, which is both expensive and scarce, are necessary for solvent elimination. We describe how slight modification of the interface and the operating mode allows nitrogen to be used during the solvent elimination steps. In order to evaluate the performance of the new system, volumes ranging from 20 to 100μL of methanolic solutions of four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were sampled. No significant differences were found in the repeatability and sensitivity of the analyses of standard PAH solutions when using nitrogen or helium. The performance using the proposed modification was similar and equally satisfactory when using nitrogen or helium for solvent elimination in the TOTAD interface. In conclusion, the use of nitrogen will make analyses less expensive. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Pore-Structure-Optimized CNT-Carbon Nanofibers from Starch for Rechargeable Lithium Batteries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongjin Jeong

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Porous carbon materials are used for many electrochemical applications due to their outstanding properties. However, research on controlling the pore structure and analyzing the carbon structures is still necessary to achieve enhanced electrochemical properties. In this study, mesoporous carbon nanotube (CNT-carbon nanofiber electrodes were developed by heat-treatment of electrospun starch with carbon nanotubes, and then applied as a binder-free electrochemical electrode for a lithium-ion battery. Using the unique lamellar structure of starch, mesoporous CNT-carbon nanofibers were prepared and their pore structures were controlled by manipulating the heat-treatment conditions. The activation process greatly increased the volume of micropores and mesopores of carbon nanofibers by etching carbons with CO2 gas, and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET specific area increased to about 982.4 m2·g−1. The activated CNT-carbon nanofibers exhibited a high specific capacity (743 mAh·g−1 and good cycle performance (510 mAh·g−1 after 30 cycles due to their larger specific surface area. This condition presents many adsorption sites of lithium ions, and higher electrical conductivity, compared with carbon nanofibers without CNT. The research suggests that by controlling the heat-treatment conditions and activation process, the pore structure of the carbon nanofibers made from starch could be tuned to provide the conditions needed for various applications.

  18. Damage Effects and Fractal Characteristics of Coal Pore Structure during Liquid CO2 Injection into a Coal Bed for E-CBM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Ma

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Pore structure has a significant influence on coal-bed methane (CBM enhancement. Injecting liquid CO2 into coal seams is an effective way to increase CBM recovery. However, there has been insufficient research regarding the damage effects and fractal characteristics of pore structure at low temperature induced by injecting liquid CO2 into coal samples. Therefore, the methods of low-pressure nitrogen adsorption-desorption (LP-N2-Ad and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP were used to investigate the damage effects and fractal characteristics of pore structure with full aperture as the specimens were frozen by liquid CO2. The adsorption isotherms revealed that the tested coal samples belonged to type B, indicating that they contained many bottle and narrow-slit shaped pores. The average pore diameter (APD; average growth rate of 18.20%, specific surface area (SSA; average growth rate of 7.38%, and total pore volume (TPV; average growth rate of 18.26% increased after the specimens were infiltrated by liquid CO2, which indicated the generation of new pores and the transformation of original pores. Fractal dimensions D1 (average of 2.58 and D2 (average of 2.90 of treated coal samples were both larger the raw coal (D1, average of 2.55 and D2, average of 2.87, which indicated that the treated specimens had more rough pore surfaces and complex internal pore structures than the raw coal samples. The seepage capacity was increased because D4 (average of 2.91 of the treated specimens was also higher than the raw specimens (D4, average of 2.86. The grey relational coefficient between the fractal dimension and pore structure parameters demonstrated that the SSA, APD, and porosity positively influenced the fractal features of the coal samples, whereas the TPV and permeability exerted negative influences.

  19. Dendritic silica nanomaterials (KCC-1) with fibrous pore structure possess high DNA adsorption capacity and effectively deliver genes in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Xiaoxi; Tao, Zhimin; Praskavich, John C; Goswami, Anandarup; Al-Sharab, Jafar F; Minko, Tamara; Polshettiwar, Vivek; Asefa, Tewodros

    2014-09-16

    The pore size and pore structure of nanoporous materials can affect the materials' physical properties, as well as potential applications in different areas, including catalysis, drug delivery, and biomolecular therapeutics. KCC-1, one of the newest members of silica nanomaterials, possesses fibrous, large pore, dendritic pore networks with wide pore entrances, large pore size distribution, spacious pore volume and large surface area--structural features that are conducive for adsorption and release of large guest molecules and biomacromolecules (e.g., proteins and DNAs). Here, we report the results of our comparative studies of adsorption of salmon DNA in a series of KCC-1-based nanomaterials that are functionalized with different organoamine groups on different parts of their surfaces (channel walls, external surfaces or both). For comparison the results of our studies of adsorption of salmon DNA in similarly functionalized, MCM-41 mesoporous silica nanomaterials with cylindrical pores, some of the most studied silica nanomaterials for drug/gene delivery, are also included. Our results indicate that, despite their relatively lower specific surface area, the KCC-1-based nanomaterials show high adsorption capacity for DNA than the corresponding MCM-41-based nanomaterials, most likely because of KCC-1's large pores, wide pore mouths, fibrous pore network, and thereby more accessible and amenable structure for DNA molecules to diffuse through. Conversely, the MCM-41-based nanomaterials adsorb much less DNA, presumably because their outer surfaces/cylindrical channel pore entrances can get blocked by the DNA molecules, making the inner parts of the materials inaccessible. Moreover, experiments involving fluorescent dye-tagged DNAs suggest that the amine-grafted KCC-1 materials are better suited for delivering the DNAs adsorbed on their surfaces into cellular environments than their MCM-41 counterparts. Finally, cellular toxicity tests show that the KCC-1-based

  20. Multiple Approaches to Characterizing Pore Structure in Natural Rock

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Q.; Dultz, S.; Hamamoto, S.; Ewing, R. P.

    2012-12-01

    Microscopic characteristics of porous media - pore shape, pore-size distribution, and pore connectivity - control fluid flow and chemical transport, and are important in hydrogeological studies of rock formations in the context of energy, environmental, and water resources management. This presentation discusses various approaches to investigating pore structure of rock, with a particular focus on the Barnett Shale in north Texas used for natural gas production. Approaches include imbibition, tracer diffusion, porosimetry (MIP, vapor adsorption/desorption isotherms, NMR cyroporometry), and imaging (μ-tomography, Wood's metal impregnation, FIB/SEM). Results show that the Barnett Shale pores are predominantly in the nm size range, with a measured median pore-throat diameter of 6.5 nm. But small pore size is not the major contributor to low gas recovery; rather, the low gas diffusivity appears to be caused by low pore connectivity. Chemical diffusion in sparsely-connected pore spaces is not well described by classical Fickian behavior; anomalous behavior is suggested by percolation theory, and confirmed by results of imbibition tests. Our evolving complementary approaches, with their several advantages and disadvantages, provide a rich toolbox for tackling the pore structure characteristics in the Barnett Shale and other natural rocks.

  1. Pore structure of natural and regenerated soil aggregates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Naveed, Muhammad; Arthur, Emmanuel; de Jonge, Lis Wollesen

    2014-01-01

    Quantitative characterization of aggregate pore structure can reveal the evolution of aggregates under different land use and management practices and their effects on soil processes and functions. Advances in X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) provide powerful means to conduct such characterization....... This study examined aggregate pore structure of three differently managed same textured Danish soils (mixed forage cropping, MFC; mixed cash cropping, MCC; cereal cash cropping, CCC) for (i) natural aggregates, and (ii) aggregates regenerated after 20 months of incubation. In total, 27 aggregates (8-16 mm...... pore diameter of 200 and 170 Hm, respectively. Pore shape analysis indicated that CCC and MFC aggregates had an abundance of rounded and elongated pores, respectively, and those of MCC were in-between CCC and MFC. Aggregate pore structure development in the lysimeters was nearly similar irrespective...

  2. Enhancement of plasma generation in catalyst pores with different shapes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yu-Ru; Neyts, Erik C.; Bogaerts, Annemie

    2018-05-01

    Plasma generation inside catalyst pores is of utmost importance for plasma catalysis, as the existence of plasma species inside the pores affects the active surface area of the catalyst available to the plasma species for catalytic reactions. In this paper, the electric field enhancement, and thus the plasma production inside catalyst pores with different pore shapes is studied with a two-dimensional fluid model. The results indicate that the electric field will be significantly enhanced near tip-like structures. In a conical pore with small opening, the strongest electric field appears at the opening and bottom corners of the pore, giving rise to a prominent ionization rate throughout the pore. For a cylindrical pore, the electric field is only enhanced at the bottom corners of the pore, with lower absolute value, and thus the ionization rate inside the pore is only slightly enhanced. Finally, in a conical pore with large opening, the electric field is characterized by a maximum at the bottom of the pore, yielding a similar behavior for the ionization rate. These results demonstrate that the shape of the pore has a significantly influence on the electric field enhancement, and thus modifies the plasma properties.

  3. Modeling Stokes flow in real pore geometries derived by high resolution micro CT imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halisch, M.; Müller, C.

    2012-04-01

    Meanwhile, numerical modeling of rock properties forms an important part of modern petrophysics. Substantially, equivalent rock models are used to describe and assess specific properties and phenomena, like fluid transport or complex electrical properties. In recent years, non-destructive computed X-ray tomography got more and more important - not only to take a quick and three dimensional look into rock samples but also to get access to in-situ sample information for highly accurate modeling purposes. Due to - by now - very high resolution of the 3D CT data sets (micron- to submicron range) also very small structures and sample features - e.g. micro porosity - can be visualized and used for numerical models of very high accuracy. Special demands even arise before numerical modeling can take place. Inappropriate filter applications (e.g. improper type of filter, wrong kernel, etc.) may lead to a significant corruption of spatial sample structure and / or even sample or void space volume. Because of these difficulties, especially small scale mineral- and pore space textures are very often lost and valuable in-situ information is erased. Segmentation of important sample features - porosity as well as rock matrix - based upon grayscale values strongly depends upon the scan quality and upon the experience of the application engineer, respectively. If the threshold for matrix-porosity separation is set too low, porosity can be quickly (and even more, due to restrictions of scanning resolution) underestimated. Contrary to this, a too high threshold over-determines porosity and small void space features as well as interfaces are changed and falsified. Image based phase separation in close combination with "conventional" analytics, as scanning electron microscopy or thin sectioning, greatly increase the reliability of this preliminary work. For segmentation and quantification purposes, a special CT imaging and processing software (Avizo Fire) has been used. By using this

  4. A supermolecular building layer approach for gas separation and storage applications: the eea and rtl MOF platforms for CO 2 capture and hydrocarbon separation

    KAUST Repository

    Chen, Zhijie

    2015-02-11

    The supermolecular building layer (SBL) approach was employed to deliberately synthesize five novel metal–organic frameworks (1–5) with an exposed array of amide or amine functionalities within their pore system. The ability to decorate the pores with nitrogen donor moieties offers potential to evaluate/elucidate the structure–adsorption property relationship. Two MOF platforms, eea-MOF and rtl-MOF, based on pillaring of kgm-a or sql-a layers with heterofunctional 3-connected organic building blocks were targeted and constructed to purposely introduce and expose the desired amide or amine functionalities. Interestingly, gas adsorption properties of eea-MOF-4 (1) and eea-MOF-5 (2) showed that by simply altering the nitrogen donor position within the ligand, it is possible to relatively reduce the pore size of the related eea-MOF material and subsequently increase the associated CO2 uptake. The slightly confined pore space in 2, relative to 1, has enabled an enhancement of the pore local charge density and thus the observed relative increase in the CO2 and H2 isosteric heat of adsorption (Qst). In addition, light hydrocarbon adsorption studies revealed that 2 is more selective toward C2H6 and C3H8 over CH4 than 1, as exemplified for C2H6 : CH4 (5 : 95) or C3H8 : CH4 (5 : 95) binary gas mixtures.

  5. A method of evaluating facial pores using optical 2D images and analysis of age-dependent changes in facial pores in Koreans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, S I; Kim, E J; Lee, H K

    2018-05-01

    Enlarged facial pores and changes in pore area are of concern for cosmetic reasons. To evaluate pores, measuring tools based on 3D methodology are used. Yet, these methods are limited by their measuring ranges. In this study, we performed pore analysis by measuring the whole face using 2D optical images. We further sought to understand how the pores of Korean women change with age. One hundred sixteen Korean female subjects aged 20-60 years were recruited for this study. Facial images were taken using the VISIA-CR ® adjusted light source. Images were processed using Image-Pro Plus 9.2. Statistical significance was assumed when P pore area, as indicated by pixel count, gradually increased in patients through their 40s, but decreased through their 50s and 60s. Facial pores generally exhibited directionality through the patients' 30s, but this isotropic feature was more prominent in their 50s. Pore elongation increased stepwise. The first increase occurred during the transition from patients' 30s to their 40s and the second increase occurred during the transition from patients' 50s to their 60s. This indicated that the pores deformed from a circular shape to a long elliptic shape over time. A new evaluation method using 2D optical images facilitates the analysis of pore distribution and elongation throughout the entire cheek. This is an improvement over an analysis of pores over a narrow region of interest. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. A highly stable zeotype mesoporous zirconium metal-organic framework with ultralarge pores.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Feng, Dawei; Wang, Kecheng; Su, Jie; Liu, Tian-Fu; Park, Jihye; Wei, Zhangwen; Bosch, Mathieu; Yakovenko, Andrey; Zou, Xiaodong; Zhou, Hong-Cai

    2015-01-02

    Through topological rationalization, a zeotype mesoporous Zr-containing metal-organic framework (MOF), namely PCN-777, has been designed and synthesized. PCN-777 exhibits the largest cage size of 3.8nm and the highest pore volume of 2.8cm(3)g(-1) among reported Zr-MOFs. Moreover, PCN-777 shows excellent stability in aqueous environments, which makes it an ideal candidate as a support to incorporate different functional moieties. Through facile internal surface modification, the interaction between PCN-777 and different guests can be varied to realize efficient immobilization

  7. Pore formation by actinoporins, cytolysins from sea anemones.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rojko, Nejc; Dalla Serra, Mauro; Maček, Peter; Anderluh, Gregor

    2016-03-01

    Actinoporins (APs) from sea anemones are ~20 kDa pore forming toxins with a β-sandwich structure flanked by two α-helices. The molecular mechanism of APs pore formation is composed of several well-defined steps. APs bind to membrane by interfacial binding site composed of several aromatic amino acid residues that allow binding to phosphatidylcholine and specific recognition of sphingomyelin. Subsequently, the N-terminal α-helix from the β-sandwich has to be inserted into the lipid/water interphase in order to form a functional pore. Functional studies and single molecule imaging revealed that only several monomers, 3-4, oligomerise to form a functional pore. In this model the α-helices and surrounding lipid molecules build toroidal pore. In agreement, AP pores are transient and electrically heterogeneous. On the contrary, crystallized oligomers of actinoporin fragaceatoxin C were found to be composed of eight monomers with no lipids present between the adjacent α-helices. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Pore-Forming Toxins edited by Maur Dalla Serra and Franco Gambale. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Nuclear Pore-Like Structures in a Compartmentalized Bacterium.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Evgeny Sagulenko

    Full Text Available Planctomycetes are distinguished from other Bacteria by compartmentalization of cells via internal membranes, interpretation of which has been subject to recent debate regarding potential relations to Gram-negative cell structure. In our interpretation of the available data, the planctomycete Gemmata obscuriglobus contains a nuclear body compartment, and thus possesses a type of cell organization with parallels to the eukaryote nucleus. Here we show that pore-like structures occur in internal membranes of G.obscuriglobus and that they have elements structurally similar to eukaryote nuclear pores, including a basket, ring-spoke structure, and eight-fold rotational symmetry. Bioinformatic analysis of proteomic data reveals that some of the G. obscuriglobus proteins associated with pore-containing membranes possess structural domains found in eukaryote nuclear pore complexes. Moreover, immunogold labelling demonstrates localization of one such protein, containing a β-propeller domain, specifically to the G. obscuriglobus pore-like structures. Finding bacterial pores within internal cell membranes and with structural similarities to eukaryote nuclear pore complexes raises the dual possibilities of either hitherto undetected homology or stunning evolutionary convergence.

  9. Plasma devices for hydrocarbon reformation

    KAUST Repository

    Cha, Min

    2017-01-01

    Plasma devices for hydrocarbon reformation are provided. Methods of using the devices for hydrocarbon reformation are also provided. The devices can include a liquid container to receive a hydrocarbon source, and a plasma torch configured

  10. A New Global Open Source Marine Hydrocarbon Emission Site Database

    Science.gov (United States)

    Onyia, E., Jr.; Wood, W. T.; Barnard, A.; Dada, T.; Qazzaz, M.; Lee, T. R.; Herrera, E.; Sager, W.

    2017-12-01

    Hydrocarbon emission sites (e.g. seeps) discharge large volumes of fluids and gases into the oceans that are not only important for biogeochemical budgets, but also support abundant chemosynthetic communities. Documenting the locations of modern emissions is a first step towards understanding and monitoring how they affect the global state of the seafloor and oceans. Currently, no global open source (i.e. non-proprietry) detailed maps of emissions sites are available. As a solution, we have created a database that is housed within an Excel spreadsheet and use the latest versions of Earthpoint and Google Earth for position coordinate conversions and data mapping, respectively. To date, approximately 1,000 data points have been collected from referenceable sources across the globe, and we are continualy expanding the dataset. Due to the variety of spatial extents encountered, to identify each site we used two different methods: 1) point (x, y, z) locations for individual sites and; 2) delineation of areas where sites are clustered. Certain well-known areas, such as the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea, have a greater abundance of information; whereas significantly less information is available in other regions due to the absence of emission sites, lack of data, or because the existing data is proprietary. Although the geographical extent of the data is currently restricted to regions where the most data is publicly available, as the database matures, we expect to have more complete coverage of the world's oceans. This database is an information resource that consolidates and organizes the existing literature on hydrocarbons released into the marine environment, thereby providing a comprehensive reference for future work. We expect that the availability of seafloor hydrocarbon emission maps will benefit scientific understanding of hydrocarbon rich areas as well as potentially aiding hydrocarbon exploration and environmental impact assessements.

  11. XIX Mendeleev Congress on general and applied chemistry. Abstract book in 4 volumes. Volume 4. Chemistry aspects of modern energy and alternative energy resources. Chemistry of fossil and renewable hydrocarbon raw materials. Analytical chemistry: novel methods and devices for chemical research and analysis. Chemical education

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2011-01-01

    The abstracts of the XIX Mendeleev Congress on general and applied chemistry held 25-30 September 2011 in Volgograd are presented. The program includes the Congress plenary and section reports, poster presentations, symposia and round tables on key areas of chemical science and technology, and chemical education. The work of the Congress was held the following sections: 1. Fundamental problems of chemical sciences; 2. Chemistry and technology of materials, including nanomaterials; 3. Physicochemical basis of metallurgical processes; 4. Current issues of chemical production, technical risk assessment; 5. Chemical aspects of modern power and alternative energy sources; 6. Chemistry of fossil and renewable hydrocarbons; 7. Analytical chemistry: new methods and instruments for chemical research and analysis; 8. Chemical education. Volume 4 includes abstracts of oral and poster presentations and presentations of correspondent participants of the sections: Chemistry aspects of modern energy and alternative energy resources; Chemistry of fossil and renewable hydrocarbon raw materials; Analytical chemistry: novel methods and devices for chemical research and analysis; Chemical education, and author index [ru

  12. Differences in the behaviour of HTO and H2O in soil after condensation from the atmosphere and conversion of HT to HTO and OBT in soil relative to moisture content and pore volume

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bunnenberg, C.; Feinhals, J.; Wiener, B.

    1986-01-01

    Theoretical considerations and field and soil column experiments have identified the condensation of atmospheric water vapour as an additional process in the HTO contamination of soils. In contrast to wash-out, where tritium concentrations of the deposited water are the same as in the falling drops, the specific activity of the condensed water is increased compared with that of the atmospheric humidity, when the partial vapour pressure gradient of HTO between atmosphere and soil is higher than the H 2 O pressure gradient. With respect to HTO deposition, condensation may therefore be more effective per unit precipitation than wash-out. Experiments on the conversion rates of HT to HTO and OBT in soils have exhibited a pronounced dependence on moisture content and free pore volume. With rising moisture content, conversion increases due to enhanced bacterial action; while close to field capacity a decrease occurs as a result of restricted HT diffusion through the soil pores. In short-term experiments about 0.1% of the converted HT was found in the OBT form. (author)

  13. Radiative magnetohydrodynamic simulations of solar pores

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cameron, R.; Schuessler, M.; Vögler, A.; Zakharov, V.

    2007-01-01

    Context. Solar pores represent a class of magnetic structures intermediate between small-scale magnetic flux concentrations in intergranular lanes and fully developed sunspots with penumbrae. Aims. We study the structure, energetics, and internal dynamics of pore-like magnetic structures by means of

  14. MD simulation of organics adsorption from aqueous solution in carbon slit-like pores. Foundations of the pore blocking effect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gauden, Piotr A; Terzyk, Artur P; Furmaniak, Sylwester; Zieliński, Wojciech; Włoch, Jerzy; Kowalczyk, Piotr

    2014-01-01

    The results of systematic studies of organics adsorption from aqueous solutions (at the neutral pH level) in a system of slit-like carbon pores having different sizes and oxygen groups located at the pore mouth are reported. Using molecular dynamics simulations (GROMACS package) the properties of adsorbent–adsorbate (benzene, phenol or paracetamol) as well as adsorbent–water systems are discussed. After the introduction of surface oxygen functionalities, adsorption of organic compounds decreases (in accordance with experimental data) and this is caused by the accumulation of water molecules at pore entrances. The pore blocking effect decreases with the diameter of slits and practically vanishes for widths larger than approx. 0.68 nm. We observed the increase in phenol adsorption with the rise in temperature. Moreover, adsorbed molecules occupy the external surface of the slit pores (the entrances) in the case of oxidized adsorbents. Among the studied molecules benzene, phenol and paracetamol prefer an almost flat orientation and with the rise in the pore width the number of molecules oriented in parallel decreases. The decrease or increase in temperature (with respect to 298 K) leads to insignificant changes of angular orientation of adsorbed molecules. (paper)

  15. GIS (Geographic Information Systems) based calculation on hydrocarbon generated volume: Amazon Basin example; O uso de SIG no calculo de hidrocarbonetos gerados: exemplo da Bacia do Amazonas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pedrinha, Saulo; Simoes, Leonardo; Goncalves, Felix T.T.; Carneiro, Jason T.G. [Petroleum Geoscience Technology Ltda. (PGT), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

    2008-07-01

    The calculation of the volume of hydrocarbons generated from a particular source rock a sedimentary basin provides numerical data that help to better describe the petroleum system, and evaluate its potential. Among the various methodologies developed for calculating the volume of oil there is a proposal by Schmoker (1994), which has the advantage to take into account the occurrence of the source rock area in the basin, and the spatial variations in the main geological parameters. Using the tools of a GIS, through the manipulation of georeferred maps, it is possible to calculate the volume of oil generated in a way that would be virtually impossible by using punctual data, only. Even the discretiation maps in minors areas allows, via attribute table in the GIS, the application of a Monte Carlo simulation, which allows to incorporate all the uncertainties related to the input data in the calculation, obtaining distributions of volumes associated with various parts of the final map being integrated throughout the basin. Isopac and maturation maps (Gonzaga et al., 2000), along with TOC data from Barreirinha formation, Amazon Basin, have been scanned and georeferred and, once in the GIS database, were treated in order to spatially distribute the geological properties of the source rock. Then, such maps were handled in accordance with Schmoker (1994) method, leading to a map of mass and distribution of oil generated in the basin at the regional scale. (author)

  16. Triconstituent co-assembly to ordered mesostructured polymer-silica and carbon-silica nanocomposites and large-pore mesoporous carbons with high surface areas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ruili; Shi, Yifeng; Wan, Ying; Meng, Yan; Zhang, Fuqiang; Gu, Dong; Chen, Zhenxia; Tu, Bo; Zhao, Dongyuan

    2006-09-06

    Highly ordered mesoporous polymer-silica and carbon-silica nanocomposites with interpenetrating networks have been successfully synthesized by the evaporation-induced triconstituent co-assembly method, wherein soluble resol polymer is used as an organic precursor, prehydrolyzed TEOS is used as an inorganic precursor, and triblock copolymer F127 is used as a template. It is proposed for the first time that ordered mesoporous nanocomposites have "reinforced concrete"-structured frameworks. By adjusting the initial mass ratios of TEOS to resol, we determined the obtained nanocomposites possess continuous composition with the ratios ranging from zero to infinity for the two constituents that are "homogeneously" dispersed inside the pore walls. The presence of silicates in nanocomposites dramatically inhibits framework shrinkage during the calcination, resulting in highly ordered large-pore mesoporous carbon-silica nanocomposites. Combustion in air or etching in HF solution can remove carbon or silica from the carbon-silica nanocomposites and yield ordered mesoporous pure silica or carbon frameworks. The process generates plenty of small pores in carbon or/and silica pore walls. Ordered mesoporous carbons can then be obtained with large pore sizes of approximately 6.7 nm, pore volumes of approximately 2.0 cm(3)/g, and high surface areas of approximately 2470 m(2)/g. The pore structures and textures can be controlled by varying the sizes and polymerization degrees of two constituent precursors. Accordingly, by simply tuning the aging time of TEOS, ordered mesoporous carbons with evident bimodal pores at 2.6 and 5.8 nm can be synthesized.

  17. Quantification of pore size distribution in reservoir rocks using MRI logging: A case study of South Pars Gas Field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghojogh, Jalal Neshat; Esmaili, Mohammad; Noruzi-Masir, Behrooz; Bakhshi, Puyan

    2017-12-01

    Pore size distribution (PSD) is an important factor for controlling fluid transport through porous media. The study of PSD can be applicable in areas such as hydrocarbon storage, contaminant transport, prediction of multiphase flow, and analysis of the formation damage by mud infiltration. Nitrogen adsorption, centrifugation method, mercury injection, and X-ray computed tomography are commonly used to measure the distribution of pores. A core sample is occasionally not available because of the unconsolidated nature of reservoirs, high cost of coring operation, and program limitations. Magnetic resonance imaging logging (MRIL) is a proper logging technique that allows the direct measurement of the relaxation time of protons in pore fluids and correlating T 2 distribution to PSD using proper mathematical equations. It is nondestructive and fast and does not require core samples. In this paper, 8 core samples collected from the Dalan reservoir in South Pars Gas Field were studied by processing MRIL data and comparing them by PSD determined in the laboratory. By using the MRIL method, variation in PSD corresponding to the depth for the entire logged interval was determined. Moreover, a detailed mineralogical composition of the reservoir samples related to T 2 distribution was obtained. A good correlation between MRIL and mercury injection data was observed. High degree of similarity was also observed between T 2 distribution and PSD (R 2 = 0.85 to 0.91). Based on the findings from the MRIL method, the obtained values for clay bond water varied between 1E-6 and 1E-3µm, a range that is comprehended from an extra peak on the PSD curve. The frequent pore radius was determined to be 1µm. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Hydrocarbons and air pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Herz, O.

    1992-01-01

    This paper shows the influence of hydrocarbons vapors, emitted by transports or by volatile solvents using, on air pollution. Hydrocarbons are the principal precursors of photochemical pollution. After a brief introduction on atmospheric chemistry and photochemical reactions, the author describes the french prevention program against hydrocarbons emissions. In the last chapter, informations on international or european community programs for photochemical pollution study are given. 5 figs., 10 tabs

  19. Capillary pressure-saturation relationships for porous granular materials: Pore morphology method vs. pore unit assembly method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sweijen, Thomas; Aslannejad, Hamed; Hassanizadeh, S. Majid

    2017-09-01

    In studies of two-phase flow in complex porous media it is often desirable to have an estimation of the capillary pressure-saturation curve prior to measurements. Therefore, we compare in this research the capability of three pore-scale approaches in reproducing experimentally measured capillary pressure-saturation curves. To do so, we have generated 12 packings of spheres that are representative of four different glass-bead packings and eight different sand packings, for which we have found experimental data on the capillary pressure-saturation curve in the literature. In generating the packings, we matched the particle size distributions and porosity values of the granular materials. We have used three different pore-scale approaches for generating the capillary pressure-saturation curves of each packing: i) the Pore Unit Assembly (PUA) method in combination with the Mayer and Stowe-Princen (MS-P) approximation for estimating the entry pressures of pore throats, ii) the PUA method in combination with the hemisphere approximation, and iii) the Pore Morphology Method (PMM) in combination with the hemisphere approximation. The three approaches were also used to produce capillary pressure-saturation curves for the coating layer of paper, used in inkjet printing. Curves for such layers are extremely difficult to determine experimentally, due to their very small thickness and the presence of extremely small pores (less than one micrometer in size). Results indicate that the PMM and PUA-hemisphere method give similar capillary pressure-saturation curves, because both methods rely on a hemisphere to represent the air-water interface. The ability of the hemisphere approximation and the MS-P approximation to reproduce correct capillary pressure seems to depend on the type of particle size distribution, with the hemisphere approximation working well for narrowly distributed granular materials.

  20. Pore-Width-Dependent Preferential Interaction of sp2 Carbon Atoms in Cyclohexene with Graphitic Slit Pores by GCMC Simulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natsuko Kojima

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The adsorption of cyclohexene with two sp2 and four sp3 carbon atoms in graphitic slit pores was studied by performing grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation. The molecular arrangement of the cyclohexene on the graphitic carbon wall depends on the pore width. The distribution peak of the sp2 carbon is closer to the pore wall than that of the sp3 carbon except for the pore width of 0.7 nm, even though the Lennard-Jones size of the sp2 carbon is larger than that of the sp3 carbon. Thus, the difference in the interactions of the sp2 and sp3 carbon atoms of cyclohexene with the carbon pore walls is clearly observed in this study. The preferential interaction of sp2 carbon gives rise to a slight tilting of the cyclohexene molecule against the graphitic wall. This is suggestive of a π-π interaction between the sp2 carbon in the cyclohexene molecule and graphitic carbon.

  1. A study on optimal pore development of modified commercial activated carbons for electrode materials of supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bang, Joon Hyuk; Lee, Hye-Min; An, Kay-Hyeok; Kim, Byung-Joo

    2017-09-01

    This study aimed to understand the impact of CO2 activation of commercial activated carbons (AC) on the changes in pore characteristics and the electrochemical property. The surface structure of manufactured AC was observed with a X-ray diffraction (XRD); the pore characteristics were analyzed at N2/77 K isothermal absorption using the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Dubinin-Radushkevich (DR) equations. In addition, the electrochemical characteristics were analyzed by means of an electrolyte of 1 M (C2H5)4NBF4/propylene carbonate, using a charge/discharge test, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and impedance. The N2/77 K isothermal absorption curve of the manufactured AC falls under Type I in the classification of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and was found to largely comprise micropores. The specific surface area increased from 1690 m2/g to 2290 m2/g, and the pore volume grew from 0.80 cm3/g to 1.10 cm3/g. The analysis of electrochemical characteristics also found that the specific capacity increased from 17 F/g to 20 F/g (in a full cell condition). Based on these results, we were able to determine the pore characteristics of commercial AC through an additional activation process, which consequently allowed us to manufacture the AC with an advanced electrochemical property.

  2. Comparison of Polytetrafluoroethylene Flat-Sheet Membranes with Different Pore Sizes in Application to Submerged Membrane Bioreactor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manabu Motoori

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available This study focused on phase separation of activated sludge mixed liquor by flat-sheet membranes of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE. A 20 liter working volume lab-scale MBR incorporating immersed PTFE flat-sheet membrane modules with different pore sizes (0.3, 0.5 and 1.0 μm was operated for 19 days treating a synthetic wastewater. The experiment was interrupted twice at days 5 and 13 when the modules were removed and cleaned physically and chemically in sequence. The pure water permeate flux of each membrane module was measured before and after each cleaning step to calculate membrane resistances. Results showed that fouling of membrane modules with 0.3 μm pore size was more rapid than other membrane modules with different pore sizes (0.5 and 1.0 μm. On the other hand, it was not clear whether fouling of the 0.5 μm membrane module was more severe than that of the 1.0 μm membrane module. This was partly because of the membrane condition after chemical cleaning, which seemed to determine the fouling of those modules over the next period. When irreversible resistance (Ri i.e., differences in membrane resistance before use and after chemical cleaning was high, the transmembrane pressure increased quickly during the next period irrespective of membrane pore size.

  3. A Three-Dimensional Pore-Scale Model for Non-Wetting Phase Mobilization with Ferrofluid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, N.; Prodanovic, M.

    2017-12-01

    Ferrofluid, a stable dispersion of paramagnetic nanoparticles in water, can generate a distributed pressure difference across the phase interface in an immiscible two-phase flow under an external magnetic field. In water-wet porous media, this non-uniform pressure difference may be used to mobilize the non-wetting phase, e.g. oil, trapped in the pores. Previous numerical work by Soares et al. of two-dimensional single-pore model showed enhanced non-wetting phase recovery with water-based ferrofluid under certain magnetic field directions and decreased recovery under other directions. However, the magnetic field selectively concentrates in the high magnetic permeability ferrofluid which fills the small corners between the non-wetting phase and the solid wall. The magnetic field induced pressure is proportional to the square of local magnetic field strength and its normal component, and makes a significant impact on the non-wetting phase deformation. The two-dimensional model omitted the effect of most of these corners and is not sufficient to compute the magnetic-field-induced pressure difference or to predict the non-wetting blob deformation. Further, it is not clear that 3D effects on magnetic field in an irregular geometry can be approximated in 2D. We present a three-dimensional immiscible two-phase flow model to simulate the deformation of a non-wetting liquid blob in a single pore filled with a ferrofluid under a uniform external magnetic field. The ferrofluid is modeled as a uniform single phase because the nanoparticles are 104 times smaller than the pore. The open source CFD solver library OpenFOAM is used for the simulations based on the volume of fluid method. Simulations are performed in a converging-diverging channel model on different magnetic field direction, different initial oil saturations, and different pore shapes. Results indicate that the external magnetic field always stretches the non-wetting blob away from the solid channel wall. A magnetic

  4. A modified free-volume-based model for predicting vapor-liquid and solid-liquid equilibria for size asymmetric systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Radfarnia, H.R.; Ghotbi, C.; Taghikhani, V.

    2005-01-01

    The main purpose of this work is to present a free-volume combinatorial term in predicting vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) and solid-liquid equilibrium (SLE) of polymer/solvent and light and heavy hydrocarbon/hydrocarbon mixtures. The proposed term is based on a modification of the original Freed ...

  5. Detection of hydrocarbons in irradiated foods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyahara, Makoto; Maitani, Tamio; Saito, Akiko; Kamimura, Tomomi; Nagasawa, Taeko; Kobayashi, Yasuo; Ito, Hitoshi

    2003-01-01

    The hydrocarbon method for the detection of irradiated foods is now recognized as the international technique. This method is based on radiolysis of fatty acids in food to give hydrocarbons. In order to expand this technique's application, ten foods (butter, cheese, chicken, pork, beef, tuna, dry shrimp, avocado, papaya, and mango) were irradiated in the range from 0.5 to 10 kGy and the hydrocarbons in them were detected. Recoveries of the hydrocarbons from most foods were acceptable (38-128%). Some hydrocarbons were found in non-irradiated foods, particularly, in butter, cheese, tuna, and shrimp. Seven irradiated foods, butter, cheese, chicken, beef, pork, tuna, dry shrimp, and avocado were detectable at their practical doses by measuring the appropriate marker hydrocarbons. In most case, marker hydrocarbon will be 1,7-hexadecadiene. However, the marker hydrocarbons produced only in irradiated foods varied from food to food; therefore, it is necessary to check a specific irradiated food for marker hydrocarbons. On the other hand, two irradiated foods (papaya and mango which were irradiated at their practical doses) were difficult to distinguish from non-irradiated foods using this method. (author)

  6. Detection of hydrocarbons in irradiated foods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miyahara, Makoto; Maitani, Tamio [National Inst. of Health Sciences, Tokyo (Japan); Saito, Akiko; Kamimura, Tomomi; Nagasawa, Taeko [Kitasato Univ., Sagamihara, Kanagawa (Japan). School of Allied Health Sciences; Kobayashi, Yasuo; Ito, Hitoshi [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Takasaki, Gunma (Japan). Takasaki Radiation Establishment

    2003-06-01

    The hydrocarbon method for the detection of irradiated foods is now recognized as the international technique. This method is based on radiolysis of fatty acids in food to give hydrocarbons. In order to expand this technique's application, ten foods (butter, cheese, chicken, pork, beef, tuna, dry shrimp, avocado, papaya, and mango) were irradiated in the range from 0.5 to 10 kGy and the hydrocarbons in them were detected. Recoveries of the hydrocarbons from most foods were acceptable (38-128%). Some hydrocarbons were found in non-irradiated foods, particularly, in butter, cheese, tuna, and shrimp. Seven irradiated foods, butter, cheese, chicken, beef, pork, tuna, dry shrimp, and avocado were detectable at their practical doses by measuring the appropriate marker hydrocarbons. In most case, marker hydrocarbon will be 1,7-hexadecadiene. However, the marker hydrocarbons produced only in irradiated foods varied from food to food; therefore, it is necessary to check a specific irradiated food for marker hydrocarbons. On the other hand, two irradiated foods (papaya and mango which were irradiated at their practical doses) were difficult to distinguish from non-irradiated foods using this method. (author)

  7. Tolerance of Antarctic soil fungi to hydrocarbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hughes, Kevin A.; Bridge, Paul; Clark, Melody S. [British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET (United Kingdom)

    2007-01-01

    Little is known about the effects of hydrocarbons and fuel oil on Antarctic filamentous fungi in the terrestrial Antarctic environment. Growth of fungi and bacteria from soils around Rothera Research Station (Adelaide Island, Antarctic Peninsula) was assessed in the presence of ten separate aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons [marine gas oil (MGO), dodecane, hexadecane, benzoic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, toluene, phenol, biphenyl, naphthalene and m- and p-xylenes with ethylbenzene]. Aromatic hydrocarbons inhibited soil microbial growth more than aliphatic hydrocarbons. Soil microorganisms from a moss patch, where little previous impact or hydrocarbon contamination had occurred, were less tolerant of hydrocarbons than those from high impact sites. Fungal growth rates of Mollisia sp., Penicillium commune, Mortierella sp., Trichoderma koningii, Trichoderma sp. and Phoma herbarum were assessed in the presence of hydrocarbons. Generally, aromatic hydrocarbons inhibited or stopped hyphal extension, though growth rates increased with some aliphatic hydrocarbons. Hyphal dry weight measurements suggested that Mortierella sp. may be able to use dodecane as sole carbon and energy source. Hydrocarbon-degrading Antarctic fungi may have use in future hydrocarbon spill bioremediation. (author)

  8. Porous anionic indium-organic framework with enhanced gas and vapor adsorption and separation ability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yuanbiao; Lin, Zujin; Fu, Hongru; Wang, Fei; Shen, Min; Wang, Xusheng; Cao, Rong

    2014-09-01

    A three-dimensional microporous anionic metal-organic framework (MOF) (Et4N)3[In3(TATB)4] (FJI-C1, H3TATB=4,4',4''-s-triazine-2,4,6-triyltribenzoic acid) with large unit cell volume has been synthesized. Assisted by the organic cation group Et4N in the pores of the compound, FJI-C1 not only shows high adsorption uptakes of C2 and C3 hydrocarbons, but also exhibits highly selective separation of propane, acetylene, ethane, and ethylene from methane at room temperature. Furthermore, it also exhibits high separation selectivity for propane over C2 hydrocarbons and acetylene can be readily separated from their C2 hydrocarbons mixtures at low pressure due to the high selectivity for C2H2 in comparison to C2H4 and C2H6. In addition, FJI-C1 with hydrophilic internal pores surfaces shows highly efficient adsorption separation of polar molecules from nonpolar molecules. Notably, it exhibits high separation selectivity for benzene over cyclohexane due to the π-π interactions between benzene molecules and s-triazine rings of the porous MOF. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. The equivalent pore aspect ratio as a tool for pore type prediction in carbonate reservoirs

    OpenAIRE

    FOURNIER , François; Pellerin , Matthieu; Villeneuve , Quentin; Teillet , Thomas; Hong , Fei; Poli , Emmanuelle; Borgomano , Jean; Léonide , Philippe; Hairabian , Alex

    2018-01-01

    International audience; The equivalent pore aspect ratios (EPAR) provide a tool to detect pore types by combining P-and S-wave velocities, porosity, bulk density and mineralogical composition of carbonate rocks. The integration of laboratory measurements, well log data and petrographic analysis of 468 carbonate samples from various depositional and diagenetic settings (Lower Cretaceous pre-salt non-marine carbonates from offshore Brazil, Lower Cretaceous shallow-water platform carbonates from...

  10. An instrument to measure differential pore pressures in deep ocean sediments: Pop-Up-Pore-Pressure-Instrument (PUPPI)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schultheiss, P.J.; McPhail, S.D.; Packwood, A.R.; Hart, B.

    1985-01-01

    A Pop-Up-Pore-Pressure-Instrument (PUPPI) has been developed to measure differential pore pressures in sediments. The differential pressure is the pressure above or below normal hydrostatic pressure at the depth of the measurement. It is designed to operate in water depths up to 6000 metres for periods of weeks or months, if required, and measures differential pore pressures at depths of up to 3 metres into the sediments with a resolution of 0.05 kPa. It is a free-fall device with a lance which penetrates the sediments. This lance and the ballast weight is disposed when the PUPPI is acoustically released from the sea floor. When combined with permeability and porosity values of deep-sea sediments the pore pressure measurements made using the PUPPI suggest advection velocities as low as 8.8 mm/yr. The mechanical, electrical and acoustic systems are described together with data obtained from both shallow and deep water trials. (author)

  11. Effects of fractal pore on coal devolatilization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Yongli; He, Rong [Tsinghua Univ., Beijing (China). Dept. of Thermal Engineering; Wang, Xiaoliang; Cao, Liyong [Dongfang Electric Corporation, Chengdu (China). Centre New Energy Inst.

    2013-07-01

    Coal devolatilization is numerically investigated by drop tube furnace and a coal pyrolysis model (Fragmentation and Diffusion Model). The fractal characteristics of coal and char pores are investigated. Gas diffusion and secondary reactions in fractal pores are considered in the numerical simulations of coal devolatilization, and the results show that the fractal dimension is increased firstly and then decreased later with increased coal conversions during devolatilization. The mechanisms of effects of fractal pores on coal devolatilization are analyzed.

  12. A study to investigate viscous coupling effects on the hydraulic conductance of fluid layers in two-phase flow at the pore level.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shams, Mosayeb; Raeini, Ali Q; Blunt, Martin J; Bijeljic, Branko

    2018-07-15

    This paper examines the role of momentum transfer across fluid-fluid interfaces in two-phase flow. A volume-of-fluid finite-volume numerical method is used to solve the Navier-Stokes equations for two-phase flow at the micro-scale. The model is applied to investigate viscous coupling effects as a function of the viscosity ratio, the wetting phase saturation and the wettability, for different fluid configurations in simple pore geometries. It is shown that viscous coupling effects can be significant for certain pore geometries such as oil layers sandwiched between water in the corner of mixed wettability capillaries. A simple parametric model is then presented to estimate general mobility terms as a function of geometric properties and viscosity ratio. Finally, the model is validated by comparison with the mobilities computed using direct numerical simulation. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. On the Formation of Nanobubbles in Vycor Porous Glass during the Desorption of Halogenated Hydrocarbons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitropoulos, A. C.; Stefanopoulos, K. L.; Favvas, E. P.; Vansant, E.; Hankins, N. P.

    2015-06-01

    Vycor porous glass has long served as a model mesoporous material. During the physical adsorption of halogenated hydrocarbon vapours, such as dibromomethane, the adsorption isotherm exhibits an hysteresis loop; a gradual ascent is observed at higher pressures during adsorption, and a sharp drop is observed at lower pressures during desorption. For fully wetting fluids, an early hypothesis attributed the hysteresis to mechanistic differences between capillary condensation (adsorption) and evaporation (desorption) processes occurring in the wide bodies and narrow necks, respectively, of ‘ink-bottle’ pores. This was later recognized as oversimplified when the role of network percolation was included. For the first time, we present in-situ small angle x-ray scattering measurements on the hysteresis effect which indicate nanobubble formation during desorption, and support an extended picture of network percolation. The desorption pattern can indeed result from network percolation; but this can sometimes be initiated by a local cavitation process without pore blocking, which is preceded by the temporary, heterogeneous formation of nanobubbles involving a change in wetting states. The capacity of the system to sustain such metastable states is governed by the steepness of the desorption boundary.

  14. Production of light hydrocarbons, etc. [from heavy hydrocarbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1937-10-07

    A process is given for the production of light hydrocarbons of the gasoline type and, if desired, of the middle-oil type, from liquid or fusible heavy or medium heavy hydrocarbon materials. The process comprises subjecting the said initial materials in the first stage to catalytic hydrofining, separating the lower boiling constituents and the hydrogenating gas from the resulting products and then subjecting the higher boiling constituents in a second stage to a splitting destructive hydrogenation and then recycling substantially the entire reaction mixture obtained in the second stage to the frst stage.

  15. Pore size determination from charged particle energy loss measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brady, F.P.; Armitage, B.H.

    1977-01-01

    A new method aimed at measuring porosity and mean pore size in materials has been developed at Harwell. The energy width or variance of a transmitted or backscattered charged particle beam is measured and related to the mean pore size via the assumption that the variance in total path length in the porous material is given by (Δx 2 )=na 2 , where n is the mean number of pores and a the mean pore size. It is shown on the basis of a general and rigorous theory of total path length distribution that this approximation can give rise to large errors in the mean pore size determination particularly in the case of large porosities (epsilon>0.5). In practice it is found that it is not easy to utilize fully the general theory because accurate measurements of the first four moments are required to determine the means and variances of the pore and inter-pore length distributions. Several models for these distributions are proposed. When these are incorporated in the general theory the determinations of mean pore size from experimental measurements on powder samples are in good agreement with values determined by other methods. (Auth.)

  16. Accurate relations between pore size and the pressure of capillary condensation and the evaporation of nitrogen in cylindrical pores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morishige, Kunimitsu; Tateishi, Masayoshi

    2006-04-25

    To examine the theoretical and semiempirical relations between pore size and the pressure of capillary condensation or evaporation proposed so far, we constructed an accurate relation between the pore radius and the capillary condensation and evaporation pressure of nitrogen at 77 K for the cylindrical pores of the ordered mesoporous MCM-41 and SBA-15 silicas. Here, the pore size was determined from a comparison between the experimental and calculated X-ray diffraction patterns due to X-ray structural modeling recently developed. Among the many theoretical relations that differ from each other in the degree of theoretical improvements, a macroscopic thermodynamic approach based on Broekhoff-de Boer equations was found to be in fair agreement with the experimental relation obtained in the present study.

  17. Numerical models of pore pressure and stress changes along basement faults due to wastewater injection: Applications to the 2014 Milan, Kansas Earthquake

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hearn, Elizabeth H.; Koltermann, Christine; Rubinstein, Justin R.

    2018-01-01

    We have developed groundwater flow models to explore the possible relationship between wastewater injection and the 12 November 2014 Mw 4.8 Milan, Kansas earthquake. We calculate pore pressure increases in the uppermost crust using a suite of models in which hydraulic properties of the Arbuckle Formation and the Milan earthquake fault zone, the Milan earthquake hypocenter depth, and fault zone geometry are varied. Given pre‐earthquake injection volumes and reasonable hydrogeologic properties, significantly increasing pore pressure at the Milan hypocenter requires that most flow occur through a conductive channel (i.e., the lower Arbuckle and the fault zone) rather than a conductive 3‐D volume. For a range of reasonable lower Arbuckle and fault zone hydraulic parameters, the modeled pore pressure increase at the Milan hypocenter exceeds a minimum triggering threshold of 0.01 MPa at the time of the earthquake. Critical factors include injection into the base of the Arbuckle Formation and proximity of the injection point to a narrow fault damage zone or conductive fracture in the pre‐Cambrian basement with a hydraulic diffusivity of about 3–30 m2/s. The maximum pore pressure increase we obtain at the Milan hypocenter before the earthquake is 0.06 MPa. This suggests that the Milan earthquake occurred on a fault segment that was critically stressed prior to significant wastewater injection in the area. Given continued wastewater injection into the upper Arbuckle in the Milan region, assessment of the middle Arbuckle as a hydraulic barrier remains an important research priority.

  18. Thermal decomposition pathway of undoped and doped zinc layered gallate nanohybrid with Fe 3+, Co 2+ and Ni 2+ to produce mesoporous and high pore volume carbon material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghotbi, Mohammad Yeganeh; bin Hussein, Mohd Zobir; Yahaya, Asmah Hj; Abd Rahman, Mohd Zaki

    2009-12-01

    A series of brucite-like materials, undoped and doped zinc layered hydroxide nitrate with 2% (molar) Fe 3+, Co 2+ and Ni 2+ were synthesized. Organic-inorganic nanohybrid material with gallate anion as a guest, and zinc hydroxide nitrate, as an inorganic layered host was prepared by the ion-exchange method. The nanohybrid materials were heat-treated at various temperatures, 400-700 °C. X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis and also Fourier transform infrared results showed that incorporation of the doping agents within the zinc layered hydroxide salt layers has enhanced the heat-resistivity of the nanohybrid materials in the thermal decomposition pathway. Porous carbon materials can be obtained from the heat-treating the nanohybrids at 600 and 700 °C. Calcination of the nanohybrids at 700 °C under nitrogen atmosphere produces mesoporous and high pore volume carbon materials.

  19. Gas transport and subsoil pore characteristics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Berisso, Feto Esimo; Schjønning, Per; Keller, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    Arrangements of elementary soil particles during soil deposition and subsequent biological and physical processes in long-term pedogenesis are expected to lead to anisotropy of the non-tilled subsoil pore system. Soil compaction by agricultural machinery is known to affect soil pore characteristics...... were sampled in vertical and horizontal directions from 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 0.9 m depth (the two lower depths only in Sweden). In the laboratory, water retention, air permeability (ka) and gas diffusivity (Ds/D0) were determined. For the sandy clay loam, morphological characteristics of pores (effective......). In the sandy clay loam soil, dB and nB displayed significant anisotropy (FAcharacteristics because of its origin...

  20. Enlarged facial pores: an update on treatments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Joanna; Lanoue, Julien; Goldenberg, Gary

    2016-07-01

    Enlarged facial pores remain a common dermatologic and cosmetic concern from acne and rosacea, among other conditions, that is difficult to treat due to the multifactorial nature of their pathogenesis and negative impact on patients' quality of life. Enlarged facial pores are primarily treated through addressing associative factors, such as increased sebum production and cutaneous aging. We review the current treatment modalities for enlarged or dense facial pores, including topical retinoids, chemical peels, oral antiandrogens, and lasers and devices, with a focus on newer therapies.

  1. Distribution, partitioning and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Daliao River water system in dry season, China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo Wei; He Mengchang; Yang Zhifeng; Lin Chunye; Quan Xiangchun; Men Bing

    2009-01-01

    Eighteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed in 29 surface water, 29 suspended particulate matter (SPM), 28 sediment, and 10 pore water samples from Daliao River water system in dry season. The total PAH concentration ranged from 570.2 to 2318.6 ng L -1 in surface water, from 151.0 to 28483.8 ng L -1 in SPM, from 102.9 to 3419.2 ng g -1 in sediment and from 6.3 to 46.4 μg l -1 in pore water. The concentration of dissolved PAHs was higher than that of particulate PAHs at many sites, but the opposite results were generally observed at the sites of wastewater discharge. The soluble level of PAHs was much higher in the pore water than in the water column. Generally, the water column of the polluted branch streams contained higher content of PAHs than their mainstream. The environmental behaviors and fates of PAHs were examined according to some physicochemical parameters such as pH, organic carbon, SPM content, water content and grain size in sediments. Results showed that organic carbon was the primary factor controlling the distribution of the PAHs in the Daliao River water system. Partitioning of PAHs between sediment solid phase and pore water phase was studied, and the relationship between log K oc and log K ow of PAHs on some sediments and the predicted values was compared. PAHs other than naphthalene and acenaphthylene would be accumulated largely in the sediment of the Dalaio River water system. The sources of PAHs were evaluated employing ratios of specific PAHs compounds and different wastewater discharge sources, indicating that combustion was the main source of PAHs input.

  2. Versatility of hydrocarbon production in cyanobacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Min; Wang, Weihua; Zhang, Weiwen; Chen, Lei; Lu, Xuefeng

    2017-02-01

    Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic microorganisms using solar energy, H 2 O, and CO 2 as the primary inputs. Compared to plants and eukaryotic microalgae, cyanobacteria are easier to be genetically engineered and possess higher growth rate. Extensive genomic information and well-established genetic platform make cyanobacteria good candidates to build efficient biosynthetic pathways for biofuels and chemicals by genetic engineering. Hydrocarbons are a family of compounds consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Structural diversity of the hydrocarbon family is enabled by variation in chain length, degree of saturation, and rearrangements of the carbon skeleton. The diversified hydrocarbons can be used as valuable chemicals in the field of food, fuels, pharmaceuticals, nutrition, and cosmetics. Hydrocarbon biosynthesis is ubiquitous in bacteria, yeasts, fungi, plants, and insects. A wide variety of pathways for the hydrocarbon biosynthesis have been identified in recent years. Cyanobacteria may be superior chassis for hydrocabon production in a photosynthetic manner. A diversity of hydrocarbons including ethylene, alkanes, alkenes, and terpenes can be produced by cyanobacteria. Metabolic engineering and synthetic biology strategies can be employed to improve hydrocarbon production in cyanobacteria. This review mainly summarizes versatility and perspectives of hydrocarbon production in cyanobacteria.

  3. Adsorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on graphene oxides and reduced graphene oxides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Yubing; Yang, Shubin; Zhao, Guixia; Wang, Qi; Wang, Xiangke

    2013-11-01

    Graphene has attracted increasing attention in multidisciplinary studies because of its unique physical and chemical properties. Herein, the adsorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), such as naphthalene (NAP), anthracene (ANT), and pyrene (PYR), on reduced graphene oxides (rGOs) and graphene oxides (GOs) as a function of pH, humic acid (HA), and temperature were elucidated by means of a batch technique. For comparison, nonpolar and nonporous graphite were also employed in this study. The increasing of pH from 2 to 11 did not influence the adsorption of PAHs on rGOs, whereas the suppressed adsorption of NAP on rGOs was observed both in the presence of HA and under high-temperature conditions. Adsorption isotherms of PAHs on rGOs were in accordance with the Polanyi-Dubinin-Ashtahhov (PDA) model, providing evidence that pore filling and flat surface adsorption were involved. The saturated adsorbed capacities (in mmol g(-1)) of rGOs for PAHs calculated from the PDA model significantly decreased in the order of NAP>PYR>ANT, which was comparable to the results of theoretical calculations. The pore-filling mechanism dominates the adsorption of NAP on rGOs, but the adsorption mechanisms of ANT and PYR on rGOs are flat surface adsorption. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water and beverages using membrane-assisted solvent extraction in combination with large volume injection-gas chromatography-mass spectrometric detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodil, Rosario; Schellin, Manuela; Popp, Peter

    2007-09-07

    Membrane-assisted solvent extraction (MASE) in combination with large volume injection-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (LVI-GC-MS) was applied for the determination of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in aqueous samples. The MASE conditions were optimized for achieving high enrichment of the analytes from aqueous samples, in terms of extraction conditions (shaking speed, extraction temperature and time), extraction solvent and composition (ionic strength, sample pH and presence of organic solvent). Parameters like linearity and reproducibility of the procedure were determined. The extraction efficiency was above 65% for all the analytes and the relative standard deviation (RSD) for five consecutive extractions ranged from 6 to 18%. At optimized conditions detection limits at the ng/L level were achieved. The effectiveness of the method was tested by analyzing real samples, such as river water, apple juice, red wine and milk.

  5. Rapid and selective adsorption of cationic dyes by a unique metal-organic framework with decorated pore surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jie; Li, Fan; Sun, Qian

    2018-05-01

    Organic dye pollutants become a big headache due to their toxic nature to the environment, and it should be one of the best solutions if we can remove and separate them. Here, a metal-organic framework (MOF) (denoted as Zn-MOF) with carbonyl group based on fluorenone-2,7-dicarboxylate ligand, was directly synthesized without post-synthesis method and applied to selectively absorb cationic dyes such as MB, CV, RhB from aqueous solution, while anionic or neutral dyes were excluded. Characterization of the Zn-MOF was achieved by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and elemental analysis. The Zn-MOF mainly possesses open pore channels, high surface area, big pore volume, and most important, the pore surface is furnished with carbonyl groups arising from the ligand and pointing toward the centers of the large chambers of the framework, which are benefit for the adsorption of the cationic dyes. The MB maximum adsorption capacities can attain 326 mg g-1, which is probably due to the suitable pore size, higher solvent-accessible void, and the prominent adsorption capacity of the mesoporous material. The dye adsorption process for the material is proven to be charge-selective and size-selective, and the adsorption isotherms, as well as kinetics characteristic of dye adsorption onto the Zn-MOF were also investigated.

  6. Studies of in Situ Pore Pressure Fluctuations At Various Scales Études des fluctuations in situ de la pression de pore à différentes échelles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kümpel H. J.

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Pore pressure fluctuations in fluid saturated geological formations, either of natural or anthropogenic origin, can be observed at different scales. Natural fluctuations, e. g. , due to tidal, barometric or seismogenic forcing, or man-made effects as through use of underground fluid reservoirs, or initial filling and cyclic loading of lake reservoirs may have wavelengths from meters to kilometers. In situ monitoring of processes, in which both rock deformation and pore pressure changes are significant, improves our knowledge on the mechanical behaviour and the role of pore pressure in porous rocks and sedimentary layers. Pressure transducers for continuous recording of fluid level variations in wells, reflecting pore pressure changes at depth, or borehole tiltmeters that are sensitive to ground deformation caused by gradients of pore pressure fluctuations are relatively simple means to trace the dynamics of such rock-fluid interactions. The obtained data series are usually interpreted in two ways: by application of analytical solutions-adopting homogeneous poroelastic conditions or single fracture models in a uniform, elastic medium-and by simulation through numerical calculations allowing for some heterogeneity in the model volume. Field cases presented in this article include tilt measurements in the vicinity of pumped wells (1 to 100 m scale, fluid level monitoring in wells (borehole scale, and studies of pore pressure effects induced by seismic events (1 to 100 km scale. Specific rock parameters that can be constrained are the Skempton ratio, the hydraulic diffusivity, and the type of the effective rheology. In cases of tiltmeter studies, anisotropy of pore fluid flow can also be detected. Keywords: fluids in rocks, pore pressure, poroelasticity, hydrology. Les fluctuations de la pression de pore dans les formations géologiques saturées en fluides, d'origine naturelle ou anthropogéniques, peuvent être observées à différentes

  7. Energy conversion device with support member having pore channels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Routkevitch, Dmitri [Longmont, CO; Wind, Rikard A [Johnstown, CO

    2014-01-07

    Energy devices such as energy conversion devices and energy storage devices and methods for the manufacture of such devices. The devices include a support member having an array of pore channels having a small average pore channel diameter and having a pore channel length. Material layers that may include energy conversion materials and conductive materials are coaxially disposed within the pore channels to form material rods having a relatively small cross-section and a relatively long length. By varying the structure of the materials in the pore channels, various energy devices can be fabricated, such as photovoltaic (PV) devices, radiation detectors, capacitors, batteries and the like.

  8. Hydrocarbon Plume Dynamics in the Worldś Most Spectacular Hydrocarbon Seeps, Santa Barbara Channel, California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mau, S.; Reed, J.; Clark, J.; Valentine, D.

    2006-12-01

    Large quantities of natural gas are emitted from the seafloor into the coastal ocean near Coal Oil Point, Santa Barbara Channel (SBC), California. Methane, ethane, and propane were quantified in the surface water at 79 stations in a 270 km2 area in order to map the surficial hydrocarbon plume and to quantify air-sea exchange of these gases. A time series was initiated for 14 stations to identify the variability of the mapped plume, and biologically-mediated oxidation rates of methane were measured to quantify the loss of methane in surface water. The hydrocarbon plume was found to comprise ~70 km2 and extended beyond study area. The plume width narrowed from 3 km near the source to 0.7 km further from the source, and then expanded to 6.7 km at the edge of the study area. This pattern matches the cyclonic gyre which is the normal current flow in this part of the Santa Barbara Channel - pushing water to the shore near the seep field and then broadening the plume while the water turns offshore further from the source. Concentrations of gaseous hydrocarbons decrease as the plume migrates. Time series sampling shows similar plume width and hydrocarbon concentrations when normal current conditions prevail. In contrast, smaller plume width and low hydrocarbon concentrations were observed when an additional anticyclonic eddy reversed the normal current flow, and a much broader plume with higher hydrocarbon concentrations was observed during a time of diminished speed within the current gyre. These results demonstrate that surface currents control hydrocarbon plume dynamics in the SBC, though hydrocarbon flux to the atmosphere is likely less dependent on currents. Estimates of air- sea hydrocarbon flux and biological oxidation rates will also be presented.

  9. X-ray Tomography and Impregnation Methods to Analyze Pore Space Hetrerogeneities at the Hydrated State

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pret, D.; Ferrage, E.; Tertre, E.; Robinet, J.C.; Faurel, M.; Hubert, F.; Pelletier, M.; Bihannic, I.

    2013-01-01

    environmental conditions and preparations are used. In case of methods able to deal with wet atmospheres and nanometre resolution, sub-sampling millimetre or micrometre size hydrated samples without inducing shearing or fractures is also not still proven. Optimization of impregnation procedure for water saturated clay samples still plays a pivotal role for applying the most advanced imaging techniques at the nanometre scale. In addition, natural clay rocks in sedimentary basins or engineered barriers in deep repositories could not swell or shrink by changing their macroscopic volume. Such case corresponds to constrained swelling conditions that implies a distribution of pore and water highly contrasting with dry state and hydrated state in free swelling conditions. Moreover, swelling rate could potentially be limited down to the crystal scale. As probing in-situ the organization of hydrated and compacted clay materials into an odometer set-up is challenging, it is really poorly documented in literature. Note that opening an odometer setup and analyzing a sample is not a constrained swelling condition: immediate swelling and change of pore space occurs. Natural clayey rocks in sedimentary basins display additional spatial variations of mineral and porosity distributions with contrasted spatial frequencies or gradual evolutions due to sedimentation cycles, temporal evolutions of climate, variations of sources, diagenesis, etc. At the scale of a laboratory sample, geological history still imposes a heterogeneous spatial distribution of mineral and pore space down-scaling to the crystal scale. Localizing samples with a millimetre size or less against the heterogeneities encountered at larger scale is thus important before analyzing it with a nanometre resolution. The best is to follow a continuous down-scaling approach all along the characterization of the organization, keeping the sample in a similar state between each technique. Here we propose a method to fully impregnate up to

  10. Bioremediation of hydrocarbon and brine contaminated topsoil : annual report (1992-93)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Danielson, R.M.

    1996-01-01

    This report presents the results of a study which examined the remediation of hydrocarbon and brine contaminated topsoil in a field-based bioreactor at a gas processing plant in Nevis, Alberta during 1992 and 1993. The hydrocarbon and brine contaminated topsoil was placed in the Bio-Reactor and treated for eleven months. Four treatments were applied to eight Bio-Reactor cells: (1) ambient temperature/no forced aeration, (2) ambient temperature/forced aeration, (3) optimum temperature/no forced aeration and (4) optimum temperature/forced aeration. The ninth cell was filled with 30 cm contaminated topsoil and maintained under optimum temperature/forced aeration. The contaminated topsoil was kept moist throughout the experiment by an automatic irrigation system. The contaminated topsoil in the heated cells lost 40 per cent of its original hydrocarbon content in one year; the soil in the non-heated cells lost between 25 and 29 per cent in the same period. Results showed that the Bio-Reactor offered an inexpensive means for promoting a natural process for degrading organic compounds by microorganisms in soil. Equally important, it is capable of handling the large volumes of waste produced by the oil and gas industry. 64 refs., 35 tabs., 46 figs

  11. Effect of pore structure on the seepage characteristics of tight sandstone reservoirs: A case study of Upper Jurassic Penglaizhen Fm reservoirs in the western Sichuan Basin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liqiang Sima

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Tight sandstone reservoirs are characterized by complex pore structures and strong heterogeneity, and their seepage characteristics are much different from those of conventional sandstone reservoirs. In this paper, the tight sandstone reservoirs of Upper Jurassic Penglaizhen Fm in western Sichuan Basin were analyzed in terms of their pore structures by using the data about physical property, mercury injection and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR tests. Then, the seepage characteristics and the gas–water two-phase migration mechanisms and distribution of tight sandstone reservoirs with different types of pore structures in the process of hydrocarbon accumulation and development were simulated by combining the relative permeability experiment with the visual microscopic displacement model. It is shown that crotch-like viscous fingering occurs in the process of gas front advancing in reservoirs with different pore structures. The better the pore structure is, the lower the irreducible water saturation is; the higher the gas-phase relative permeability of irreducible water is, the more easily the gas reservoir can be developed. At the late stage of development, the residual gas is sealed in reservoirs in the forms of bypass, cutoff and dead end. In various reservoirs, the interference between gas and water is stronger, so gas and water tends to be produced simultaneously. The sealed gas may reduce the production rate of gas wells significantly, and the existence of water phase may reduce the gas permeability greatly; consequently, the water-bearing low-permeability tight sandstone gas reservoirs reveal serious water production, highly-difficult development and low-recovery percentage at the late stage, which have adverse impacts on the effective production and development of gas wells.

  12. Evaluation on occluded hydrocarbon in deep–ultra deep ancient source rocks and its cracked gas resources

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jian Li

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Oil-cracked gas, as the main type of high-over mature marine natural gas in China, is mainly derived from occluded hydrocarbon. So it is significant to carry out quantitative study on occluded hydrocarbon. In this paper, the occluded hydrocarbon volume of the main basins in China was calculated depending on their types, abundances and evolution stages by means of the forward method (experimental simulation and the inversion method (geologic profile dissection. And then, occluded hydrocarbon evolution models were established for five types of source rocks (sapropelic, sapropelic prone hybrid, humic prone hybrid, humic and coal. It is shown that the hydrocarbon expulsion efficiency of sapropelic and sapropelic prone hybrid excellent source rocks is lower than 30% at the low-maturity stage, 30%–60% at the principal oil generation stage, and 50%–80% at the high-maturity stage, which are all about 10% higher than that of humic prone hybrid and humic source rocks at the corresponding stages. The resource distribution and cracked gas expulsion of occluded hydrocarbon since the high-maturity stage of marine source rocks in the Sichuan Basin were preliminarily calculated on the basis of the evolution models. The cracked gas expulsion is 230.4 × 1012 m3 at the high evolution stage of occluded hydrocarbon of the Lower Cambrian Qiongzhusi Fm in this basin, and 12.3 × 1012 m3 from the source rocks of Sinian Doushantuo Fm, indicating good potential for natural gas resources. It is indicated that the favorable areas of occluded hydrocarbon cracked gas in the Qiongzhusi Fm source rocks in the Sichuan Basin include Gaoshiti–Moxi, Ziyang and Weiyuan, covering a favorable area of 4.3 × 104 km2.

  13. Study on radiation degradation of hydroxylamine derivatives. Pt.2: The qualitative and quantitative analysis of light hydrocarbons produced by radiation degradation of N, N-diethyl hydroxylamine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Jinhua; Bao Borong; Wu Minghong; Sun Xilian

    2004-01-01

    The qualitative and quantitative analysis of light hydrocarbons produced by radiation degradation of N,N-diethyl hydroxylamine are reported. These analyses are performed on the gas chromatography in which a porous layer open tubular column coated with aluminum oxide and a flame-ionization detector are used. When the doses are between 10 and 1000 kGy, the main hydrocarbons produced by radiation degradation of N,N-diethyl hydroxylamine are methane, ethane, ethene, propane and n-butane. The volume fraction of methane, ethane, n-butane and propane are increased with the increase of dose. The volume fraction of ethene is also increased with the increase of dose at first, however, when the absorbed dose is higher than 500 kGy. The volume fraction of ethene is decreased with the increase of dose

  14. Protein crystal nucleation in pores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nanev, Christo N; Saridakis, Emmanuel; Chayen, Naomi E

    2017-01-16

    The most powerful method for protein structure determination is X-ray crystallography which relies on the availability of high quality crystals. Obtaining protein crystals is a major bottleneck, and inducing their nucleation is of crucial importance in this field. An effective method to form crystals is to introduce nucleation-inducing heterologous materials into the crystallization solution. Porous materials are exceptionally effective at inducing nucleation. It is shown here that a combined diffusion-adsorption effect can increase protein concentration inside pores, which enables crystal nucleation even under conditions where heterogeneous nucleation on flat surfaces is absent. Provided the pore is sufficiently narrow, protein molecules approach its walls and adsorb more frequently than they can escape. The decrease in the nucleation energy barrier is calculated, exhibiting its quantitative dependence on the confinement space and the energy of interaction with the pore walls. These results provide a detailed explanation of the effectiveness of porous materials for nucleation of protein crystals, and will be useful for optimal design of such materials.

  15. Evaluation Of Liner Back-pressure Due To Concrete Pore Pressure At Elevated Temperatures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    James, R.J.; Rashid, Y.R.; Liu, A.S.; Gou, B.

    2006-01-01

    wall considering the time-dependent temperature distribution that evolves following the LOCA. The pressure distribution at each time increment is balanced for mass diffusion using Darcy's Law for mass flux under a pressure gradient. The total mass for the free water, the water vapor, and the non-condensable gases in the pore volumes is tracked to maintain conservation of mass. The evolution of liner back-pressure with time is then based on detailed finite element modeling that incorporates the pore pressure model into a concrete cracking analysis with full coupling between the temperatures, pressures, and liner displacements. (authors)

  16. Predicting hydrocarbon release from soil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poppendieck, D.; Loehr, R.C.

    2002-01-01

    'Full text:' The remediation of hazardous chemicals from soils can be a lengthy and costly process. As a result, recent regulatory initiatives have focused on risk-based corrective action (RBCA) approaches. Such approaches attempt to identify the amount of chemical that can be left at a site with contaminated soil and still be protective of human health and the environment. For hydrocarbons in soils to pose risk to human heath and the environment, the hydrocarbons must be released from the soil and accessible to microorganisms, earthworms, or other higher level organisms. The sorption of hydrocarbons to soil can reduce the availability of the hydrocarbon to receptors. Typically in soils and sediments, there is an initial fast release of a hydrocarbon from the soil to the aqueous phase followed by a slower release of the remaining hydrocarbon to the aqueous phase. The rate and extent of slow release can influence aqueous hydrocarbon concentrations and the fate and transport of hydrocarbons in the subsurface. Once the fast fraction of the chemical has been removed from the soil, the remaining fraction of a chemical may desorb at a rate that natural mechanisms can attenuate the released hydrocarbon. Hence, active remediation may be needed only until the fast fraction has been removed. However, the fast fraction is a soil and chemical specific parameter. This presentation will present a tier I type protocol that has been developed to quickly estimate the fraction of hydrocarbons that are readily released from the soil matrix to the aqueous phase. Previous research in our laboratory and elsewhere has used long-term desorption (four months) studies to determine the readily released fraction. This research shows that a single short-term (less than two weeks) batch extraction procedure provides a good estimate of the fast released fraction derived from long-term experiments. This procedure can be used as a tool to rapidly evaluate the release and bioavailability of

  17. Fusion Pore Diameter Regulation by Cations Modulating Local Membrane Anisotropy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Doron Kabaso

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The fusion pore is an aqueous channel that is formed upon the fusion of the vesicle membrane with the plasma membrane. Once the pore is open, it may close again (transient fusion or widen completely (full fusion to permit vesicle cargo discharge. While repetitive transient fusion pore openings of the vesicle with the plasma membrane have been observed in the absence of stimulation, their frequency can be further increased using a cAMP-increasing agent that drives the opening of nonspecific cation channels. Our model hypothesis is that the openings and closings of the fusion pore are driven by changes in the local concentration of cations in the connected vesicle. The proposed mechanism of fusion pore dynamics is considered as follows: when the fusion pore is closed or is extremely narrow, the accumulation of cations in the vesicle (increased cation concentration likely leads to lipid demixing at the fusion pore. This process may affect local membrane anisotropy, which reduces the spontaneous curvature and thus leads to the opening of the fusion pore. Based on the theory of membrane elasticity, we used a continuum model to explain the rhythmic opening and closing of the fusion pore.

  18. 3D Textural and Geochemical Analyses on Carbonado Diamond: Insights from Pores and the Minerals within Them

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eckley, S. A.; Ketcham, R. A.

    2017-12-01

    Carbonado is an enigmatic variety of polycrystalline diamond found only in placer deposits and Proterozoic metaconglomerates in Brazil and the Central African Republic with unknown primary origin. These highly porous black nodules possess a narrow range of isotopically light carbon (δ13C -31 to -24 ‰), a primarily crustal inclusion suite unusually enriched in REEs and actinides filling the pore spaces, a crystallization age from 2.6 to 3.8 Ga, and other atypical features which have led to a variety of formation theories from extra-solar to deep mantle. We have completed the first multi-sample 3D textural analysis on nine carbonados using high resolution X-ray CT (XCT), with follow-up geochemical work. We have documented a variety of textures in both pore structure and mineralogy within pores. All pore textures feature a preferred orientation. Spatial coherence in pore fillings in some specimens suggest that secondary minerals formed by in-situ breakdown of primary inclusion phases. This, combined with the presence of pseudomorphs, support the hypothesis that elements comprising the secondary minerals within the pore spaces are actually primary. SEM-EDS analysis of one carbonado's exterior revealed the presence of zircon; XCT analysis of the complete volume indicates zircon is present only on the exterior of that specimen, but may be interior to others. Anticipated follow-up work will include LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating and REE analysis of the zircon, and step-leaching and ICP analysis of some specimens. Periodic XCT imaging will allow us to trace leaching progress and effectiveness. To provide further context for our observed pore fabrics, we also analyzed a framesite, a less porous polycrystalline diamond found in kimberlites thought to crystallize shortly before eruption. Both diamond varieties have bladed/elongated pores forming a foliation with a moderate lineation. The similarity in fabrics suggests a similar process could have formed both carbonados and

  19. Evaluation of Colloid Retention Site Dominance in Variably Saturated Porous Media: An All Pores Pore-Scale Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morales, Veronica; Perez-Reche, Francisco; Holzner, Markus; Kinzelbach, Wolfgang

    2016-04-01

    It is well accepted that colloid and nanoparticle transport processes in porous media differ substantially between water saturated and unsaturated conditions. Differences are frequently ascribed to particle immobilization by association with interfaces with the gas, as well as to restrictions of the liquid medium through which colloids are transported. Yet, the current understanding of the importance of particle retention at gas interfaces is based on observations of single pores or two-dimensional pore network representations, leaving open the question of their statistical significance when all pores in the medium are considered. In order to address this question, column experiments were performed using a model porous medium of glass beads through which Silver particles were transported for conditions of varying water content and water chemistry. X-ray microtomography was subsequently employed as a non-destructive imaging technique to obtain pore-scale information of the entire column regarding: i) the presence and distribution of the main locations where colloids can become retained (interfaces with the water-solid, air-water, air-solid, and air-water-solid, grain-grain contacts, and the bulk liquid), ii) deposition profiles of colloids along the column classified by the available retention location, and iii) channel widths of 3-dimensional pore-water network representations. The results presented provide a direct statistical evaluation on the significance of colloid retention by attachment to interfaces or by strainig at contact points where multiple interfaces meet.

  20. HYDROXYETHYL METHACRYLATE BASED NANOCOMPOSITE HYDROGELS WITH TUNABLE PORE ARCHITECTURE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erhan Bat

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA based hydrogels have found increasing number of applications in areas such as chromatographic separations, controlled drug release, biosensing, and membrane separations. In all these applications, the pore size and pore interconnectivity are crucial for successful application of these materials as they determine the rate of diffusion through the matrix. 2-Hydroxyethyl methacrylate is a water soluble monomer but its polymer, polyHEMA, is not soluble in water. Therefore, during polymerization of HEMA in aqueous media, a porous structure is obtained as a result of phase separation. Pore size and interconnectivity in these hydrogels is a function of several variables such as monomer concentration, cross-linker concentration, temperature etc. In this study, we investigated the effect of monomer concentration, graphene oxide addition or clay addition on hydrogel pore size, pore interconnectivity, water uptake, and thermal properties. PolyHEMA hydrogels have been prepared by redox initiated free radical polymerization of the monomer using ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross-linker. As a nanofiller, a synthetic hectorite Laponite® XLG and graphene oxide were used. Graphene oxide was prepared by the Tour Method. Pore morphology of the pristine HEMA based hydrogels and nanocomposite hydrogels were studied by scanning electron microscopy. The formed hydrogels were found to be highly elastic and flexible. A dramatic change in the pore structure and size was observed in the range between 22 to 24 wt/vol monomer at 0.5 % of cross-linker. In this range, the hydrogel morphology changes from typical cauliflower architecture to continuous hydrogel with dispersed water droplets forming the pores where the pores are submicron in size and show an interconnected structure. Such controlled pore structure is highly important when these hydrogels are used for solute diffusion or when there’s flow through monolithic hydrogels

  1. Hydrocarbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1927-02-22

    Coal tar, mineral oils, bitumens, coal extraction products, hydrogenation products of coal, oil schists can be atomized and heated with steam to decompose pyrogenetically and form gases rich in olefins which may be heated with or without pressure and with or without catalysts to produce liquid hydrocarbons of low boiling point, some of which may be aromatic. The apparatus should be lined with copper, silica, or ferrosilicon to prevent contact of the bases with iron which causes deposition of soot. Catalysts used may be metal oxides, silica, graphite, active charcoal, mica, pumice, porcelain, barium carbonate, copper, silver, gold, chromium, boron, or their compounds. At temperatures from 300 to 400/sup 0/C, olefins are produced. At higher temperatures, naphthenes and benzene hydrocarbons are produced.

  2. pH controlled gating of toxic protein pores by dendrimers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandal, Taraknath; Kanchi, Subbarao; Ayappa, K. G.; Maiti, Prabal K.

    2016-06-01

    Designing effective nanoscale blockers for membrane inserted pores formed by pore forming toxins, which are expressed by several virulent bacterial strains, on a target cell membrane is a challenging and active area of research. Here we demonstrate that PAMAM dendrimers can act as effective pH controlled gating devices once the pore has been formed. We have used fully atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to characterize the cytolysin A (ClyA) protein pores modified with fifth generation (G5) PAMAM dendrimers. Our results show that the PAMAM dendrimer, in either its protonated (P) or non-protonated (NP) states can spontaneously enter the protein lumen. Protonated dendrimers interact strongly with the negatively charged protein pore lumen. As a consequence, P dendrimers assume a more expanded configuration efficiently blocking the pore when compared with the more compact configuration adopted by the neutral NP dendrimers creating a greater void space for the passage of water and ions. To quantify the effective blockage of the protein pore, we have calculated the pore conductance as well as the residence times by applying a weak force on the ions/water. Ionic currents are reduced by 91% for the P dendrimers and 31% for the NP dendrimers. The preferential binding of Cl- counter ions to the P dendrimer creates a zone of high Cl- concentration in the vicinity of the internalized dendrimer and a high concentration of K+ ions in the transmembrane region of the pore lumen. In addition to steric effects, this induced charge segregation for the P dendrimer effectively blocks ionic transport through the pore. Our investigation shows that the bio-compatible PAMAM dendrimers can potentially be used to develop therapeutic protocols based on the pH sensitive gating of pores formed by pore forming toxins to mitigate bacterial infections.Designing effective nanoscale blockers for membrane inserted pores formed by pore forming toxins, which are expressed by several virulent

  3. Final Report for Subcontract B541028,Pore-Scale Modeling to Support 'Pore Connectivity' Research Work

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ewing, R.P.

    2008-01-01

    A central concept for the geological barrier at the proposed Yucca Mountain radioactive waste repository is diffusive retardation: solute moving through a fracture diffuses into and out of the rock matrix. This diffusive exchange retards overall solute movement, and retardation both dilutes waste being released, and allows additional decay. The original concept of diffusive retardation required knowledge only of the fracture conductivity and the matrix diffusion. But that simple concept is unavoidably complicated by other issues and processes: contaminants may sorb to the rock matrix, fracture flow may be episodic, a given fracture may or may not flow depending on the volume of flow and the fracture's connection to the overall fracture network, the matrix imbibes water during flow episodes and dries between episodes, and so on. Some of these issues have been examined by other projects. This particular project is motivated by a simple fact: Yucca Mountain tuff has low pore connectivity. This fact is not widely recognized, nor are its implications widely appreciated. Because low pore connectivity affects many processes, it may invalidate many assumptions that are basic (though perhaps not stated) to other investigations. The overall project's objective statement (from the proposal) was: This proposal aims to improve our understanding of diffusive retardation of radionuclides due to fracture/matrix interactions. Results from this combined experimental/modeling work will (1) determine whether the current understanding and model representation of matrix diffusion is valid, (2) provide insights into the upscaling of laboratory-scale diffusion experiments, and (3) evaluate the impact on diffusive retardation of episodic fracture flow and pore connectivity in Yucca Mountain tuffs. An obvious data gap addressed by the project was that there were only a few limited measurements of the diffusion coefficient of the rock at the repository level. That is, at the time we wrote

  4. Fractional separation of hydrocarbon vapours

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1937-07-10

    A process is described for converting higher boiling hydrocarbons to lower boiling hydrocarbons by subjecting them at elevated temperatures to a conversion operation, then separating the higher and lower boiling fractions. The separation takes place while the reaction products are maintained in the vapor phase by contact with a mass of solid porous material which has little or no catalytic activity but does have a preferential absorption property for higher boiling hydrocarbons so that the lower boiling part of the reaction products pass through the separation zone while the heavier hydrocarbons are retained. The separation is accomplished without substantial loss of heat of these reaction products.

  5. Opportunities for development of non-traditional hydrocarbon resources in the Timan-North Ural region, taking into account ecosystem services

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. G. Burtseva

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The authors formulate the definition of non-traditional resources from geological-genetic, technological and economic viewpoints. The authors present a detailed assessment of the resource potential of non-traditional hydrocarbon raw material in the Timan-Severouralsk region, including hydrocarbons in the deposits of the domanic type, methane of coal seams, liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons potentially extracted from black, brown coal and combustible shales. The authors also show the main directions of industrial use of coal and oil shales. The assessment of the resource potential of hydrocarbon raw materials in the deposits of the domanic type varies widely; the recoverable resources may amount to about 1 billion tons. Bituminous coals with a high volatile yield have the highest degree of conversion to liquid hydrocarbons, and brown and black coals of with a low degree of metamorphism usually serve for the production of combustible gas and primary resin. The paper describes the option of developing oil shale deposits as a possible investment project. The determined components and overall values of the economic effect from the implementation of the projects under consideration allow us to estimate that the payback period of investments does not exceed seven years. There is also a social effect: the creation of an additional 550 jobs in the operation of the quarry and about 700 jobs – in the enrichment and processing of oil shales. The estimated annual volume of output is 25–30 billion rubles, and the volume of tax revenues – up to 100 billion rubles. The authors evaluated ecosystem services in the territories of potential industrial development of coal and oil shale deposits; identified the beneficiaries of the benefits from the use of environmental services and the possibility of calculating payments.

  6. The pore space scramble

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gormally, Alexandra; Bentham, Michelle; Vermeylen, Saskia; Markusson, Nils

    2015-04-01

    Climate change and energy security continue to be the context of the transition to a secure, affordable and low carbon energy future, both in the UK and beyond. This is reflected in for example, binding climate policy targets at the EU level, the introduction of renewable energy targets, and has also led to an increasing interest in Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology with its potential to help mitigate against the effects of CO2 emissions from fossil fuel burning. The UK has proposed a three phase strategy to integrate CCS into its energy system in the long term focussing on off-shore subsurface storage (DECC, 2014). The potential of CCS therefore, raises a number of challenging questions and issues surrounding the long-term storage of CO2 captured and injected into underground spaces and, alongside other novel uses of the subsurface, contributes to opening a new field for discussion on the governance of the subsurface. Such 'novel' uses of the subsurface have lead to it becoming an increasingly contested space in terms of its governance, with issues emerging around the role of ownership, liability and property rights of subsurface pore space. For instance, questions over the legal ownership of pore space have arisen with ambiguity over the legal standpoint of the surface owner and those wanting to utilise the pore space for gas storage, and suggestions of whether there are depths at which legal 'ownership' becomes obsolete (Barton, 2014). Here we propose to discuss this 'pore space scramble' and provide examples of the competing trajectories of different stakeholders, particularly in the off-shore context given its priority in the UK. We also propose to highlight the current ambiguity around property law of pore space in the UK with reference to approaches currently taken in different national contexts. Ultimately we delineate contrasting models of governance to illustrate the choices we face and consider the ethics of these models for the common good

  7. Preparation of micro-pored silicone elastomer through radiation crosslinking

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gao Xiaoling; Gu Mei; Xie Xubing; Huang Wei

    2013-01-01

    The radiation crosslinking was adopted to prepare the micro-pored silicone elastomer, which was performed by vulcanization and foaming respectively. Radiation crosslinking is a new method to prepare micro-pored material with high performance by use of radiation technology. Silicon dioxide was used as filler, and silicone elastomer was vulcanized by electron beams, then the micro-pored material was made by heating method at a high temperature. The effects of absorbed dose and filler content on the performance and morphology were investigated. The structure and distribution of pores were observed by SEM. The results show that the micro-pored silicon elastomer can be prepared successfully by controlling the absorbed dose and filler content. It has a smooth surface similar to a rubber meanwhile the pores are round and unconnected to each other with the minimum size of 14 μm. And the good mechanical performance can be suitable for further uses. (authors)

  8. Control of pore size in epoxy systems.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sawyer, Patricia Sue; Lenhart, Joseph Ludlow (North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND); Lee, Elizabeth (North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND); Kallam, Alekhya (North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND); Majumdar, Partha (North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND); Dirk, Shawn M.; Gubbins, Nathan; Chisholm, Bret J. (North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND); Celina, Mathias C.; Bahr, James (North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND); Klein, Robert J.

    2009-01-01

    Both conventional and combinatorial approaches were used to study the pore formation process in epoxy based polymer systems. Sandia National Laboratories conducted the initial work and collaborated with North Dakota State University (NDSU) using a combinatorial research approach to produce a library of novel monomers and crosslinkers capable of forming porous polymers. The library was screened to determine the physical factors that control porosity, such as porogen loading, polymer-porogen interactions, and polymer crosslink density. We have identified the physical and chemical factors that control the average porosity, pore size, and pore size distribution within epoxy based systems.

  9. Quantitative multi-scale analysis of mineral distributions and fractal pore structures for a heterogeneous Junger Basin shale

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Y.D.; Ren, Y.Q.; Hu, T.; Deng, B.; Xiao, T.Q.; Liu, K.Y.; Yang, Y.S.

    2016-01-01

    Three dimensional (3D) characterization of shales has recently attracted wide attentions in relation to the growing importance of shale oil and gas. Obtaining a complete 3D compositional distribution of shale has proven to be challenging due to its multi-scale characteristics. A combined multi-energy X-ray micro-CT technique and data-constrained modelling (DCM) approach has been used to quantitatively investigate the multi-scale mineral and porosity distributions of a heterogeneous shale from the Junger Basin, northwestern China by sub-sampling. The 3D sub-resolution structures of minerals and pores in the samples are quantitatively obtained as the partial volume fraction distributions, with colours representing compositions. The shale sub-samples from two areas have different physical structures for minerals and pores, with the dominant minerals being feldspar and dolomite, respectively. Significant heterogeneities have been observed in the analysis. The sub-voxel sized pores form large interconnected clusters with fractal structures. The fractal dimensions of the largest clusters for both sub-samples were quantitatively calculated and found to be 2.34 and 2.86, respectively. The results are relevant in quantitative modelling of gas transport in shale reservoirs

  10. High-resolution AUV mapping and sampling of a deep hydrocarbon plume in the Gulf of Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryan, J. P.; Zhang, Y.; Thomas, H.; Rienecker, E.; Nelson, R.; Cummings, S.

    2010-12-01

    During NOAA cruise GU-10-02 on the Ship Gordon Gunter, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Dorado was deployed to map and sample a deep (900-1200 m) volume centered approximately seven nautical miles southwest of the Deepwater Horizon wellhead. Dorado was equipped to detect optical and chemical signals of hydrocarbons and to acquire targeted samples. The primary sensor reading used for hydrocarbon detection was colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) fluorescence (CF). On June 2 and 3, ship cast and subsequent AUV surveys detected elevated CF in a layer between 1100 and 1200 m depth. While the deep volume was mapped in a series of parallel vertical sections, the AUV ran a peak-capture algorithm to target sample acquisition at layer signal peaks. Samples returned by ship CTD/CF rosette sampling and by AUV were preliminarily examined at sea, and they exhibited odor and fluorometric signal consistent with oil. More definitive and detailed results on these samples are forthcoming from shore-based laboratory analyses. During post-cruise analysis, all of the CF data were analyzed to objectively define and map the deep plume feature. Specifically, the maximum expected background CF over the depth range 1000-1200 m was extrapolated from a linear relationship between depth and maximum CF over the depth range 200 to 1000 m. Values exceeding the maximum expected background in the depth range 1000-1200 m were interpreted as signal from a hydrocarbon-enriched plume. Using this definition we examine relationships between CF and other AUV measurements within the plume, illustrate the three-dimensional structure of the plume boundary region that was mapped, describe small-scale layering on isopycnals, and examine short-term variations in plume depth, intensity and hydrographic relationships. Three-dimensional representation of part of a deep hydrocarbon plume mapped and sampled by AUV on June 2-3, 2010.

  11. Novel Techniques to Characterize Pore Size of Porous Materials

    KAUST Repository

    Alabdulghani, Ali J.

    2016-01-01

    Porous materials are implemented in several industrial applications such as water desalination, gas separation and pharmaceutical care which they are mainly governed by the pore size and the PSD. Analyzing shale reservoirs are not excluded from these applications and numerous advantages can be gained by evaluating the PSD of a given shale reservoir. Because of the limitations of the conventional characterization techniques, novel methods for characterizing the PSD have to be proposed in order to obtain better characterization results for the porous materials, in general, and shale rocks in particular. Thus, permporosimetry and evapoporometry (EP) technologies were introduced, designed and utilized for evaluating the two key parameters, pore size and pore size distribution. The pore size and PSD profiles of different shale samples from Norway and Argentina were analyzed using these technologies and then confirmed by mercury intrusion porosimeter (MIP). Norway samples showed an average pore diameter of 12.94 nm and 19.22 nm with an average diameter of 13.77 nm and 23.23 nm for Argentina samples using permporosimetry and EP respectively. Both techniques are therefore indicative of the heterogeneity of the shales. The results from permporosimetry are in good agreement with those obtained from MIP technique, but EP for most part over-estimates the average pore size. The divergence of EP results compared to permporosimetry results is referred to the fact that the latter technique measures only the active pores which is not the case with the former technique. Overall, both techniques are complementary to each other which the results from both techniques seem reasonable and reliable and provide two simple techniques to estimate the pore size and pore size distributions for shale rocks.

  12. Novel Techniques to Characterize Pore Size of Porous Materials

    KAUST Repository

    Alabdulghani, Ali J.

    2016-04-24

    Porous materials are implemented in several industrial applications such as water desalination, gas separation and pharmaceutical care which they are mainly governed by the pore size and the PSD. Analyzing shale reservoirs are not excluded from these applications and numerous advantages can be gained by evaluating the PSD of a given shale reservoir. Because of the limitations of the conventional characterization techniques, novel methods for characterizing the PSD have to be proposed in order to obtain better characterization results for the porous materials, in general, and shale rocks in particular. Thus, permporosimetry and evapoporometry (EP) technologies were introduced, designed and utilized for evaluating the two key parameters, pore size and pore size distribution. The pore size and PSD profiles of different shale samples from Norway and Argentina were analyzed using these technologies and then confirmed by mercury intrusion porosimeter (MIP). Norway samples showed an average pore diameter of 12.94 nm and 19.22 nm with an average diameter of 13.77 nm and 23.23 nm for Argentina samples using permporosimetry and EP respectively. Both techniques are therefore indicative of the heterogeneity of the shales. The results from permporosimetry are in good agreement with those obtained from MIP technique, but EP for most part over-estimates the average pore size. The divergence of EP results compared to permporosimetry results is referred to the fact that the latter technique measures only the active pores which is not the case with the former technique. Overall, both techniques are complementary to each other which the results from both techniques seem reasonable and reliable and provide two simple techniques to estimate the pore size and pore size distributions for shale rocks.

  13. OBSERVATIONS OF SAUSAGE MODES IN MAGNETIC PORES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morton, R. J.; Erdelyi, R.; Jess, D. B.; Mathioudakis, M.

    2011-01-01

    We present here evidence for the observation of the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) sausage modes in magnetic pores in the solar photosphere. Further evidence for the omnipresent nature of acoustic global modes is also found. The empirical decomposition method of wave analysis is used to identify the oscillations detected through a 4170 A 'blue continuum' filter observed with the Rapid Oscillations in the Solar Atmosphere (ROSA) instrument. Out of phase, periodic behavior in pore size and intensity is used as an indicator of the presence of magnetoacoustic sausage oscillations. Multiple signatures of the magnetoacoustic sausage mode are found in a number of pores. The periods range from as short as 30 s up to 450 s. A number of the magnetoacoustic sausage mode oscillations found have periods of 3 and 5 minutes, similar to the acoustic global modes of the solar interior. It is proposed that these global oscillations could be the driver of the sausage-type magnetoacoustic MHD wave modes in pores.

  14. Estimation of pore pressure from seismic velocities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perez, Zayra; Ojeda, German Y; Mateus, Darwin

    2009-01-01

    On pore pressure calculations it is common to obtain a profile in a well bore, which is then extrapolated toward offset wells. This practice might generate mistakes on pore pressure measurements, since geological conditions may change from a well bore to another, even into the same basin. Therefore, it is important to use other tools which allow engineers not only to detect and estimate in an indirect way overpressure zones, but also to keep a lateral tracking of possible changes that may affect those values in the different formations. Taking into account this situation, we applied a methodology that estimates formation pressure from 3D seismic velocities by using the Eaton method. First, we estimated formation pore pressure; then, we identified possible overpressure zones. Finally, those results obtained from seismic information were analyzed involving well logs and pore pressure tests, in order to compare real data with prediction based on seismic information from the Colombian foothill.

  15. Impedance nanopore biosensor: influence of pore dimensions on biosensing performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kant, Krishna; Yu, Jingxian; Priest, Craig; Shapter, Joe G; Losic, Dusan

    2014-03-07

    Knowledge about electrochemical and electrical properties of nanopore structures and the influence of pore dimensions on these properties is important for the development of nanopore biosensing devices. The aim of this study was to explore the influence of nanopore dimensions (diameter and length) on biosensing performance using non-faradic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Nanoporous alumina membranes (NPAMs) prepared by self-ordered electrochemical anodization of aluminium were used as model nanopore sensing platforms. NPAMs with different pore diameters (25-65 nm) and lengths (4-18 μm) were prepared and the internal pore surface chemistry was modified by covalently attaching streptavidin and biotin. The performance of this antibody nanopore biosensing platform was evaluated using various concentrations of biotin as a model analyte. EIS measurements of pore resistivity and conductivity were carried out for pores with different diameters and lengths. The results showed that smaller pore dimensions of 25 nm and pore lengths up to 10 μm provide better biosensing performance.

  16. Application of method of volume averaging coupled with time resolved PIV to determine transport characteristics of turbulent flows in porous bed

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patil, Vishal; Liburdy, James

    2012-11-01

    Turbulent porous media flows are encountered in catalytic bed reactors and heat exchangers. Dispersion and mixing properties of these flows play an essential role in efficiency and performance. In an effort to understand these flows, pore scale time resolved PIV measurements in a refractive index matched porous bed were made. Pore Reynolds numbers, based on hydraulic diameter and pore average velocity, were varied from 400-4000. Jet-like flows and recirculation regions associated with large scale structures were found to exist. Coherent vortical structures which convect at approximately 0.8 times the pore average velocity were identified. These different flow regions exhibited different turbulent characteristics and hence contributed unequally to global transport properties of the bed. The heterogeneity present within a pore and also from pore to pore can be accounted for in estimating transport properties using the method of volume averaging. Eddy viscosity maps and mean velocity field maps, both obtained from PIV measurements, along with the method of volume averaging were used to predict the dispersion tensor versus Reynolds number. Asymptotic values of dispersion compare well to existing correlations. The role of molecular diffusion was explored by varying the Schmidt number and molecular diffusion was found to play an important role in tracer transport, especially in recirculation regions. Funding by NSF grant 0933857, Particulate and Multiphase Processing.

  17. A mathematical study of the influence of pore geometry on diffusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Melnyk, T.W.; Skeet, A.M.M.

    1987-01-01

    Diffusion into the pore space of plutonic rock matrices is an important phenomenon that can affect the migration of radionuclides and other contaminants in groundwater systems. The effects of irregular pore geometry on rates of diffusive transport are examined in this report. Approximate equations describing steady-state diffusive transport in pores of variable geometry are presented and indicate a strong dependence of the diffusion rates on the geometry of the pore space. Finite-element diffusion calculations were carried out for a series of pores containing storage spaces with rectangular cross-sections. The calculations showed the time taken to reach steady-state is affected by the pore geometry. The results of these calculations were used to simulate typical laboratory diffusion experiments and to evaluate the interpretation of effective diffusion parameters obtained from analysis of the simulated experiments using both capillary and dead-end pore models of the pore space. A capillary model of the pore space requires two independent parameters to characterize the pore space, and is shown, in general, to be inadequate to describe the pre-steady-state regime. The diffusion of radionuclides in groundwater systems lies in this non-steady-state regime. More complex mathematical descriptions of the pore space, using more variables and parameters, can accurately describe the non-steady-state transport. The capillary model, with effective parameter values, gives reasonable results when the size of the dead-end pore space is small relative to the overall diffusion distance under consideration

  18. Bioremediation of soils containing petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated phenols, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seech, A.; Burwell, S.; Marvan, I.

    1994-01-01

    Bench-scale treatability investigations, pilot-scale and full-scale bioremediation projects were conducted to evaluate Daramend trademark bioremediation of soils containing petroleum hydrocarbons, heavy oils, paraffins, chlorinated phenols and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Bench-scale investigations were conducted using glass microcosms. Pilot-scale and full-scale demonstrations were conducted at industrial sites and included treatment of excavated soils and sediments in on-site cells constructed using synthetic liners and covered by steel/polyethylene structures as well as in-situ treatment. A total of approximately 5,000 tons of soil was treated. The soil treatment included organic soil amendments, specialized tillage/aeration apparatus, and strict control of soil moisture. The amendments are composed of naturally-occurring organic materials prepared to soil-specific particle size distributions, nutrient profiles, and nutrient-release kinetics. Bench-scale work indicated that in refinery soil containing high concentrations of heavy oils, extractable hydrocarbon concentrations could be rapidly reduced to industrial clean-up criteria, and that the hydrocarbons were fully mineralized with release of CO 2

  19. Micro/Nano-pore Network Analysis of Gas Flow in Shale Matrix.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Pengwei; Hu, Liming; Meegoda, Jay N; Gao, Shengyan

    2015-08-27

    The gas flow in shale matrix is of great research interests for optimized shale gas extraction. The gas flow in the nano-scale pore may fall in flow regimes such as viscous flow, slip flow and Knudsen diffusion. A 3-dimensional nano-scale pore network model was developed to simulate dynamic gas flow, and to describe the transient properties of flow regimes. The proposed pore network model accounts for the various size distributions and low connectivity of shale pores. The pore size, pore throat size and coordination number obey normal distribution, and the average values can be obtained from shale reservoir data. The gas flow regimes were simulated using an extracted pore network backbone. The numerical results show that apparent permeability is strongly dependent on pore pressure in the reservoir and pore throat size, which is overestimated by low-pressure laboratory tests. With the decrease of reservoir pressure, viscous flow is weakening, then slip flow and Knudsen diffusion are gradually becoming dominant flow regimes. The fingering phenomenon can be predicted by micro/nano-pore network for gas flow, which provides an effective way to capture heterogeneity of shale gas reservoir.

  20. Hydrocarbon Migration from the Micro to Macro Scale in the Gulf of Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johansen, C.; Marty, E.; Silva, M.; Natter, M.; Shedd, W. W.; Hill, J. C.; Viso, R. F.; Lobodin, V.; Krajewski, L.; Abrams, M.; MacDonald, I. R.

    2016-02-01

    In the Northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) at GC600, ECOGIG has been investigating the processes involved in hydrocarbon migration from deep reservoirs to sea surface. We studied two individual vents, Birthday Candles (BC) and Mega-Plume (MP), which are separated by 1km on a salt supported ridge trending from NW-SE. Seismic data depicts two faults, also separated by 1km, feeding into the surface gas hydrate region. BC and MP comprise the range between oily, mixed, and gaseous-type vents. In both cases bubbles are observed escaping from gas hydrate out crops at the sea floor and supporting chemosynthetic communities. Fluid flow is indicated by features on the sea floor such as hydrate mounds, authigenic carbonates, brine pools, mud volcanoes, and biology. We propose a model to describe the upward flow of hydrocarbons from three vertical scales, each dominated by different factors: 1) macro (capillary failure in overlying cap rocks causing reservoir leakage), 2) meso (buoyancy driven fault migration), and 3) micro (hydrate formation and chemosynthetic activity). At the macro scale we use high reflectivity in seismic data and sediment pore throat radii to determine the formation of fractures in leaky reservoirs. Once oil and gas leave the reservoir through fractures in the cap rock they migrate in separate phases. At the meso scale we use seismic data to locate faults and salt diapirs that form conduits for buoyant hydrocarbons follow. This connects the path to the micro scale where we used video data to observe bubble release from individual vents for extended periods of time (3h-26d), and developed an image processing program to quantify bubble release rates. At mixed vents gaseous bubbles are observed escaping hydrate outcrops with a coating of oil varying in thickness. Bubble oil and gas ratios are estimated using average bubble size and release rates. The relative vent age can be described by carbonate hard ground cover, biological activity, and hydrate mound formation

  1. Characterization of hydrocarbon utilizing fungi from hydrocarbon ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Prof. Ogunji

    isolated fungi could be useful in the bioremediation of hydrocarbon polluted sites. Keywords: ... Technologies such as mechanical force, burying, evaporation, dispersant application, and ..... The effects of drilling fluids on marine bacteria from a.

  2. Measuring Trace Hydrocarbons in Silanes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lesser, L. A.

    1984-01-01

    Technique rapid and uses standard analytical equipment. Silane gas containing traces of hydrocarbons injected into carrier gas of moist nitrogen having about 0.2 percent water vapor. Carrier, water and silane pass through short column packed with powdered sodium hydroxide which combines moisture and silane to form nonvolatile sodium silicate. Carrier gas free of silane but containing nonreactive hydrocarbons, pass to silica-gel column where chromatographic separation takes place. Hydrocarbons measured by FID.

  3. Characterization of pore-filling of spiro-MeOTAD in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells and its consequence in device performance

    KAUST Repository

    Ding, I-Kang

    2009-08-27

    In this paper, the pore filling of spiro-MeOTAD (2,2\\',7,7\\'-tetrakis-(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine)9, 9\\'-spirobifluorene) in mesoporous TiO2 films is quantified for the first time using XPS depth profiling and UVVis absorption spectroscopy. We show that spiro-OMeTAD can penetrate the entire depth of the film, and its concentration is constant throughout the film. We determine that in a 2.5-•m-thick film, the volume of the pores is 60-65% filled. The pores become less filled when thicker films are used. Such filling fraction is much higher than the solution concentration because the excess solution on top of the film can act as a reservoir during the spin coating process. Lastly, we demonstrate that by using a lower spin coating speed and higher spiro-OMeTAD solution concentration, we can increase the filling fraction and consequently the efficiency of the device

  4. Cordierite-supported metal oxide for non-methane hydrocarbon oxidation in cooking oil fumes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yonghai; Yi, Honghong; Tang, Xiaolong; Zhao, Shunzheng; Gao, Fengyu; Wang, Jiangen; Yang, Zhongyu

    2018-05-21

    Cooking emission is an important reason for the air quality deterioration in the metropolitan area in China. Transition metal oxide and different loading of manganese oxide supported on cordierite were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation method and were used for non-methane hydrocarbon (NMHC) oxidation in cooking oil fumes (COFs). The effects of different calcination temperature and different Mn content were also studied. The SEM photographs and CO 2 temperature-programmed desorption revealed 5 wt% Mn/cordierite had the best pore structure and the largest number of the weak and moderate basic sites so it showed the best performance for NMHC oxidation. XRD analysis exhibited 5 wt% Mn/cordierite had the best dispersion of active phase and the active phase was MnO 2 when the calcination temperature was 400℃ which were good for the catalytic oxidation of NMHC.

  5. Silver Nanoparticle Transport Through Soil: Illuminating the Pore-Scale Processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molnar, I. L.; Willson, C. S.; Gerhard, J.; O'Carroll, D. M.

    2015-12-01

    For nanoparticle transport through soil, the pore-scale (i.e., tens to hundreds of grains and pores) is a crucial intermediate scale which links nanoparticle-surface interactions with field-scale transport behaviour. However, very little information exists on how nanoparticles behave within real three-dimensional pore spaces. As a result, pore-scale processes are poorly characterized for nanoparticle systems and, subsequently, continuum-scale transport models struggle to describe commonly observed 'anomalous' behaviour such as extended tailing. This knowledge gap is due to two primary factors: an inability to experimentally observe nanoparticles within real pore spaces, and the computationally expensive models required to simulate nanoparticle movement. However, due to recent advances in Synchrotron X-Ray Computed Microtomography (SXCMT), it is now possible to quantify in-situ pore-scale nanoparticle concentrations during transport through real 3-dimensional porous media [1]. Employing this SXCMT quantification method to examine real nanoparticle/soil transport experiments has yielded new insights into the pore-scale processes governing nanoparticle transport. By coupling SXCMT nanoparticle quantification method with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations we are able to construct a better picture of how nanoparticles flow through real pore spaces. This talk presents SXCMT/CFD analyses of three silver nanoparticle transport experiments. Silver nanoparticles were flushed through three different sands to characterize the influence of grain distribution and retention rates on pore-scale flow and transport processes. These CFD/SXCMT analyses illuminate how processes such as temporary hydraulic retention govern nanoparticle transport. In addition, the observed distributions of pore water velocities and nanoparticle mass flow rates challenge the standard conceptual model of nanoparticle transport, suggesting that pore-scale processes require explicit consideration

  6. Fabricating hierarchically porous carbon with well-defined open pores via polymer dehalogenation for high-performance supercapacitor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Mei; Li, Yu; Du, Kewen; Qiu, Chaochao; Dou, Gang; Zhang, Guoxin

    2018-05-01

    Improving specific energy of supercapacitors (SCs) at high power has been intensively investigated as a hot and challengeable topic. In this work, hierarchically porous carbon (HPC) materials with well-defined meso-/macro-pores are reported via the dehalogenation reaction of polyvinyl fluoride (PVDF) by NaNH2. The pore hierarchy is achievable mainly because of the coupled effects of NaNH2 activation and the template/bubbling effects of byproducts of NaF and NH3. Electron microscopy studies and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) measurements confirm that the structures of HPC samples contain multiple-scale pores assembled in a hierarchical pattern, and most of their volumes are contributed by mesopores. Aqueous symmetric supercapacitors (ASSCs) were fabricated using HPC-M7 materials, achieving an ultrahigh specific energy of 18.8 Wh kg-1 at specific power of 986.8 W kg-1. Remarkably, at the ultrahigh power of 14.3 kW kg-1, the HPC-ASSCs still output a very high specific energy of 16.7 Wh kg-1, which means the ASSCs can be charged or discharged within 4 s. The outstanding rate capacitive performance is mainly benefited from the hierarchical porous structure that allows highly efficient ion diffusion.

  7. Atomistic Insight on the Charging Energetics in Sub-nanometer Pore Supercacitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Qiao, Rui [ORNL; Huang, Jingsong [ORNL; Sumpter, Bobby G [ORNL; Meunier, Vincent [ORNL; Feng, Guang [Clemson University

    2010-01-01

    Electrodes featuring sub-nanometer pores can significantly enhance the capacitance and energy density of supercapacitors. However, ions must pay an energy penalty to enter sub-nanometer pores as they have to shed part of their solvation shell. The magnitude of such energy penalty plays a key role in determining the accessibility and charging/discharging of these sub-nanometer pores. Here we report on the atomistic simulation of Na+ and Cl ions entering a polarizable slit pore with a width of 0.82 nm. We show that the free energy penalty for these ions to enter the pore is less than 14 kJ/mol for both Na+ and Cl ions. The surprisingly small energy penalty is caused by the van der Waals attractions between ion and pore walls, the image charge effects, the moderate (19-26%) de-hydration of the ions inside the pore, and the strengthened interactions between ions and their hydration water molecules in the sub-nanometer pore. The results provide strong impetus for further developing nanoporous electrodes featuring sub- nanometer pores.

  8. Inventory, distribution, and origin of aliphatic and polyaromatic hydrocarbons in sea water, the surface microlayer, and the aerosols in the tropical Eastern Atlantic

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marty, J C; Saliot, A; Tissier, M J

    1978-03-20

    Hydrocarbons have been analyzed in several samples from ''Midlante'' cruise, Cape Verde islands-Canary islands, in the Eastern tropical Atlantic: subsurface water, sea surface microlayer collected by a metallic screen and aerosols collected by filtration of large air volumes at about 12 m. above the sea surface. Detailed analysis of aliphatic and polyaromatic hydrocarbons has been made by computerized gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. This study of the air/sea interface indicates a discontinuity in hydrocarbon composition between the underlying water and the microlayer and a similarity between the surface microlayer and the aerosols. The origin of the collected aerosols is essentially marine with a minor terrestrial contribution. The hydrocarbon pattern shows that, superimposed on the typical marine components, a contribution from smokes of natural and industrial origin and/or from pollution associated with crude oil sea slicks is present.

  9. Purifying hydrocarbon oils

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rostin, H

    1938-08-11

    A process is described for continuously purifying hydrocarbon oils consisting in conducting the vapors of the same at a temperature of 300 to 400/sup 0/C over the oelitic ore minette together with reducing gases in presence of steam the proportion of the reducing gases and steam being such that the sulfur of the hydrocarbons escapes from the reaction chamber in the form of sulfuretted hydrogen without permanent sulfide of iron being formed.

  10. Pore growth in U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Yeon Soo, E-mail: yskim@anl.gov [Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439 (United States); Jeong, G.Y.; Sohn, D.-S. [Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, 50 UNIST-gil, Eonyang-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan, 689-798 (Korea, Republic of); Jamison, L.M. [Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439 (United States)

    2016-09-15

    U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel is currently under development in the DOE’s Material Management and Minimization program to convert HEU-fueled research reactors to LEU-fueled reactors. In some demanding conditions in high-power and high-performance reactors, large pores form in the interaction layers between the U-Mo fuel particles and the Al matrix, which pose a potential to cause fuel failure. In this study, comprehension of the formation and growth of these pores was explored. As a product, a model to predict pore growth and porosity increase was developed. The model includes three major topics: fission gas release from the U-Mo and the IL to the pores, stress evolution in the fuel meat, and the effect of amorphous IL growth. Well-characterized in-pile data from reduced-size plates were used to fit the model parameters. A data set from full-sized plates, independent and distinctively different from those used to fit the model parameters, was used to examine the accuracy of the model. The model showed fair agreement with the measured data. The model suggested that the growth of the IL has a critical effect on pore growth, as both its material properties and energetics are favorable to pore formation. Therefore, one area of the current effort, focused on suppressing IL growth, appears to be on the right track to improve the performance of this fuel.

  11. Pore opening dynamics in the exocytosis of serotonin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramirez-Santiago, Guillermo; Cercos, Montserrat G.; Martinez-Valencia, Alejandro; Salinas Hernandez, Israel; Rodríguez-Sosa, Leonardo; de-Miguel, Francisco F.

    2015-03-01

    The current view of the exocytosis of transmitter molecules is that it starts with the formation of a fusion pore that connects the intravesicular and the extracellular spaces, and is completed by the release of the rest of the transmitter contained in the vesicle upon the full fusion and collapse of the vesicle with the plasma membrane. However, under certain circumstances, a rapid closure of the pore before the full vesicle fusion produces only a partial release of the transmitter. Here we show that whole release of the transmitter occurs through fusion pores that remain opened for tens of milliseconds without vesicle collapse. This was demonstrated through amperometric measurements of serotonin release from electrodense vesicles in the axon of leech Retzius neurons and mathematical modelling. By modeling transmitter release with a diffusion equation subjected to boundary conditions that are defined by the experiment, we showed that those pores with a fast half rise time constant remained opened and allowed the full quantum release without vesicle collapse, whereas pores with a slow rise time constant closed rapidly, thus producing partial release. We conclude that a full transmitter release may occur through the fusion pore in the absence of vesicle collapse. This work was founded by a DGAPA-UNAM grants IN200914 and IN118410 CONACYT GRANT 130031, and CONACyT doctoral fellowships.

  12. Moving Magnetic Features Around a Pore

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaithakkal, A. J.; Riethmüller, T. L.; Solanki, S. K.; Lagg, A.; Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.; Gizon, L.; Hirzberger, J.; VanNoort, M. [Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, Göttingen D-37077 (Germany); Rodríguez, J. Blanco [Grupo de Astronomía y Ciencias del Espacio, Universidad de Valencia, E-46980 Paterna, Valencia (Spain); Iniesta, J. C. Del Toro; Suárez, D. Orozco [Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), Apartado de Correos 3004, E-18080 Granada (Spain); Schmidt, W. [Kiepenheuer-Institut für Sonnenphysik, Schöneckstr. 6, D-79104 Freiburg (Germany); Pillet, V. Martínez [National Solar Observatory, 3665 Discovery Drive, Boulder, CO 80303 (United States); Knölker, M., E-mail: anjali@mps.mpg.de [High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000 (United States)

    2017-03-01

    Spectropolarimetric observations from Sunrise/IMaX, obtained in 2013 June, are used for a statistical analysis to determine the physical properties of moving magnetic features (MMFs) observed near a pore. MMFs of the same and opposite polarity, with respect to the pore, are found to stream from its border at an average speed of 1.3 km s{sup −1} and 1.2 km s{sup −1}, respectively, with mainly same-polarity MMFs found further away from the pore. MMFs of both polarities are found to harbor rather weak, inclined magnetic fields. Opposite-polarity MMFs are blueshifted, whereas same-polarity MMFs do not show any preference for up- or downflows. Most of the MMFs are found to be of sub-arcsecond size and carry a mean flux of ∼1.2 × 10{sup 17} Mx.

  13. Hollow mesoporous carbon spheres-based fiber coating for solid-phase microextraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Xingru; Liu, Chao; Li, Jiansheng; Luo, Rui; Jiang, Hui; Sun, Xiuyun; Shen, Jinyou; Han, Weiqing; Wang, Lianjun

    2017-10-20

    In this study, a novel hollow mesoporous carbon spheres-based fiber (HMCSs-F) was fabricated to immobilize HMCSs onto a stainless steel wire for solid-phase microextraction (SPME). Characterization results showed that the HMCSs-F possessed a large specific surface area, high porosity and uniform pore size. To demonstrate the extraction performance, a series of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was chosen as target analytes. The experimental parameters including extraction and desorption conditions were optimized. Compared to commercial fibers, the HMCSs-F exhibited better extraction efficiency for PAHs. More interestingly, a good extraction selectivity for PAHs from the complex matrix was observed in these HMCSs-F. The enhanced SPME performance was attributed to the unique pore structure and special surface properties of the HMCSs. Furthermore, under the optimum conditions, the limits of detection (LODs) for the HMCSs-F were in the range of 0.20-1.15ngL -1 with a corresponding relative standard deviation that was below 8.6%. The method was successfully applied for the analysis of PAHs in actual environmental water samples with recoveries ranging from 85.9% to 112.2%. These results imply that the novel HMCSs-F have potential application in environmental water analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Recovering low-boiling hydrocarbons, etc

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pier, M

    1934-10-03

    A process is described for the recovery of low-boiling hydrocarbons of the nature of benzine through treatment of liquid carbonaceous materials with hydrogen under pressure at raised temperature, suitably in the presence of catalysts. Middle oils (practically saturated with hydrogen) or higher boiling oils at a temperature above 500/sup 0/ (with or without the addition of hydrogen) containing cyclic hydrocarbons not saturated with hydrogen are changed into low boiling hydrocarbons of the nature of benzine. The cracking takes place under strongly hydrogenating conditions (with the use of a strongly active hydrogenating catalyst or high pressure) at temperatures below 500/sup 0/. If necessary, the constituents boiling below 200/sup 0/ can be reconverted into cyclic hydrocarbons partially saturated with hydrogen. (BLM)

  15. Hydrous pyrolysis/oxidation process for in situ destruction of chlorinated hydrocarbon and fuel hydrocarbon contaminants in water and soil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knauss, Kevin G.; Copenhaver, Sally C.; Aines, Roger D.

    2000-01-01

    In situ hydrous pyrolysis/oxidation process is useful for in situ degradation of hydrocarbon water and soil contaminants. Fuel hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, petroleum distillates and other organic contaminants present in the soil and water are degraded by the process involving hydrous pyrolysis/oxidation into non-toxic products of the degradation. The process uses heat which is distributed through soils and water, optionally combined with oxygen and/or hydrocarbon degradation catalysts, and is particularly useful for remediation of solvent, fuel or other industrially contaminated sites.

  16. Properties of plasma flames sustained by microwaves and burning hydrocarbon fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hong, Yong Cheol; Uhm, Han Sup

    2006-01-01

    Plasma flames made of atmospheric microwave plasma and a fuel-burning flame were presented and their properties were investigated experimentally. The plasma flame generator consists of a fuel injector and a plasma flame exit connected in series to a microwave plasma torch. The plasma flames are sustained by injecting hydrocarbon fuels into a microwave plasma torch in air discharge. The microwave plasma torch in the plasma flame system can burn a hydrocarbon fuel by high-temperature plasma and high atomic oxygen density, decomposing the hydrogen and carbon containing fuel. We present the visual observations of the sustained plasma flames and measure the gas temperature using a thermocouple device in terms of the gas-fuel mixture and flow rate. The plasma flame volume of the hydrocarbon fuel burners was more than approximately 30-50 times that of the torch plasma. While the temperature of the torch plasma flame was only 868 K at a measurement point, that of the diesel microwave plasma flame with the addition of 0.019 lpm diesel and 30 lpm oxygen increased drastically to about 2280 K. Preliminary experiments for methane plasma flame were also carried out, measuring the temperature profiles of flames along the radial and axial directions. Finally, we investigated the influence of the microwave plasma on combustion flame by observing and comparing OH molecular spectra for the methane plasma flame and methane flame only

  17. Syntrophic biodegradation of hydrocarbon contaminants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gieg, Lisa M; Fowler, S Jane; Berdugo-Clavijo, Carolina

    2014-06-01

    Anaerobic environments are crucial to global carbon cycling wherein the microbial metabolism of organic matter occurs under a variety of redox conditions. In many anaerobic ecosystems, syntrophy plays a key role wherein microbial species must cooperate, essentially as a single catalytic unit, to metabolize substrates in a mutually beneficial manner. Hydrocarbon-contaminated environments such as groundwater aquifers are typically anaerobic, and often methanogenic. Syntrophic processes are needed to biodegrade hydrocarbons to methane, and recent studies suggest that syntrophic hydrocarbon metabolism can also occur in the presence of electron acceptors. The elucidation of key features of syntrophic processes in defined co-cultures has benefited greatly from advances in 'omics' based tools. Such tools, along with approaches like stable isotope probing, are now being used to monitor carbon flow within an increasing number of hydrocarbon-degrading consortia to pinpoint the key microbial players involved in the degradative pathways. The metagenomic sequencing of hydrocarbon-utilizing consortia should help to further identify key syntrophic features and define microbial interactions in these complex communities. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Microtomography and pore-scale modeling of two-phase Fluid Distribution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silin, D.; Tomutsa, L.; Benson, S.; Patzek, T.

    2010-10-19

    Synchrotron-based X-ray microtomography (micro CT) at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) line 8.3.2 at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory produces three-dimensional micron-scale-resolution digital images of the pore space of the reservoir rock along with the spacial distribution of the fluids. Pore-scale visualization of carbon dioxide flooding experiments performed at a reservoir pressure demonstrates that the injected gas fills some pores and pore clusters, and entirely bypasses the others. Using 3D digital images of the pore space as input data, the method of maximal inscribed spheres (MIS) predicts two-phase fluid distribution in capillary equilibrium. Verification against the tomography images shows a good agreement between the computed fluid distribution in the pores and the experimental data. The model-predicted capillary pressure curves and tomography-based porosimetry distributions compared favorably with the mercury injection data. Thus, micro CT in combination with modeling based on the MIS is a viable approach to study the pore-scale mechanisms of CO{sub 2} injection into an aquifer, as well as more general multi-phase flows.

  19. Size Control of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Using Reverse Microemulsion Method: Morphology, Reduction, and Catalytic Activity in CO Hydrogenation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Reza Housaindokht

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared by microemulsion method and evaluated in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The precipitation process was performed in a single-phase microemulsion operating region. Different HLB values of surfactant were prepared by mixing of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS and Triton X-100. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM, surface area, pore volume, average pore diameter, pore size distribution, and XRD patterns were used to analyze size distribution, shape, and structure of precipitated hematite nanoparticles. Furthermore, temperature programmed reduction (TPR and catalytic activity in CO hydrogenation were implemented to assess the performance of the samples. It was found that methane and CO2 selectivity and also the syngas conversion increased as the HLB value of surfactant decreased. In addition, the selectivity to heavy hydrocarbons and chain growth probability (α decreased by decreasing the catalyst crystal size.

  20. High-resolution gas chromatographic analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and aliphatic hydrocarbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perez, M.; Gonzalez, D.

    1988-01-01

    A study of the analysis by gas chromatography of aromatic polycyclic hydrocarbons and aliphatic hydrocarbons is presented. The separation has been carried out by glass and fused silica capillary column in two different polar stationary phases OV-1 and SE-54. The limitation and the advantages of the procedure are discussed in terms of separation, sensitivity and precision. (Author) 20 refs

  1. Confocal Raman Microscopy for in Situ Measurement of Octanol-Water Partitioning within the Pores of Individual C18-Functionalized Chromatographic Particles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kitt, Jay P; Harris, Joel M

    2015-05-19

    Octanol-water partitioning is one of the most widely used predictors of hydrophobicity and lipophilicity. Traditional methods for measuring octanol-water partition coefficients (K(ow)), including shake-flasks and generator columns, require hours for equilibration and milliliter quantities of sample solution. These challenges have led to development of smaller-scale methods for measuring K(ow). Recent advances in microfluidics have produced faster and smaller-volume approaches to measuring K(ow). As flowing volumes are reduced, however, separation of water and octanol prior to measurement and detection in small volumes of octanol phase are especially challenging. In this work, we reduce the receiver volume of octanol-water partitioning measurements from current practice by six-orders-of-magnitude, to the femtoliter scale, by using a single octanol-filled reversed-phase, octadecylsilane-modified (C18-silica) chromatographic particle as a collector. The fluid-handling challenges of working in such small volumes are circumvented by eliminating postequilibration phase separation. Partitioning is measured in situ within the pore-confined octanol phase using confocal Raman microscopy, which is capable of detecting and quantifying a wide variety of molecular structures. Equilibration times are fast (less than a minute) because molecular diffusion is efficient over distance scales of micrometers. The demonstrated amount of analyte needed to carry out a measurement is very small, less than 50 fmol, which would be a useful attribute for drug screening applications or testing of small quantities of environmentally sensitive compounds. The method is tested for measurements of pH-dependent octanol-water partitioning of naphthoic acid, and the results are compared to both traditional shake-flask measurements and sorption onto C18-modified silica without octanol present within the pores.

  2. Hydrocarbon pollution from marinas in estuarine sediments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voudrias, Evangelos A.; Smith, Craig L.

    1986-03-01

    A measure of the impact of marinas on three Eastern Virginia estuarine creeks was obtained by a study of hydrocarbons in their sediments. Two of the creeks support considerable marine activity, including pleasure boat marinas, boat repair facilities, and commercial fishing operations. The third creek, which served as a control, is seldom used by boats, and is surrounded by marsh and woodland. Sediments from the creeks with marinas contained significantly higher levels of both aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons than did the control. Differences in the concentrations of certain oil-pollution indicators, such as the 17α,21β-hopane homologs and phytane, and low molecular weight aromatic hydrocarbons, are indicative of light petroleum fractions. Most of the aromatic hydrocarbons from all creeks, however, appear to have a pyrogenic origin. Although hydrocarbons from three probable origins (petroleum, pyrogenesis, and recent biosynthesis) were detected in all locations, the petroleum-derived and pyrogenic hydrocarbons were of only minor importance relative to the biogenic hydrocarbons in the control creek.

  3. Hydrocarbon accumulation in deep fluid modified carbonate rock in the Tarim Basin

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2007-01-01

    The activities of deep fluid are regionalized in the Tarim Basin. By analyzing the REE in core samples and crude oil, carbon isotope of carbon dioxide and inclusion temperature measurement in the west of the Tazhong Uplift in the western Tarim Basin, all the evidence confirms the existence of deep fluid. The deep fluid below the basin floor moved up into the basin through discordogenic fauit and volcanicity to cause corrosion and metaaomatosis of carbonate rock by exchange of matter and energy. The pore structure and permeability of the carbonate reservoirs were improved, making the carbonate reservoirs an excellent type of deeply buried modification. The fluorite ore belts discovered along the large fault and the volcanic area in the west of the Tazhong Uplift are the outcome of deep fluid action. Such carbonate reservoirs are the main type of reservoirs in the Tazhong 45 oilfield. The carbonate reservoirs in well YM 7 are improved obviously by thermal fluid dolomitization. The origin and territory of deep fluid are associated with the discordogenic fault and volcanicity in the basin. The discordogenic fault and volcanic area may be the pointer of looking for the deep fluid modified reservoirs. The primary characteristics of hydrocarbon accumulation in deep fluid reconstructed carbonate rock are summarized as accumulation near the large fault and volcano passage, late-period hydrocarbon accumulation after volcanic activity, and subtle trap reservoirs controlled by lithology.

  4. BIOREMEDIATION OF A PETROLEUM-HYDROCARBON

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ES OBE

    under field conditions in the bioremediation of a petroleum- hydrocarbon polluted ... an accelerated biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in a polluted agricultural soil ..... 12) Jackson, M.L. Soil chemical analysis. ... biological assay. 3 rd.

  5. Pore-Fractal Structure in Porous Carbons Made from Corn and Wheat

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kapoor, Y. M.; Schmidt, P. W.; Rice, Randall D.; Shulse, Laural; Voss, D. J.; Venkatraman, A.; Fan, L. T.; Walawender, W. P.; Rieker, T. P.

    1998-03-01

    Small-angle X-ray scattering has been used in a study of the pore structure of some porous and activated carbons on length scales between about 5 and 10^4 ÅThe carbons were obtained by pyrolysis and activation of wheat and American corn (maize). The scattering data showed that in each carbon there are at least two of the following four types of pores: (1) pores with diameters of at least 10^4 Åpores with smooth or fractal surfaces and diameters of at least 5 x 10^3 Åpore-fractals with diameters of no more than about 10^3 Åand (4) pores with diameters no larger than 100 ÅThe relation between the pore structure and the procedure used to obtain the carbon and will be discussed.

  6. Pore Effect on the Occurrence and Formation of Gas Hydrate in Permafrost of Qilian Mountain, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, H.; Lu, H.; Lu, Z.

    2014-12-01

    Gas hydrates were found in the permafrost of Qilian Mountain, Qinghai- Tibet Plateau, China in 2008. It has been found that gas hydrates occur in Jurassic sedimentary rocks, and the hydrated gases are mainly thermogenic. Different from the gas hydrates existing in loose sands in Mallik, Mackenzie Delta, Canada and North Slope, Alaska, USA, the gas hydrates in Qilian Mountain occurred in hard rocks. For understanding the occurrence and formation mechanism of gas hydrate in hard rcok, extensive experimental investigations have been conducted to study the pore features and hydrate formation in the rocks recovered from the hydrate layers in Qilian Mountain. The structures of sedimentary rock were observed by high-resolution X-ray CT, and pore size distribution of a rock specimen was measured with the mercury-injection method. Methane hydrate was synthesized in water-saturated rocks, and the saturations of hydrate in sedimentary rocks of various types were estimated from the amount of gas released from certain volume of rock. X-ray CT observation revealed that fractures were developed in the rocks associated with faults, while those away from faults were generally with massive structure. The mercury-injection analysis of pore features found that the porosities of the hydrate-existing rocks were generally less than 3%, and the pore sizes were generally smaller than 100 nm. The synthesizing experiments found that the saturation of methane hydrate were generally lower than 6% of pore space in rocks, but up to 16% when fractures developed. The low hydrate saturation in Qilian sedimentary rocks has been found mainly due to the small pore size of rock. The low hydrate saturation in the rocks might be the reason for the failure of regional seismic and logging detections of gas hydrates in Qilian Mountain.

  7. Aliphatic hydrocarbon and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon geochemistry of twelve major rivers in the Northwest Territories

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Backus, S.; Swyripa, M.; Peddle, J.; Jeffries, D.S.

    1995-01-01

    Suspended sediment and water samples collected from twelve major rivers in the Northwest Territories were analyzed for aliphatic hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to assess the sources and transport of hydrocarbons entering the Arctic Ocean. Three stations on the Mackenzie River and one station near the mouth of eleven other northern rivers were selected for sampling. Samples were collected on the Mackenzie River on four occasions to characterize spring, summer and fall flow conditions and once on the remaining eleven rivers during high flow conditions. The Mackenzie River is distinctively different then the other eleven rivers. Naturally occurring hydrocarbons predominate in the river. These hydrocarbons include biogenic alkanes, diagenic PAHs, petrogenic alkanes, and PAHs from oil seeps and/or bitumens. Anthropogenic inputs of PAHs are low as indicated by low concentrations of combustion PAHs. Alkyl PAH distributions indicate that a significant component of the lower molecular weight PAH fraction is petrogenic. The majority of the high molecular weight PAHs, together with the petrogenic PAHs have a principal source in the Mackenzie River

  8. Monte-Carlo simulation of crystallographical pore growth in III-V-semiconductors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leisner, Malte; Carstensen, Juergen; Foell, Helmut

    2011-01-01

    The growth of crystallographical pores in III-V-semiconductors can be understood in the framework of a simple model, which is based on the assumption that the branching of pores is proportional to the current density at the pore tips. The stochastic nature of this model allows its implementation into a three-dimensional Monte-Carlo-simulation of pore growth. The simulation is able to reproduce the experimentally observed crysto pore structures in III-V-semiconductors in full quantitative detail. The different branching probabilities for different semiconductors, as well as doping levels, can be deduced from the specific passivation behavior of the semiconductor-electrolyte-interface at the pore tips.

  9. Determination of volatile organic hydrocarbons in water samples by solid-phase dynamic extraction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jochmann, Maik A.; Schmidt, Torsten C. [Eberhard-Karls-Universitaet Tuebingen, Center for Applied Geoscience (ZAG), Tuebingen (Germany); Chair of Instrumental Analysis, University Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg (Germany); Yuan, Xue [Eberhard-Karls-Universitaet Tuebingen, Center for Applied Geoscience (ZAG), Tuebingen (Germany)

    2007-03-15

    In the present study a headspace solid-phase dynamic extraction method coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPDE-GC/MS) for the trace determination of volatile halogenated hydrocarbons and benzene from groundwater samples was developed and evaluated. As target compounds, benzene as well as 11 chlorinated and brominated hydrocarbons (vinyl chloride, dichloromethane, cis-1,2-dichloroethylene, trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, bromoform) of environmental and toxicological concern were included in this study. The analytes were extracted using a SPDE needle device, coated with a poly(dimethylsiloxane) with 10% embedded activated carbon phase (50-{mu}m film thickness and 56-mm film length) and were analyzed by GC/MS in full-scan mode. Parameters that affect the extraction yield such as extraction and desorption temperature, salting-out, extraction and desorption flow rate, extraction volume and desorption volume, the number of extraction cycles, and the pre-desorption time have been evaluated and optimized. The linearity of the HS-SPDE-GC/MS method was established over several orders of magnitude. Method detection limits (MDLs) for the compounds investigated ranged between 12 ng/L for cis-dichloroethylene and trans-dichloroethylene and 870 ng/L for vinyl chloride. The method was thoroughly validated, and the precision at two concentration levels (0.1 mg/L and a concentration 5 times above the MDL) was between 3.1 and 16% for the analytes investigated. SPDE provides high sensitivity, short sample preparation and extraction times and a high sample throughput because of full automation. Finally, the applicability to real environmental samples is shown exemplarily for various groundwater samples from a former waste-oil recycling facility. Groundwater from the site showed a complex contamination with chlorinated volatile organic compounds and aromatic hydrocarbons. (orig.)

  10. Determination of volatile organic hydrocarbons in water samples by solid-phase dynamic extraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jochmann, Maik A; Yuan, Xue; Schmidt, Torsten C

    2007-03-01

    In the present study a headspace solid-phase dynamic extraction method coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPDE-GC/MS) for the trace determination of volatile halogenated hydrocarbons and benzene from groundwater samples was developed and evaluated. As target compounds, benzene as well as 11 chlorinated and brominated hydrocarbons (vinyl chloride, dichloromethane, cis-1,2-dichloroethylene, trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, bromoform) of environmental and toxicological concern were included in this study. The analytes were extracted using a SPDE needle device, coated with a poly(dimethylsiloxane) with 10% embedded activated carbon phase (50-microm film thickness and 56-mm film length) and were analyzed by GC/MS in full-scan mode. Parameters that affect the extraction yield such as extraction and desorption temperature, salting-out, extraction and desorption flow rate, extraction volume and desorption volume, the number of extraction cycles, and the pre-desorption time have been evaluated and optimized. The linearity of the HS-SPDE-GC/MS method was established over several orders of magnitude. Method detection limits (MDLs) for the compounds investigated ranged between 12 ng/L for cis-dichloroethylene and trans-dichloroethylene and 870 ng/L for vinyl chloride. The method was thoroughly validated, and the precision at two concentration levels (0.1 mg/L and a concentration 5 times above the MDL) was between 3.1 and 16% for the analytes investigated. SPDE provides high sensitivity, short sample preparation and extraction times and a high sample throughput because of full automation. Finally, the applicability to real environmental samples is shown exemplarily for various groundwater samples from a former waste-oil recycling facility. Groundwater from the site showed a complex contamination with chlorinated volatile organic compounds and aromatic hydrocarbons.

  11. Determining Representative Elementary Volume For Multiple Petrophysical Parameters using a Convex Hull Analysis of Digital Rock Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, S.; Gray, F.; Yang, J.; Crawshaw, J.; Boek, E.

    2016-12-01

    Advances in 3D pore-scale imaging and computational methods have allowed an exceptionally detailed quantitative and qualitative analysis of the fluid flow in complex porous media. A fundamental problem in pore-scale imaging and modelling is how to represent and model the range of scales encountered in porous media, starting from the smallest pore spaces. In this study, a novel method is presented for determining the representative elementary volume (REV) of a rock for several parameters simultaneously. We calculate the two main macroscopic petrophysical parameters, porosity and single-phase permeability, using micro CT imaging and Lattice Boltzmann (LB) simulations for 14 different porous media, including sandpacks, sandstones and carbonates. The concept of the `Convex Hull' is then applied to calculate the REV for both parameters simultaneously using a plot of the area of the convex hull as a function of the sub-volume, capturing the different scales of heterogeneity from the pore-scale imaging. The results also show that the area of the convex hull (for well-chosen parameters such as the log of the permeability and the porosity) decays exponentially with sub-sample size suggesting a computationally efficient way to determine the system size needed to calculate the parameters to high accuracy (small convex hull area). Finally we propose using a characteristic length such as the pore size to choose an efficient absolute voxel size for the numerical rock.

  12. Optrode for sensing hydrocarbons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, H.; Milanovich, F.P.; Hirschfeld, T.B.; Miller, F.S.

    1988-09-13

    A two-phase system employing the Fujiwara reaction is provided for the fluorometric detection of halogenated hydrocarbons. A fiber optic is utilized to illuminate a column of pyridine trapped in a capillary tube coaxially attached at one end to the illuminating end of the fiber optic. A strongly alkaline condition necessary for the reaction is maintained by providing a reservoir of alkali in contact with the column of pyridine, the surface of contact being adjacent to the illuminating end of the fiber optic. A semipermeable membrane caps the other end of the capillary tube, the membrane being preferentially permeable to the halogenated hydrocarbon and but preferentially impermeable to water and pyridine. As the halogenated hydrocarbon diffuses through the membrane and into the column of pyridine, fluorescent reaction products are formed. Light propagated by the fiber optic from a light source, excites the fluorescent products. Light from the fluorescence emission is also collected by the same fiber optic and transmitted to a detector. The intensity of the fluorescence gives a measure of the concentration of the halogenated hydrocarbons. 5 figs.

  13. Biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in hypersaline environments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luiz Fernando Martins

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Literature on hydrocarbon degradation in extreme hypersaline media presents studies that point to a negative effect of salinity increase on hydrocarbonoclastic activity, while several others report an opposite tendency. Based on information available in the literature, we present a discussion on the reasons that justify these contrary results. Despite the fact that microbial ability to metabolize hydrocarbons is found in extreme hypersaline media, indeed some factors are critical for the occurrence of hydrocarbon degradation in such environments. How these factors affect hydrocarbon degradation and their implications for the assessment of hydrocarbon biodegradation in hypersaline environments are presented in this review.

  14. Long-pore Electrostatics in Inward-rectifier Potassium Channels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robertson, Janice L.; Palmer, Lawrence G.; Roux, Benoît

    2008-01-01

    Inward-rectifier potassium (Kir) channels differ from the canonical K+ channel structure in that they possess a long extended pore (∼85 Å) for ion conduction that reaches deeply into the cytoplasm. This unique structural feature is presumably involved in regulating functional properties specific to Kir channels, such as conductance, rectification block, and ligand-dependent gating. To elucidate the underpinnings of these functional roles, we examine the electrostatics of an ion along this extended pore. Homology models are constructed based on the open-state model of KirBac1.1 for four mammalian Kir channels: Kir1.1/ROMK, Kir2.1/IRK, Kir3.1/GIRK, and Kir6.2/KATP. By solving the Poisson-Boltzmann equation, the electrostatic free energy of a K+ ion is determined along each pore, revealing that mammalian Kir channels provide a favorable environment for cations and suggesting the existence of high-density regions in the cytoplasmic domain and cavity. The contribution from the reaction field (the self-energy arising from the dielectric polarization induced by the ion's charge in the complex geometry of the pore) is unfavorable inside the long pore. However, this is well compensated by the electrostatic interaction with the static field arising from the protein charges and shielded by the dielectric surrounding. Decomposition of the static field provides a list of residues that display remarkable correspondence with existing mutagenesis data identifying amino acids that affect conduction and rectification. Many of these residues demonstrate interactions with the ion over long distances, up to 40 Å, suggesting that mutations potentially affect ion or blocker energetics over the entire pore. These results provide a foundation for understanding ion interactions in Kir channels and extend to the study of ion permeation, block, and gating in long, cation-specific pores. PMID:19001143

  15. Impact of Pore-Scale Wettability on Rhizosphere Rewetting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pascal Benard

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Vast amounts of water flow through a thin layer of soil around the roots, the rhizosphere, where high microbial activity takes place—an important hydrological and biological hotspot. The rhizosphere was shown to turn water repellent upon drying, which has been interpreted as the effect of mucilage secreted by roots. The effects of such rhizosphere water dynamics on plant and microbial activity are unclear. Furthermore, our understanding of the biophysical mechanisms controlling the rhizosphere water repellency remains largely speculative. Our hypothesis is that the key to describe the emergence of water repellency lies within the microscopic distribution of wettability on the pore-scale. At a critical mucilage content, a sufficient fraction of pores is blocked and the rhizosphere turns water repellent. Here we tested whether a percolation approach is capable to predict the flow behavior near the critical mucilage content. The wettability of glass beads and sand mixed with chia seed mucilage was quantified by measuring the infiltration rate of water drops. Drop infiltration was simulated using a simple pore-network model in which mucilage was distributed heterogeneously throughout the pore space with a preference for small pores. The model approach proved capable to capture the percolation nature of the process, the sudden transition from wettable to water repellent and the high variability in infiltration rates near the percolation threshold. Our study highlights the importance of pore-scale distribution of mucilage in the emergent flow behavior across the rhizosphere.

  16. Software Image J to study soil pore distribution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabrina Passoni

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available In the soil science, a direct method that allows the study of soil pore distribution is the bi-dimensional (2D digital image analysis. Such technique provides quantitative results of soil pore shape, number and size. The use of specific softwares for the treatment and processing of images allows a fast and efficient method to quantify the soil porous system. However, due to the high cost of commercial softwares, public ones can be an interesting alternative for soil structure analysis. The objective of this work was to evaluate the quality of data provided by the Image J software (public domain used to characterize the voids of two soils, characterized as Geric Ferralsol and Rhodic Ferralsol, from the southeast region of Brazil. The pore distribution analysis technique from impregnated soil blocks was utilized for this purpose. The 2D image acquisition was carried out by using a CCD camera coupled to a conventional optical microscope. After acquisition and treatment of images, they were processed and analyzed by the software Noesis Visilog 5.4® (chosen as the reference program and ImageJ. The parameters chosen to characterize the soil voids were: shape, number and pore size distribution. For both soils, the results obtained for the image total porosity (%, the total number of pores and the pore size distribution showed that the Image J is a suitable software to be applied in the characterization of the soil sample voids impregnated with resin.

  17. Effect of pore structure on the activated carbon's capability to sorb airborne methylradioiodine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Juhola, A.J.; Friel, J.V.

    1979-01-01

    A study was conducted to determine the effect pore structure of activated carbons has on their capabiity to sorp airborne methylradioiodine. Six de-ashed carbons of very diverse pore structure were selected for study. Batches of each were impregnated with (1) 4.3% I 2 , (2) 5.6% KI, (3) 2% KI, (4) 3% KI to 2% I 2 , (5) 2% I 2 , and (6) 3.4% KIO 3 . Some carbon was reserved for testing without impregnant. Standard procedures at ambient temperature and pressure were followed in the methyliodide testing, with some changes only made to meet the requirements of the specialized study. The surface area of the open-pore volume, for KI impregnated carbons, determined the sorptive efficiency. This relationship is expressed by the equation ln p = ln a - ks, where p is the fraction of methyliodide penetrating the bed and s the surface area. The quantity (a) is associated with the macropore properties, and deterines the capability of the carbon to sorb at very high humidites (> 95% RH). Constant k is to a large degree dependent on the mean diameter of the micropores. Elemental iodine impregnated carbons were considerably less effective than those impregnated with KI, and their sorptive of methyliodide did not follow the above equation. Their activity could be increased by a second impregnation with KOH. KI impregnated carbons lost their activity when treated with HCl on converting the Ki to I 2 . The conversion of KI to I 2 by acid gases in nuclear power plants offers an explanation for the cause of carbon aging

  18. The effect of scaffold pore size in cartilage tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nava, Michele M; Draghi, Lorenza; Giordano, Carmen; Pietrabissa, Riccardo

    2016-07-26

    The effect of scaffold pore size and interconnectivity is undoubtedly a crucial factor for most tissue engineering applications. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of pore size and porosity on cartilage construct development in different scaffolds seeded with articular chondrocytes. We fabricated poly-L-lactide-co-trimethylene carbonate scaffolds with different pore sizes, using a solvent-casting/particulate-leaching technique. We seeded primary bovine articular chondrocytes on these scaffolds, cultured the constructs for 2 weeks and examined cell proliferation, viability and cell-specific production of cartilaginous extracellular matrix proteins, including GAG and collagen. Cell density significantly increased up to 50% with scaffold pore size and porosity, likely facilitated by cell spreading on the internal surface of bigger pores, and by increased mass transport of gases and nutrients to cells, and catabolite removal from cells, allowed by lower diffusion barriers in scaffolds with a higher porosity. However, both the cell metabolic activity and the synthesis of cartilaginous matrix proteins significantly decreased by up to 40% with pore size. We propose that the association of smaller pore diameters, causing 3-dimensional cell aggregation, to a lower oxygenation caused by a lower porosity, could have been the condition that increased the cell-specific synthesis of cartilaginous matrix proteins in the scaffold with the smallest pores and the lowest porosity among those tested. In the initial steps of in vitro cartilage engineering, the combination of small scaffold pores and low porosity is an effective strategy with regard to the promotion of chondrogenesis.

  19. Pore-Filling of Spiro-OMeTAD in Solid-State Dye Sensitized Solar Cells: Quantification, Mechanism, and Consequences for Device Performance

    KAUST Repository

    Ding, I-Kang; Té treault, Nicolas; Brillet, Jé ré mie; Hardin, Brian E.; Smith, Eva H.; Rosenthal, Samuel J.; Sauvage, Fré dé ric; Grä tzel, Michael; McGehee, Michael D.

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, the pore filling of spiro-OMeTAD (2,2′,7,7′- tetrakis-(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine)9,9′-spirobtfIuorene) in mesoporous TiO2 films is quantified for the first time using XPS depth profiling and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. It is shown that spiro-OMeTAD can penetrate the entire depth of the film, and its concentration is constant throughout the film. We determine that in a 2.5-μm-thick film, the volume of the pores is 60-65% filled. The pores become less filled when thicker films are used. Such filling fraction is much higher than the solution concentration because the excess solution on top of the film can act as a reservoir during the spin coating process. Lastly, we demonstrate that by using a lower spin coating speed and higher spiro-OMeTAD solution concentration, we can increase the filling fraction and consequently the efficiency of the device. © 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

  20. Pore-Filling of Spiro-OMeTAD in Solid-State Dye Sensitized Solar Cells: Quantification, Mechanism, and Consequences for Device Performance

    KAUST Repository

    Ding, I-Kang

    2009-08-10

    In this paper, the pore filling of spiro-OMeTAD (2,2′,7,7′- tetrakis-(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine)9,9′-spirobtfIuorene) in mesoporous TiO2 films is quantified for the first time using XPS depth profiling and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. It is shown that spiro-OMeTAD can penetrate the entire depth of the film, and its concentration is constant throughout the film. We determine that in a 2.5-μm-thick film, the volume of the pores is 60-65% filled. The pores become less filled when thicker films are used. Such filling fraction is much higher than the solution concentration because the excess solution on top of the film can act as a reservoir during the spin coating process. Lastly, we demonstrate that by using a lower spin coating speed and higher spiro-OMeTAD solution concentration, we can increase the filling fraction and consequently the efficiency of the device. © 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

  1. Investigation of the ignition of liquid hydrocarbon fuels with nanoadditives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakulin, V. N.; Velikodnyi, V. Yu.; Levin, Yu. K.; Popov, V. V.

    2017-12-01

    During our experimental studies we showed a high efficiency of the influence of nanoparticle additives on the stability of the ignition of hydrocarbon fuels and the stabilization of their combustion in a highfrequency high-voltage discharge. We detected the effects of a jet deceleration, an increase in the volume of the combustible mixture, and a reduction in the inflammation delay time. These effects have been estimated quantitatively by digitally processing the video frames of the ignition of a bubbled kerosene jet with 0.5% graphene nanoparticle additives and without these additives. This effect has been explained by the influence of electrodynamic processes.

  2. Magnetic enhancement caused by hydrocarbon migration in the Mawangmiao Oil Field, Jianghan Basin, China

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Qingsheng; Yang, Tao [Department of Geophysics, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074 (China); Liu, Qingsong [National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH (United Kingdom); Chan, Lungsang [Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong (China); Xia, Xianghua; Cheng, Tongjin [Wuxi Institute of Petroleum Geology, SNOPEC, Jiangsu Wuxi 214151 (China)

    2006-08-15

    Magnetic parameters (volume-specific susceptibility k, and hysteresis parameters and ratios) of 47 samples, collected from an oil-producing well (M{sub 36}) and a dry well (M{sub 46}) from the oil-bearing II-You Formation of Paleogene Xingouzui Group in the Mawangmiao Oil Field in China, were measured to address the secondary alteration of iron-bearing minerals associated with hydrocarbon migration. Our results indicated that both k and magnetization (saturation magnetization J{sub s} and saturation isothermal remanent magnetization J{sub rs}) of oil-bearing formation have been dramatically enhanced. Further grain size estimation reveals that the background samples (samples both in M{sub 46} and outside the oil-bearing formation in M{sub 36}) contain coarser-grained magnetic particles (circa 30{mu}m) of detrital origin. In contrast, the alteration of hydrocarbon produces finer-grained (circa 25nm) magnetic particles. The new constraints on grain sizes and its origin of the hydrocarbon-related magnetic particles improve our understanding of the mechanism of formation of these secondary finer-grained particles, even though the precise nature of this process is still unknown. (author)

  3. Kinetic models of controllable pore growth of anodic aluminum oxide membrane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yan; Zeng, Hong-yan; Zhao, Ce; Qu, Ye-qing; Zhang, Pin

    2012-06-01

    An anodized Al2O3 (AAO) membrane with apertures about 72 nm in diameter was prepared by two-step anodic oxidation. The appearance and pore arrangement of the AAO membrane were characterized by energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. It was confirmed that the pores with high pore aspect ratio were parallel, well-ordered, and uniform. The kinetics of pores growth in the AAO membrane was derived, and the kinetic models showed that pores stopped developing when the pressure ( σ) trended to equal the surface tension at the end of anodic oxidation. During pore expansion, the effects of the oxalic acid concentration and expansion time on the pore size were investigated, and the kinetic behaviors were explained with two kinetic models derived in this study. They showed that the pore size increased with extended time ( r= G· t+ G'), but decreased with increased concentration ( r = - K·ln c- K') through the derived mathematic formula. Also, the values of G, G', K, and K' were derived from our experimental data.

  4. Adsorption Properties of Hydrocarbons (n-Decane, Methyl Cyclohexane and Toluene on Clay Minerals: An Experimental Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jie Zhang

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Adsorption of hydrocarbons may significantly affect hydrocarbon migration in unconventional reservoirs. Clay minerals form the primary adsorbent surfaces for hydrocarbons adsorbed in mudstone/shale. To study the adsorption properties of hydrocarbons (n-decane (C10H22, methyl cyclohexane (C7H14 and toluene (C7H8 on clay minerals (i.e., cookeite, ripidolite, kaolinite, illite, illite/smectite mixed-layer, Na-montmorillonite and Ca-montmorillonite, hydrocarbon vapor adsorption (HVA tests were conducted at 298.15 K. The results showed that (i the adsorption amounts of C10H22, C7H14 and C7H8 ranged from 0.45–1.03 mg/m2, 0.28–0.90 mg/m2 and 0.16–0.53 mg/m2, respectively; (ii for cookeite, ripidolite and kaolinite, the adsorption capacity of C10H22 was less than C7H14, which was less than C7H8; (iii for illite, Na-montmorillonite and Ca-montmorillonite, the adsorption capacity of C10H22 was greater than that of C7H8, and the adsorption capacity of C7H14 was the lowest; (iv for an illite/smectite mixed-layer, C7H14 had the highest adsorption capacity, followed by C10H22, and C7H8 had the lowest capacity. Adsorption properties were correlated with the microscopic parameters of pores in clay minerals and with experimental pressure. Finally, the weighted average method was applied to evaluate the adsorption properties of C10H22, C7H14 and C7H8 on clay minerals in oil-bearing shale from the Shahejie Formation of Dongying Sag in the Bohai Bay Basin, China. For these samples, the adsorbed amounts of C7H14 ranged from 18.03–28.02 mg/g (mean 23.33 mg/g, which is larger than that of C10H22, which ranges from 15.40–21.72 mg/g (mean 18.82 mg/g. The adsorption capacity of C7H8 was slightly low, ranging from 10.51–14.60 mg/g (mean 12.78 mg/g.

  5. What is the cementation exponent? A new differential interpretation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glover, P. W. J.

    2009-04-01

    Between 1950 and 2002 the total volume of reserves discovered has run to over 1500 Bbbl. for oil and 7.5 Tcf. for gas. Over half of these resources has already been produced, and has driven the global economy for the last fifty years. All of the assessments of the volume of hydrocarbon reserves were made using Archie's relationships (1942). It would be difficult, therefore, to overestimate the impact of either the petrophysical techniques or Archie's relationships on the worldwide economy. Archie's laws link the electrical resistivity of a rock to its porosity, to the resistivity of the water that saturates its pores, and to the fractional saturation of the pore space with the water, and are used to calculate the hydrocarbon saturation of the reservoir rock from which the reserves are then calculated. Archie's laws contain two exponents, m and n, which Archie called the cementation exponent and the saturation exponent, respectively. The conductivity of the hydrocarbon saturated rock is highly sensitive to changes in either exponent. However, despite the importance of the cementation exponent, few petrophysicists, commercial or academic, are able to describe its real physical meaning. The purpose of this contribution is to investigate the elusive physical meaning of the cementation exponent. We review the traditional interpretation of the cementation exponent and consider the extension of Archie's first law to two conducting phases. Consequently, we develop a new differential interpretation of the cementation exponent that is based on a new definition for the connectedness of the conducting phases in a porous medium. In this interpretation the connectedness of a porous medium is defined as the availability of pathways for transport, where the connectedness is the inverse of the formation resistivity factor, G = σo σw = 1 F (and may also be called the conductivity formation factor). Porosity is defined as the fractional amount of pore space in the usual manner

  6. Process for separating liquid hydrocarbons from waxes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sowa, F J

    1948-03-08

    A process is described for the separation of liquid hydrocarbons from waxes comprising adding to a mixture of liquid hydrocarbons and waxes a sufficient quantity of an organo-silicon compound to cause the separation of the hydrocarbon and wax. The organo-silicon compounds are selected from the class of organic silicanes and their hydrolysis products and polymers. The silicanes have the formula R/sub y/SiX/sub z/, in which R is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon radical, X is a halogen or another hydrocarbon radical or an -OR group, y has a value 1, 2, or 3 and z has a value 1, 2, or 3.

  7. Characteristics of Pore Structure and Fractal Dimension of Isometamorphic Anthracite

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Di Gao

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The geologic conditions of No. 3 coal seams are similar to Sihe and Zhaozhuang Collieries, however, the gas production is significantly different. To better understand the effect of pores, by means of experimental measurements and quantitative analysis, the pore properties of high-rank isometamorphic anthracite were thoroughly studied. Our study showed that the pore structures were predominantly adsorptive, accounting for more than 88% of the specific surface area. The coal pores showed typical three-stage fractal characteristics at boundary points of 1 nm and 9 nm (7 nm of coal samples from Zhaozhuang Colliery, and the fractal dimension with 1–9 nm (or 1–7 nm, as being significantly larger than those measured outside the given ranges. Pores in samples from Sihe Colliery were mainly open spherical or ellipsoidal pores in shape; conversely, those from Zhaozhuang Colliery were mainly Y-shaped, V-shaped, or ‘ink-bottle’ type.

  8. Pore Structure Control of Ordered Mesoporous Silica Film Using Mixed Surfactants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tae-Jung Ha

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Materials with nanosized and well-arranged pores have been researched actively in order to be applied to new technology fields. Especially, mesoporous material containing various pore structures is expected to have different pore structure. To form a mixed pore structure, ordered mesoporous silica films were prepared with a mixture of surfactant; Brij-76 and P-123 block copolymer. In mixed surfactant system, mixed pore structure was observed in the region of P-123/(Brij-76 + P-123 with about 50.0 wt.% while a single pore structure was observed in regions which have large difference in ratio between Brij-76 and P-123 through the X-ray diffraction analysis. Regardless of surfactant ratio, porosity was retained almost the same. It is expected that ordered mesoporous silica film with mixed pore structure can be one of the new materials which has distinctive properties.

  9. Process for treating hydrocarbons, etc

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1933-09-15

    A process is described for treating simultaneously bituminous substances and hydrocarbon oils for the production of low-boiling hydrocarbons and volatilization of the bituminous substances, characterized by the fact that it consists of heating a current of charge constituted by a mixture of the bituminous substances and hydrocarbon oils, to a high temperature, passing the heated current into a zone of extended reaction where the vapors are separated from the liquid or solid residue to favor transformation of the liquid hydrocarbons and volatilization of the bituminous substances, owing to the utilization of a heating agent carried to a high temperature being brought in contact with the heated charge in order to communicate its heat to the charge, while this later presents itself as relatively fine pellet or in the condition of distinct particles, particularly separated from one another.

  10. 3-D pore-scale resolved model for coupled species/charge/fluid transport in a vanadium redox flow battery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qiu Gang; Joshi, Abhijit S.; Dennison, C.R.; Knehr, K.W.; Kumbur, E.C.; Sun Ying

    2012-01-01

    The vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) has emerged as a viable grid-scale energy storage technology that offers cost-effective energy storage solutions for renewable energy applications. In this paper, a novel methodology is introduced for modeling of the transport mechanisms of electrolyte flow, species and charge in the VRFB at the pore scale of the electrodes; that is, at the level where individual carbon fiber geometry and electrolyte flow are directly resolved. The detailed geometry of the electrode is obtained using X-ray computed tomography (XCT) and calibrated against experimentally determined pore-scale characteristics (e.g., pore and fiber diameter, porosity, and surface area). The processed XCT data is then used as geometry input for modeling of the electrochemical processes in the VRFB. The flow of electrolyte through the pore space is modeled using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) while the finite volume method (FVM) is used to solve the coupled species and charge transport and predict the performance of the VRFB under various conditions. An electrochemical model using the Butler–Volmer equations is used to provide species and charge coupling at the surfaces of the carbon fibers. Results are obtained for the cell potential distribution, as well as local concentration, overpotential and current density profiles under galvanostatic discharge conditions. The cell performance is investigated as a function of the electrolyte flow rate and external drawing current. The model developed here provides a useful tool for building the structure–property–performance relationship of VRFB electrodes.

  11. Diffusion in the pore water of compacted crushed salt

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fluegge, Judith; Herr, Sebastian; Lauke, Thomas; Meleshyn, Artur; Miehe, Ruediger; Ruebel, Andre

    2016-07-15

    Diffusion of dissolved radionuclides in the pore water of compacted crushed salt in the long-term is the most relevant process for the release of radionuclides from a dedicated repository for high-level waste in a salt formation as has been shown in latest safety assessments and research projects /BUH 16/. So far, diffusion coefficients for free water have been applied for the diffusion in pore water in models for long-term safety assessments. This conservative assumption was used, because data on the diffusion coefficient of dissolved substances in crushed salt have been missing. Furthermore, the diffusion coefficient in the pore water was assumed to be constant and independent from the degree of compaction of the crushed salt. The work presented in this report was intended to contribute to fill this gap of knowledge about how the diffusion of radionuclides takes place in the compacted backfill of a repository in salt. For the first time, the pore diffusion coefficient as well as its dependence on the porosity of the crushed salt was determined experimentally by means of through-diffusion experiments using caesium as tracer. The results achieved in this project suggest that the diffusion in compacted crushed salt is not fully comparable to that in a homogeneous, temporally stable porous medium like sand or clay. The results obtained from four diffusion experiments show a remarkably different behaviour and all yield unique concentration versus time plots which includes highly temporal variable tracer fluxes with even full interruptions of the flux for longer periods of time. This effect cannot be explained by assuming a tracer transport by diffusion in a temporarily invariant pore space and / or under temporally invariant experimental conditions. From our point of view, a restructuring of the pore space seems to lead to closed areas of pore water in the sample which may open up again after some time, leading to a variable pore space and hence variable diffusive

  12. Effects of Coke Calcination Level on Pore Structure in Carbon Anodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Ning; Xue, Jilai; Lang, Guanghui; Bao, Chongai; Gao, Shoulei

    2016-02-01

    Effects of coke calcination levels on pore structure of carbon anodes have been investigated. Bench anodes were prepared by 3 types of cokes with 4 calcination temperatures (800°C, 900°C, 1000°C and 1100°C). The cokes and anodes were characterized using hydrostatic method, air permeability determination, mercury porosimetry, image analysis and confocal microscopy (CSLM). The cokes with different calcination levels are almost the same in LC values (19-20 Å) and real density (1.967-1.985 g/cm3), while the anode containing coke calcined at 900°C has the lowest open porosity and air permeability. Pore size distribution (represented by Anode H sample) can be roughly divided into two ranges: small and medium pores in diameter of 10-400 μm and large pores of 400-580 μm. For the anode containing coke calcined at 800°C, a number of long, narrow pores in the pore size range of 400-580 μm are presented among cokes particles. Formation of these elongated pores may be attributed to coke shrinkages during the anode baking process, which may develop cracking in the anode under cell operations. More small or medium rounded pores with pore size range of 10-400 μm emerge in the anodes with coke calcination temperatures of 900°C, 1000°C and 1100°C, which may be generated due to release of volatiles from the carbon anode during baking. For the anode containing coke calcined at 1100°C, it is found that many rounded pores often closely surround large coke particles, which have potential to form elongated, narrow pores.

  13. Hydrocarbon degassing of the earth and origin of oil-gas fields (isotope-geochemical and geodynamic aspects)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valyaev, Boris; Dremin, Ivan

    2016-04-01

    More than half a century ago, Academician PN Kropotkin substantiated the relationship of the formation and distribution of oil and gas fields with the processes of emanation hydrocarbon degassing of the Earth. Over the years, the concept of PN Kropotkin received further development and recognition of studies based on new factual material. Of particular importance are the following factors: a) the results of studies on global and regional uneven processes of traditional oil and gas and the role of deep faults in controlling the spread of oil and gas fields; b) the results of the research on gigantic volumes and localization of the discharges of hydrocarbon fluids (mud volcanoes, seeps) on land and into the atmosphere and through the bottom of the World ocean; c) the results of the studies on grand volumes of the spread of unconventional hydrocarbon resources in their non-traditional fields, especially on near-surface interval of unconventional oil and gas accumulation with gas hydrates, heavy oil and bitumen, as well as extraordinary resources of oil and gas in the shale and tight rocks. Deep mantle-crust nature of oil and gas in traditional and nontraditional deposits thus received further substantiation of geological and geophysical data and research results. However, isotopic and geochemical data are still interpreted in favor of the concept of the genesis of oil and gas in the processes of thermal catalytic conversion of organic matter of sedimentary rocks, at temperatures up to 200°C. In this report an alternative interpretation of the isotope carbon-hydrogen system (δ13C-δD) for gas and of oil deposits, isotope carbon system for methane and carbon dioxide (δ13C1-δ13C0) will be presented. An alternative interpretation will also be presented for the data on carbon-helium isotope geochemical system for oil and gas fields, volcanoes and mud volcanoes. These constructions agree with the geological data on the nature of deep hydrocarbon fluids involved in the

  14. Breakdown of lung framework and an increase in pores of Kohn as initial events of emphysema and a cause of reduction in diffusing capacity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshikawa, Akira; Sato, Shuntaro; Tanaka, Tomonori; Hashisako, Mikiko; Kashima, Yukio; Tsuchiya, Tomoshi; Yamasaki, Naoya; Nagayasu, Takeshi; Yamamoto, Hiroshi; Fukuoka, Junya

    2016-01-01

    Pulmonary emphysema is the pathological prototype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and is also associated with other lung diseases. We considered that observation with different approaches may provide new insights for the pathogenesis of emphysema. We reviewed tissue blocks of the lungs of 25 cases with/without emphysema and applied a three-dimensional observation method to the blocks. Based on the three-dimensional characteristics of the alveolar structure, we considered one face of the alveolar polyhedron as a structural unit of alveoli and called it a framework unit (FU). We categorized FUs based on their morphological characteristics and counted their number to evaluate the destructive changes in alveoli. We also evaluated the number and the area of pores of Kohn in FUs. We performed linear regression analysis to estimate the effect of these data on pulmonary function tests. In multivariable regression analysis, a decrease in the number of FUs without an alveolar wall led to a significant decrease in the diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) and DLCO per unit alveolar volume, and an increase in the area of pores of Kohn had a significant effect on an increase in residual capacity. A breakdown in the lung framework and an increase in pores of Kohn are associated with a decrease in DLCO and DLCO per unit alveolar volume with/without emphysema.

  15. Position-Dependent Dynamics Explain Pore-Averaged Diffusion in Strongly Attractive Adsorptive Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krekelberg, William P; Siderius, Daniel W; Shen, Vincent K; Truskett, Thomas M; Errington, Jeffrey R

    2017-12-12

    Using molecular simulations, we investigate the relationship between the pore-averaged and position-dependent self-diffusivity of a fluid adsorbed in a strongly attractive pore as a function of loading. Previous work (Krekelberg, W. P.; Siderius, D. W.; Shen, V. K.; Truskett, T. M.; Errington, J. R. Connection between thermodynamics and dynamics of simple fluids in highly attractive pores. Langmuir 2013, 29, 14527-14535, doi: 10.1021/la4037327) established that pore-averaged self-diffusivity in the multilayer adsorption regime, where the fluid exhibits a dense film at the pore surface and a lower density interior pore region, is nearly constant as a function of loading. Here we show that this puzzling behavior can be understood in terms of how loading affects the fraction of particles that reside in the film and interior pore regions as well as their distinct dynamics. Specifically, the insensitivity of pore-averaged diffusivity to loading arises from the approximate cancellation of two factors: an increase in the fraction of particles in the higher diffusivity interior pore region with loading and a corresponding decrease in the particle diffusivity in that region. We also find that the position-dependent self-diffusivities scale with the position-dependent density. We present a model for predicting the pore-average self-diffusivity based on the position-dependent self-diffusivity, which captures the unusual characteristics of pore-averaged self-diffusivity in strongly attractive pores over several orders of magnitude.

  16. Sebum output as a factor contributing to the size of facial pores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roh, M; Han, M; Kim, D; Chung, K

    2006-11-01

    Many endogenous and exogenous factors are known to cause enlarged pilosebaceous pores. Such factors include sex, genetic predisposition, ageing, chronic ultraviolet light exposure, comedogenic xenobiotics, acne and seborrhoea. This study was an attempt to determine the factors related to enlarged pores. To assess the relationship of sebum output, age, sex, hormonal factors and severity of acne with pore size. A prospective, randomized, controlled study was designed. A total of 60 volunteers, 30 males and 30 females, were recruited for this study. Magnified images of pores were taken using a dermoscopic video camera and measured using an image analysis program. The sebum output level was measured with a Sebumeter. Using multiple linear regression analysis, increased pore size was significantly associated with increased sebum output level, sex and age. Among the variables, sebum output level correlated most with the pore size followed by male sex. In comparing male and female participants, males had higher correlation between the sebum output level and the pore size (male: r = 0.47, female: r = 0.38). Thus, additional factors seem to influence pore size in females. Pore size was significantly increased during the ovulation phase (P = 0.008), but severity of acne was not significantly associated with the pore size. Enlarged pore sizes are associated with increased sebum output level, age and male sex. In female patients, additional hormonal factors, such as those of the menstrual cycle, affect the pore size.

  17. Scanning electron microscope investigations of nuclear pore filters in polyester foils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hopfe, J.

    1980-01-01

    In order to understand and characterize the action of nuclear pore filters it is necessary to know their surface, as well as their bulk, structure. In the present work, investigations of the surface structure (pore size, pore density, pore distribution) and of the pore geometry, especially in the bulk of the filters, are carried out by scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies. The preparation technique needed is liquid-nitrogen freeze-fracturing followed by a conductive-coating step. Nuclear pore filters studied in this paper were produced by a track etching technique. Laboratory specimens were obtained by bombarding 10 μm thick polyester foils with Xe-ions and a subsequent etching with 20% NaOH. The SEM results are shown and discussed. (author)

  18. Induction of nano pore in Agrobacterial hemoglobin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mojtaba Tousheh

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: A variety of oxygen-transport and -binding proteins exist in organisms including bacteria, protozoans, and fungi all have hemoglobin-like proteins. In addition to dealing with transport and sensing of oxygen, they may also deal with NO2, CO2, sulfide compounds, and even O2 scavenging in environments. Also they detoxified chlorinated materials like P450 enzymes and peroxidases and use as a detector of nitrate and hydrogen peroxide. Pore-forming bacterial globins are interested for filtration. Materials and methods: Although there are data for bacterial toxin as a filter, here we used Agrobacterial hem to induce nano pore in the heme structure using point mutation. Results: Investigations showed that three amino acids leucine 76, alanine 83 and histidine 80 are important for pore formation in Agrobacterium hemoglobin. A point mutation on leucine 76 to glycine, histidine 80 to asparagine and alanine 83 to lysine step by step led to create the nano pore 0.7- 0.8 nm in the globin. Discussion and conclusion: These mutations in bacterial hemoglobin increase the stability when mutation is with it’s at pH7. This mutation decreases the aliphatic index however increase the stability index.

  19. Radial distribution of ions in pores with a surface charge

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stegen, J.H.G. van der; Görtzen, J.; Kuipers, J.A.M.; Hogendoorn, J.A.; Versteeg, G.F.

    2001-01-01

    A sorption model applicable to calculate the radial equilibrium concentrations of ions in the pores of ion-selective membranes with a pore structure is developed. The model is called the radial uptake model. Because the model is applied to a Nafion sulfonic layer with very small pores and the radial

  20. Pore shape of honeycomb-patterned films: modulation and interfacial behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wan, Ling-Shu; Ke, Bei-Bei; Zhang, Jing; Xu, Zhi-Kang

    2012-01-12

    The control of the pore size of honeycomb-patterned films has been more or less involved in most work on the topic of breath figures. Modulation of the pore shape was largely ignored, although it is important to applications in replica molding, filtration, particle assembly, and cell culture. This article reports a tunable pore shape for patterned films prepared from commercially available polystyrene (PS). We investigated the effects of solvents including tetrahydrofuran (THF) and chloroform (CF) and hydrophilic additives including poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA), poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), and poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP). Water droplets on/in the polymer solutions were observed and analyzed for simulating the formation and stabilization of breath figures. Interfacial tensions of the studied systems were measured and considered as a main factor to modulate the pore shape. Results indicate that the pores gradually change from near-spherical to ellipsoidal with the increase of additive content when using CF as the solvent; however, only ellipsoidal pores are formed from the THF solution. It is demonstrated that the aggregation of the additives at the water/polymer solution interface is more efficient in the THF solution than that in the CF solution. This aggregation decreases the interfacial tension, stabilizes the condensed water droplets, and shapes the pores of the films. The results may facilitate our understanding of the dynamic breath figure process and provide a new pathway to prepare patterned films with different pore structures.

  1. Tension-induced vesicle fusion: pathways and pore dynamics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shillcock, Julian C.

    2008-01-01

    and eventually opens a pore to complete the fusion process. In pathway II, at higher tension, a stalk is formed during the fusion process that is then transformed by transmembrane pore formation into a fusion pore. Whereas the latter pathway II resembles stalk pathways as observed in other simulation studies......, fusion pathway I, which does not involve any stalk formation, has not been described previously to the best of our knowledge. A statistical analysis of the various processes shows that fusion is the dominant pathway for releasing the tension of the vesicles. The functional dependence of the observed...

  2. Study of pore pressure reaction on hydraulic fracturing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trimonova, Mariia; Baryshnikov, Nikolay; Turuntaev, Sergey; Zenchenko, Evgeniy; Zenchenko, Petr

    2017-04-01

    We represent the results of the experimental study of the hydraulic fracture propagation influence on the fluid pore pressure. Initial pore pressure was induced by injection and production wells. The experiments were carried out according to scaling analysis based on the radial model of the fracture. All required geomechanical and hydrodynamical properties of a sample were derived from the scaling laws. So, gypsum was chosen as a sample material and vacuum oil as a fracturing fluid. The laboratory setup allows us to investigate the samples of cylindrical shape. It can be considered as an advantage in comparison with standard cubic samples, because we shouldn't consider the stress field inhomogeneity induced by the corners. Moreover, we can set 3D-loading by this setting. Also the sample diameter is big enough (43cm) for placing several wells: the fracturing well in the center and injection and production wells on two opposite sides of the central well. The experiment consisted of several stages: a) applying the horizontal pressure; b) applying the vertical pressure; c) water solution injection in the injection well with a constant pressure; d) the steady state obtaining; e) the oil injection in the central well with a constant rate. The pore pressure was recorded in the 15 points along bottom side of the sample during the whole experiment. We observe the pore pressure change during all the time of the experiment. First, the pore pressure changed due to water injection. Then we began to inject oil in the central well. We compared the obtained experimental data on the pore pressure changes with the solution of the 2D single-phase equation of pore-elasticity, and we found significant difference. The variation of the equation parameters couldn't help to resolve the discrepancy. After the experiment, we found that oil penetrated into the sample before and after the fracture initiation. This fact encouraged us to consider another physical process - the oil

  3. Gamma-radiation induced polymerization of methyl methacrylate in aliphatic hydrocarbons: kinetics and evidence for incorporation of hydrocarbon in the polymer chain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohan, H.; Iyer, R.M.

    1989-01-01

    On γ-radiolysis, the rate of polymerization of methyl methacrylate in hydrocarbon solvents is observed to decrease. It is explained by hydrocarbon entry into the polymer chains. The hydrocarbon entry into the polymer chains is observed to take place at later stages of polymerization and increases with hydrocarbon chain length. The extent of hydrocarbon entry into the polymer chains is estimated by NMR and GLC analysis. It is observed to be equal to ∼ 12% corresponding to ∼ 97 hexadecane molecules in each polymer chain. The IR, DSC, MW determination and radiation effects on the polymer showed evidences for hydrocarbon entry into the polymer. It is explained by chain transfer from the growing polymer radical to the hydrocarbon molecules. The chain transfer constant is determined to be equal to 1 x 10 -2 . (author)

  4. Role of the synaptobrevin C terminus in fusion pore formation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ngatchou, Annita N; Kisler, Kassandra; Fang, Qinghua

    2010-01-01

    Neurotransmitter release is mediated by the SNARE proteins synaptobrevin II (sybII, also known as VAMP2), syntaxin, and SNAP-25, generating a force transfer to the membranes and inducing fusion pore formation. However, the molecular mechanism by which this force leads to opening of a fusion pore...... stimulation, the SNARE complex pulls the C terminus of sybII deeper into the vesicle membrane. We propose that this movement disrupts the vesicular membrane continuity leading to fusion pore formation. In contrast to current models, the experiments suggest that fusion pore formation begins with molecular...

  5. Extraction of pores from microtomographic reconstructions of intact soil aggregates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Albee, P. B.; Stockman, G. C.; Smucker, A. J. M.

    2000-02-29

    Segmentation of features is often a necessary step in the analysis of volumetric data. The authors have developed a simple technique for extracting voids from irregular volumetric data sets. In this work they look at extracting pores from soil aggregates. First, they identify a threshold that gives good separability of the object from the background. They then segment the object, and perform connected components analysis on the pores within the object. Using their technique pores that break the surface can be segmented along with pores completely contained in the initially segmented object.

  6. Steam hydrocarbon cracking and reforming

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Golombok, M.

    2004-01-01

    Many industrial chemical processes are taught as distinct contrasting reactions when in fact the unifying comparisons are greater than the contrasts. We examine steam hydrocarbon reforming and steam hydrocarbon cracking as an example of two processes that operate under different chemical reactivity

  7. The effect of pore-scale geometry and wettability on two-phase relative permeabilities within elementary cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bianchi Janetti, Emanuela; Riva, Monica; Guadagnini, Alberto

    2017-04-01

    We study the relative role of the complex pore space geometry and wettability of the solid matrix on the quantification of relative permeabilities characterizing steady state immiscible two-phase flow in porous media. We do so by considering elementary cells, which are typically employed in upscaling frameworks based on, e.g., homogenization or volume averaging. In this context one typically relies on the solution of pore-scale physics at a scale which is much smaller than that of an investigated porous system. Pressure-driven two-phase flow following simultaneous co-current injection of water and oil is numerically solved for a suite of regular and stochastically generated two-dimensional explicit elementary cells with fixed porosity and sharing main topological/morphological features. We show that relative permeabilities of the randomly generated elementary cells are significantly influenced by the formation of preferential percolation paths (principal pathways), giving rise to a strongly nonuniform distribution of fluid fluxes. These pathways are a result of the spatially variable resistance that the random pore structures exert on the fluid. The overall effect on relative permeabilities of the diverse organization of principal pathways, as driven by a given random realization at the scale of the unit cell, is significantly larger than that of the wettability of the host rock. In contrast to what can be observed for the random cells analyzed, relative permeabilities of regular cells display a clear trend with contact angle at the investigated scale. Our findings suggest the need to perform systematic upscaling studies in a stochastic context, to propagate the effects of uncertain pore space geometries to a probabilistic description of relative permeability curves at the continuum scale.

  8. Superplastically foaming method to make closed pores inclusive porous ceramics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kishimoto, Akira; Hayashi, Hidetaka

    2011-01-01

    Porous ceramics incorporates pores to improve several properties including thermal insulation maintaining inherenet ceramic properties such as corrosion resistance and large mechanical strength. Conventional porous ceramics is usually fabricated through an insufficient sintering. Since the sintering accompanies the exclusion of pores, it must be terminated at the early stage to maintain the high porosity, leading to degraded strength and durability. Contrary to this, we have innovated superplastically foaming method to make ceramic foams only in the solid state. In this method, the previously inserted foam agent evaporates after the full densification of matrix at around the sintering temperature. Closed pores expand utilizing the superplastic deformation driven by the evolved gas pressure. The typical features of this superplastically foaming method are listed as follows, 1. The pores are introduced after sintering the solid polycrystal. 2. Only closed pores are introduced, improving the insulation of gas and sound in addition to heat. 3. The pore walls are fully densified expecting a large mechanical strength. 4. Compared with the melt foaming method, this method is practical because the fabrication temperature is far below the melting point and it does not need molds. 5. The size and the location pores can be controlled by the amount and position of the foam agent.

  9. Stochastic generation of explicit pore structures by thresholding Gaussian random fields

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hyman, Jeffrey D., E-mail: jhyman@lanl.gov [Program in Applied Mathematics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0089 (United States); Computational Earth Science, Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES-16), and Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87544 (United States); Winter, C. Larrabee, E-mail: winter@email.arizona.edu [Program in Applied Mathematics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0089 (United States); Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0011 (United States)

    2014-11-15

    We provide a description and computational investigation of an efficient method to stochastically generate realistic pore structures. Smolarkiewicz and Winter introduced this specific method in pores resolving simulation of Darcy flows (Smolarkiewicz and Winter, 2010 [1]) without giving a complete formal description or analysis of the method, or indicating how to control the parameterization of the ensemble. We address both issues in this paper. The method consists of two steps. First, a realization of a correlated Gaussian field, or topography, is produced by convolving a prescribed kernel with an initial field of independent, identically distributed random variables. The intrinsic length scales of the kernel determine the correlation structure of the topography. Next, a sample pore space is generated by applying a level threshold to the Gaussian field realization: points are assigned to the void phase or the solid phase depending on whether the topography over them is above or below the threshold. Hence, the topology and geometry of the pore space depend on the form of the kernel and the level threshold. Manipulating these two user prescribed quantities allows good control of pore space observables, in particular the Minkowski functionals. Extensions of the method to generate media with multiple pore structures and preferential flow directions are also discussed. To demonstrate its usefulness, the method is used to generate a pore space with physical and hydrological properties similar to a sample of Berea sandstone. -- Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •An efficient method to stochastically generate realistic pore structures is provided. •Samples are generated by applying a level threshold to a Gaussian field realization. •Two user prescribed quantities determine the topology and geometry of the pore space. •Multiple pore structures and preferential flow directions can be produced. •A pore space based on Berea sandstone is generated.

  10. METHODS FOR PORE WATER EXTRACTION FROM UNSATURATED ZONE TUFF, YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    K.M. SCOFIELD

    2006-01-01

    Assessing the performance of the proposed high-level radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, requires an understanding of the chemistry of the water that moves through the host rock. The uniaxial compression method used to extract pore water from samples of tuffaceous borehole core was successful only for nonwelded tuff. An ultracentrifugation method was adopted to extract pore water from samples of the densely welded tuff of the proposed repository horizon. Tests were performed using both methods to determine the efficiency of pore water extraction and the potential effects on pore water chemistry. Test results indicate that uniaxial compression is most efficient for extracting pore water from nonwelded tuff, while ultracentrifugation is more successful in extracting pore water from densely welded tuff. Pore water splits taken from a single nonwelded tuff core during uniaxial compression tests have shown changes in pore water chemistry with increasing pressure for calcium, chloride, sulfate, and nitrate, while the chemistry of pore water splits from welded and nonwelded tuffs using ultracentrifugation indicates that there is no significant fractionation of solutes

  11. Unstable Pore-Water Flow in Intertidal Wetlands

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barry, D. A.; Shen, C.; Li, L.

    2014-12-01

    Salt marshes are important intertidal wetlands strongly influenced by interactions between surface water and groundwater. Bordered by coastal water, the marsh system undergoes cycles of inundation and exposure driven by the tide. This leads to dynamic, complex pore-water flow and solute transport in the marsh soil. Pore-water circulations occur over vastly different spatial and temporal scales with strong link to the marsh topography. These circulations control solute transport between the marsh soil and the tidal creek, and ultimately affect the overall nutrient exchange between the marsh and coastal water. The pore-water flows also dictate the soil condition, particularly aeration, which influences the marsh plant growth. Numerous studies have been carried out to examine the pore-water flow process in the marsh soil driven by tides, focusing on stable flow with the assumption of homogeneity in soil and fluid properties. This assumption, however, is questionable given the actual inhomogeneous conditions in the field. For example, the salinity of surface water in the tidal creek varies temporally and spatially due to the influence of rainfall and evapotranspiration as well as the freshwater input from upland areas to the estuary, creating density gradients across the marsh surface and within the marsh soil. Many marshes possess soil stratigraphy with low-permeability mud typically overlying high-permeability sandy deposits. Macropores such as crab burrows are commonly distributed in salt marsh sediments. All these conditions are prone to the development of non-uniform, unstable preferential pore-water flow in the marsh soil, for example, funnelling and fingering. Here we present results from laboratory experiments and numerical simulations to explore such unstable flow. In particular, the analysis aims to address how the unstable flow modifies patterns of local pore-water movement and solute transport, as well as the overall exchange between the marsh soil and

  12. Russia and China hydrocarbon relations. A building block toward international hydrocarbon regulation?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Locatelli, Catherine; Abbas, Mehdi; Rossiaud, Sylvain

    2015-12-01

    This article is a first step of a research agenda on international hydrocarbon regulations. With regards to both: i) the new wealth and power equilibrium in the international political economy and ii) the new political economy of carbon that is emerging from The Paris agreement on Climate changes, this research agenda aims at analysing the changing national structures of governance and the ways these changes lead to international, bilateral, pluri-lateral or multilateral hydrocarbon regulation

  13. Pore-scale uncertainty quantification with multilevel Monte Carlo

    KAUST Repository

    Icardi, Matteo

    2014-01-06

    Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of pore-scale transport processes in porous media have recently gained large popularity. However the geometrical details of the pore structures can be known only in a very low number of samples and the detailed flow computations can be carried out only on a limited number of cases. The explicit introduction of randomness in the geometry and in other setup parameters can be crucial for the optimization of pore-scale investigations for random homogenization. Since there are no generic ways to parametrize the randomness in the porescale structures, Monte Carlo techniques are the most accessible to compute statistics. We propose a multilevel Monte Carlo (MLMC) technique to reduce the computational cost of estimating quantities of interest within a prescribed accuracy constraint. Random samples of pore geometries with a hierarchy of geometrical complexities and grid refinements, are synthetically generated and used to propagate the uncertainties in the flow simulations and compute statistics of macro-scale effective parameters.

  14. Efficiency Analysis of Technological Methods for Reduction of NOx Emissions while Burning Hydrocarbon Fuels in Heat and Power Plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. M. Kabishov

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper contains a comparative efficiency analysis pertaining to application of existing technological methods for suppression of nitric oxide formation in heating boilers of heat generators. A special attention has been given to investigation of NOx  emission reduction while burning hydrocarbon fuel with the help of oxygen-enriched air. The calculations have demonstrated that while enriching oxidizer with the help of oxygen up to 50 % (by volume it is possible to reduce volume of NOx formation (while burning fuel unit by 21 %.

  15. 27 CFR 21.125 - Rubber hydrocarbon solvent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Rubber hydrocarbon solvent. 21.125 Section 21.125 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU....125 Rubber hydrocarbon solvent. (a) Rubber hydrocarbon solvent is a petroleum derivative. (b...

  16. Collision data involving hydro-carbon molecules

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tawara, H.; Itikawa, Y.; Nishimura, H.; Tanaka, H.; Nakamura, Y.

    1990-07-01

    Hydro-carbon molecules are abundantly produced when graphites are used as internal wall materials of hydrogen plasmas and strongly influence properties of low temperature plasmas near the edges as well as those of high temperature plasmas at the center. In this report, following simple description of the production mechanisms of hydro-carbon molecules under the interactions between graphite and hydrogen plasma, the present status of collision data for hydro-carbon molecules by electron impact is discussed and the relevant data are summarized in a series of figures and tables. It should also be noted that, in addition to fusion plasmas, these hydrocarbon data compiled here are quite useful in other applications such as plasma chemistry and material processing. (author)

  17. Nuclear Track-Etched Pore Membrane Production Using OAEP's Research Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chittrakarn, Thawat; Bhongsuwan, Tripob; Wanichapichart, Pikul; Nuanuin, Paiboon; Chongkum, Somporn; Khonduangkaew, Areerat; Bordeepong, Sunaree

    2003-10-01

    Result of this study shows that the OAEP's nuclear research reactor is a good source of both fast and thermal neutrons for pore piercing process on polycarbonate thin film. With our experimental design, the fast neutron provides better results in pore piercing comparing with thermal neutron bombardment. This can be explained that most of the latent tracks that occur by thermal neutron bombardment do not piercing through the thin film. Chemical etching process using NaOH solution with an appropriated time, concentration and temperature was employed to enlarge the latent tracks in the bombarded film by fast neutrons. Fast neutron bombardment with 5, 10 and 20 minutes bombarding time successfully produces the nuclear track membrane. Pore size and pore density of the produced membranes examined by SEM were 0.24-1.01 μm and 4.67 - 245 x 10 6 pore/cm 2 , respectively. Bubble point test showed the maximum pore diameter of the produced membrane ranged between 1.18 - 3.25 μm. Water permeability was studied and compared between the produced and commercial membranes

  18. Process for desulfurizing hydrocarbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1937-04-12

    A process is described for the desulfurization of a mixture of hydrocarbons, and in particular hydrocarbons containing less than 7 atoms of carbon and sulfur compounds of the type of sulfur carbonyl, characterized by the fact that the mixture, preferably in the liquid phase, is brought in contact with a solution of caustic alkali, essentially anhydrous or preferably with a solution of alkali hydroxide in an organic hydroxy nonacid solvent, for example, an alcohol, or with an alkaline alcoholate, under conditions suitable to the formation of hydrogen sulfide which produces a hydrocarbon mixture free from sulfur compounds of the sulfur carbonyl type but containing hydrogen sulfide, and that it is treated, following mixing, having beem submitted to the first treatment, by means of aqueous alkaline hydroxide to eliminate the hydrogen sulfide.

  19. Controlled synthesis of ordered mesoporous TiO{sub 2}-supported on activated carbon and pore-pore synergistic photocatalytic performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Chen; Li, Youji, E-mail: bcclyj@163.com; Xu, Peng; Li, Ming; Zeng, Mengxiong

    2015-01-15

    Ordered mesoporous titania/activated carbon (OMTAC) were prepared by the template technique with the aid of an ultrasonic method. To explore the relationship between the structure and properties of OMTAC, the ultrasonic-sol-gel technique was applied to synthesize titania dioxide/activated carbon (USTAC). The obtained material structure was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption – desorption, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV diffuse reflectance (DRS) and Photoluminescence (PL) emission spectra. OMTAC photocatalytic performance was evaluated by means of acid red B (ARB) degradation. The pore-pore synergistic amplification mechanism of photocatalysis was proposed and the effects of catalytic conditions on synergistic amplification were explored. The results show that compared to OMT, OMTAC has a small particle size, low electron-hole recombination rate and high surface areas, due to the hindering effect of activated carbon on crystalline grain growth and an ordered mesoporous structure of titania. OMTAC has higher catalytic activity than USTAC, OMT and P25, due to pore-pore synergistic amplification effect of photocatalysis. The OMT content is strongly affected OMTAC photocatalytic activity, and OMTAC-3 (loading 3 times of OMT on AC) has the highest photocatalytic activity due to high hydroxyl concentration, surface area and low electron-hole recombination rate. When ARB is degraded by OMTAC-3, the optimum catalytic conditions are a catalyst concentration of 1 g/L, an ARB concentration of 15 mg/L and a pH of 5. - Graphical abstract: We investigate the influence of mesoporous titania content upon the photocatalytic performance of OMTAC in acid red B degradation. - Highlights: • OMTAC were fabricated by a template technique with the aid of an ultrasonic method. • OMTAC show high photoactivity for acid red B (ARB) degradation. • OMTAC also show pore-pore synergistic photocatalytic

  20. Investigating the effects of stress on the pore structures of nuclear grade graphites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Taylor, Joshua E.L., E-mail: joshua.taylor@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk; Hall, Graham N., E-mail: graham.n.hall@manchester.ac.uk; Mummery, Paul M., E-mail: paul.m.mummery@manchester.ac.uk

    2016-03-15

    Graphite is used as a moderating material and as a structural component in a number of current generation nuclear reactors. During reactor operation stresses develop in the graphite components, causing them to deform. It is important to understand how the microstructure of graphite affects the material's response to these stresses. A series of experiments were performed to investigate how the pore structures of Pile Grade A and Gilsocarbon graphites respond to loading stresses. A compression rig was used to simulate the build-up of operational stresses in graphite components, and a confocal laser microscope was used to study variation of a number of important pore properties. Values of elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio were calculated and compared to existing literature to confirm the validity of the experimental techniques. Mean pore areas were observed to decrease linearly with increasing applied load, mean pore eccentricity increased linearly, and a small amount of clockwise pore rotation was observed. The response to build-up of stresses was dependent on the orientation of the pores and basal planes and the shapes of the pores with respect to the loading axis. It was proposed that pore closure and pore reorientation were competing processes. Pore separation was quantified using ‘nearest neighbour’ and Voronoi techniques, and non-pore regions were found to shrink linearly with increasing applied load. - Highlights: • Effects of stress on pore structures of Gilsocarbon and PGA graphites were studied. • Application of a compressive load was used to generate stresses in graphite. • Inverse linear relationship between stress and pore area was observed. • Mean pore eccentricity increased, clockwise pore rotation observed. • Separation of pores quantified using Voronoi and ‘nearest-neighbour’ methods.

  1. Hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria isolation and surfactant influence ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Hydrocarbons are substantially insoluble in water, often remaining partitioned in the non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL). However, there had been little or no attempts to advance the bioavailability of hydrocarbons through the use of surfactants. This study was conducted based on the need to isolate hydrocarbon degrading ...

  2. Sensitivity ranking for freshwater invertebrates towards hydrocarbon contaminants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerner, Nadine V; Cailleaud, Kevin; Bassères, Anne; Liess, Matthias; Beketov, Mikhail A

    2017-11-01

    Hydrocarbons have an utmost economical importance but may also cause substantial ecological impacts due to accidents or inadequate transportation and use. Currently, freshwater biomonitoring methods lack an indicator that can unequivocally reflect the impacts caused by hydrocarbons while being independent from effects of other stressors. The aim of the present study was to develop a sensitivity ranking for freshwater invertebrates towards hydrocarbon contaminants, which can be used in hydrocarbon-specific bioindicators. We employed the Relative Sensitivity method and developed the sensitivity ranking S hydrocarbons based on literature ecotoxicological data supplemented with rapid and mesocosm test results. A first validation of the sensitivity ranking based on an earlier field study has been conducted and revealed the S hydrocarbons ranking to be promising for application in sensitivity based indicators. Thus, the first results indicate that the ranking can serve as the core component of future hydrocarbon-specific and sensitivity trait based bioindicators.

  3. Effect of porosity and pore morphology on the low-frequency ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Effect of porosity and pore size distribution on the low-frequency dielectric response, in the range 0.01-100 kHz, in sintered ZrO2-8 mol% Y2O3 ceramic compacts have been investigated. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) technique has been employed to obtain the pore characteristics like pore size distribution, ...

  4. Pore-water chemistry explains zinc phytotoxicity in soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kader, Mohammed; Lamb, Dane T; Correll, Ray; Megharaj, Mallavarapu; Naidu, Ravi

    2015-12-01

    Zinc (Zn) is a widespread soil contaminant arising from a numerous anthropogenic sources. However, adequately predicting toxicity of Zn to ecological receptors remains difficult due to the complexity of soil characteristics. In this study, we examined solid-solution partitioning using pore-water data and toxicity of Zn to cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in spiked soils. Pore-water effective concentration (ECx, x=10%, 20% and 50% reduction) values were negatively related to pH, indicating lower Zn pore water concentration were needed to cause phytotoxicity at high pH soils. Total dissolved zinc (Znpw) and free zinc (Zn(2+)) in soil-pore water successfully described 78% and 80.3% of the variation in relative growth (%) in the full dataset. When the complete data set was used (10 soils), the estimated EC50pw was 450 and 79.2 µM for Znpw and Zn(2+), respectively. Total added Zn, soil pore water pH (pHpw) and dissolve organic carbon (DOC) were the best predictors of Znpw and Zn(2+) in pore-water. The EC10 (total loading) values ranged from 179 to 5214 mg/kg, depending on soil type. Only pH measurements in soil were related to ECx total Zn data. The strongest relationship to ECx overall was pHca, although pHw and pHpw were in general related to Zn ECx. Similarly, when a solution-only model was used to predict Zn in shoot, DOC was negatively related to Zn in shoot, indicating a reduction in uptake/ translocation of Zn from solution with increasing DOC. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Capillary pressure at irregularly shaped pore throats: Implications for water retention characteristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suh, Hyoung Suk; Kang, Dong Hun; Jang, Jaewon; Kim, Kwang Yeom; Yun, Tae Sup

    2017-12-01

    The random shapes of pore throats in geomaterials hinder accurate estimation of capillary pressure, and conventional pore network models that simply use the Young-Laplace equation assuming circular pore throats overestimate the capillary pressure. As a solution to this problem that does not complicate the pore network model or slow its implementation, we propose a new morphological analysis method to correlate the capillary pressure at an irregular pore channel with its cross-sectional geometry using lattice Boltzmann (LB) simulation and Mayer and Stowe-Princen theory. Geometry-based shape factors for pore throats are shown here to correlate strongly with the capillary pressure obtained by LB simulation. Water retention curves obtained by incorporating the morphological calibration into conventional pore network simulation and their correlative scheme agree well with experimental data. The suggested method is relevant to pore-scale processes such as geological CO2 sequestration, methane bubbling from wetlands, and enhanced carbon recovery.

  6. The Pore-scale modeling of multiphase flows in reservoir rocks using the lattice Boltzmann method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mu, Y.; Baldwin, C. H.; Toelke, J.; Grader, A.

    2011-12-01

    Digital rock physics (DRP) is a new technology to compute the physical and fluid flow properties of reservoir rocks. In this approach, pore scale images of the porous rock are obtained and processed to create highly accurate 3D digital rock sample, and then the rock properties are evaluated by advanced numerical methods at the pore scale. Ingrain's DRP technology is a breakthrough for oil and gas companies that need large volumes of accurate results faster than the current special core analysis (SCAL) laboratories can normally deliver. In this work, we compute the multiphase fluid flow properties of 3D digital rocks using D3Q19 immiscible LBM with two relaxation times (TRT). For efficient implementation on GPU, we improved and reformulated color-gradient model proposed by Gunstensen and Rothmann. Furthermore, we only use one-lattice with the sparse data structure: only allocate memory for pore nodes on GPU. We achieved more than 100 million fluid lattice updates per second (MFLUPS) for two-phase LBM on single Fermi-GPU and high parallel efficiency on Multi-GPUs. We present and discuss our simulation results of important two-phase fluid flow properties, such as capillary pressure and relative permeabilities. We also investigate the effects of resolution and wettability on multiphase flows. Comparison of direct measurement results with the LBM-based simulations shows practical ability of DRP to predict two-phase flow properties of reservoir rock.

  7. Effects of intermediate wettability on entry capillary pressure in angular pores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rabbani, Harris Sajjad; Joekar-Niasar, Vahid; Shokri, Nima

    2016-07-01

    Entry capillary pressure is one of the most important factors controlling drainage and remobilization of the capillary-trapped phases as it is the limiting factor against the two-phase displacement. It is known that the entry capillary pressure is rate dependent such that the inertia forces would enhance entry of the non-wetting phase into the pores. More importantly the entry capillary pressure is wettability dependent. However, while the movement of a meniscus into a strongly water-wet pore is well-defined, the invasion of a meniscus into a weak or intermediate water-wet pore especially in the case of angular pores is ambiguous. In this study using OpenFOAM software, high-resolution direct two-phase flow simulations of movement of a meniscus in a single capillary channel are performed. Interface dynamics in angular pores under drainage conditions have been simulated under constant flow rate boundary condition at different wettability conditions. Our results shows that the relation between the half corner angle of pores and contact angle controls the temporal evolution of capillary pressure during the invasion of a pore. By deviating from pure water-wet conditions, a dip in the temporal evolution of capillary pressure can be observed which will be pronounced in irregular angular cross sections. That enhances the pore invasion with a smaller differential pressure. The interplay between the contact angle and pore geometry can have significant implications for enhanced remobilization of ganglia in intermediate contact angles in real porous media morphologies, where pores are very heterogeneous with small shape factors. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Involvement of IGF-1/IGFBP-3 signaling on the conspicuousness of facial pores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugiyama-Nakagiri, Yoriko; Ohuchi, Atsushi; Hachiya, Akira; Kitahara, Takashi

    2010-11-01

    Conspicuous facial pores are one type of serious esthetic defects for many women. We previously reported that the severity of impairment of skin architecture around facial pores correlates well with the appearance of facial pores in several ethnic groups. In our last report, we showed that serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) correlate well with facial pore size and with the severity of impairment of epidermal architecture around facial pores. However, our results could not fully explain the implication between facial pores and IGF signaling. In this study, we conducted a histological analysis of facial skin to determine whether potential changes in IGF-1 availability occur in the skin with or without conspicuous pores. Immunohistochemical observations showed that expression of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) is limited to the suprapapillary epidermis around facial pores and to basal cells of rete pegs without tips in epidermis with conspicuous pores. In contrast, in basal cells of skin without conspicuous pores, IGFBP-3 expression is very low. Ki-67 and IGF-1 receptor-positive cells are abundant in basal cells in the tips of the rete pegs in skin with typical epidermal architecture around facial pores. No obvious differences were observed in the expression of filaggrin, involucrin, K1, K6 or K17 in skin with or without conspicuous pores. However, increased expression of K16 was observed in skin with conspicuous pores suggesting hyperproliferation. These results suggest that the IGF-1/IGFBP-3 signaling pathway is involved in the formation of conspicuous facial pores due to the epidermal architecture around facial pores.

  9. High Pressure Preignition Chemistry of Hydrocarbons and Hydrocarbon Mixtures

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Cernansky, N.P

    1998-01-01

    .... The research program entailed mechanistic studies examining the oxidation chemistry of single-component hydrocarbons and ignition studies examining the overall ignition of pure single component fuels and fuel blends...

  10. Comparison of predicted and observed pore pressure increases on Rio Blanco

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Banister, J.R.; Ellett, D.M.; Pyke, R.; Winters, L.

    1976-01-01

    The RIO BLANCO event presented the opportunity to monitor, under controlled conditions in the field, the increase in pore pressures resulting from ground motion similar to an earthquake. In situ measurements of pore pressure changes were made by Sandia Laboratories and Dames and Moore. This report contains the results of laboratory tests believed to be indicative in assessing the magnitude of pore pressure increases and probability of soil liquefaction. These include triaxial load tests, gradation of grain size, and relative density. No liquefaction was observed in the field, and the increase of in situ pore pressures were much less than expected from laboratory measurements. Allied subjects presented in this report are pore pressure propagation and dissipation profiles, the previously unpublished pore pressure measurements made by Dames and Moore, and the boring logs for the various sites where measurements were taken. It is concluded that methods used to predict pore pressure increases and liquefaction potential are overly conservative, at least for these alluvial and colluvial soils found in Colorado

  11. Effect of diffuse layer and pore shapes in mesoporous carbon supercapacitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang, Jingsong [ORNL; Sumpter, Bobby G [ORNL; Meunier, Vincent [ORNL; Qiao, Rui [ORNL

    2010-01-01

    In the spirit of the theoretical evolution from the Helmholtz model to the Gouy Chapman Stern model for electric double-layer capacitors, we explored the effect of a diffuse layer on the capacitance of mesoporous carbon supercapacitors by solving the Poisson Boltzmann (PB) equation in mesopores of diameters from 2 to 20 nm. To evaluate the effect of pore shape, both slit and cylindrical pores were considered. We found that the diffuse layer does not affect the capacitance significantly. For slit pores, the area-normalized capacitance is nearly independent of pore size, which is not experimentally observed for template carbons. In comparison, for cylindrical pores, PB simulations produce a trend of slightly increasing area-normalized capacitance with pore size, similar to that depicted by the electric double-cylinder capacitor model proposed earlier. These results indicate that it is appropriate to approximate the pore shape of mesoporous carbons as being cylindrical and the electric double-cylinder capacitor model should be used for mesoporous carbons as a replacement of the traditional Helmholtz model.

  12. Diode-like properties of single- and multi-pore asymmetric track membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zielinska, K.; Gapeeva, A. R.; Orelovich, O. L.; Apel, P. Yu.

    2014-05-01

    In this work, we investigated the ionic transport properties of asymmetric polyethylene terephthalate (PET) track membranes with the thickness of 5 μm. The samples containing single pores and arrays of many pores were fabricated by irradiation with accelerated ions and subsequent physicochemical treatment. The method of etching in the presence of a surface-active agent was used to prepare the pores with highly-tapered tip. The transport of monovalent inorganic ions through the nano-scale holes was studied in a conductivity cell. The effective pore radii, electrical conductance and rectification ratios of pores were measured. The geometric characteristics of nanopores were investigated using FESEM.

  13. From Cell to Tissue Properties-Modeling Skin Electroporation With Pore and Local Transport Region Formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dermol-Cerne, Janja; Miklavcic, Damijan

    2018-02-01

    Current models of tissue electroporation either describe tissue with its bulk properties or include cell level properties, but model only a few cells of simple shapes in low-volume fractions or are in two dimensions. We constructed a three-dimensional model of realistically shaped cells in realistic volume fractions. By using a 'unit cell' model, the equivalent dielectric properties of whole tissue could be calculated. We calculated the dielectric properties of electroporated skin. We modeled electroporation of single cells by pore formation on keratinocytes and on the papillary dermis which gave dielectric properties of the electroporated epidermis and papillary dermis. During skin electroporation, local transport regions are formed in the stratum corneum. We modeled local transport regions and increase in their radii or density which affected the dielectric properties of the stratum corneum. The final model of skin electroporation accurately describes measured electric current and voltage drop on the skin during electroporation with long low-voltage pulses. The model also accurately describes voltage drop on the skin during electroporation with short high-voltage pulses. However, our results indicate that during application of short high-voltage pulses additional processes may occur which increase the electric current. Our model connects the processes occurring at the level of cell membranes (pore formation), at the level of a skin layer (formation of local transport region in the stratum corneum) with the tissue (skin layers) and even level of organs (skin). Using a similar approach, electroporation of any tissue can be modeled, if the morphology of the tissue is known.

  14. Role of scaffold mean pore size in meniscus regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zheng-Zheng; Jiang, Dong; Ding, Jian-Xun; Wang, Shao-Jie; Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Ji-Ying; Qi, Yan-Song; Chen, Xue-Si; Yu, Jia-Kuo

    2016-10-01

    Recently, meniscus tissue engineering offers a promising management for meniscus regeneration. Although rarely reported, the microarchitectures of scaffolds can deeply influence the behaviors of endogenous or exogenous stem/progenitor cells and subsequent tissue formation in meniscus tissue engineering. Herein, a series of three-dimensional (3D) poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds with three distinct mean pore sizes (i.e., 215, 320, and 515μm) were fabricated via fused deposition modeling. The scaffold with the mean pore size of 215μm significantly improved both the proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) production/deposition of mesenchymal stem cells compared to all other groups in vitro. Moreover, scaffolds with mean pore size of 215μm exhibited the greatest tensile and compressive moduli in all the acellular and cellular studies. In addition, the relatively better results of fibrocartilaginous tissue formation and chondroprotection were observed in the 215μm scaffold group after substituting the rabbit medial meniscectomy for 12weeks. Overall, the mean pore size of 3D-printed PCL scaffold could affect cell behavior, ECM production, biomechanics, and repair effect significantly. The PCL scaffold with mean pore size of 215μm presented superior results both in vitro and in vivo, which could be an alternative for meniscus tissue engineering. Meniscus tissue engineering provides a promising strategy for meniscus regeneration. In this regard, the microarchitectures (e.g., mean pore size) of scaffolds remarkably impact the behaviors of cells and subsequent tissue formation, which has been rarely reported. Herein, three three-dimensional poly(ε-caprolactone) scaffolds with different mean pore sizes (i.e., 215, 320, and 515μm) were fabricated via fused deposition modeling. The results suggested that the mean pore size significantly affected the behaviors of endogenous or exogenous stem/progenitor cells and subsequent tissue formation. This study furthers

  15. Polyaniline-coated cigarette filters as a solid-phase extraction sorbent for the extraction and enrichment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in water samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bunkoed, Opas; Rueankaew, Thanaschaphorn; Nurerk, Piyaluk; Kanatharana, Proespichaya

    2016-06-01

    Polyaniline coated cigarette filters were successfully synthesized and used as a solid-phase extraction sorbent for the extraction and preconcentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water samples. The polyaniline helped to enhance the adsorption ability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on the sorbent through π-π interactions. The high porosity and large surface area of the cigarette filters helped to reduce backpressure and can be operated with high sample flow rate without loss of extraction efficiency. The developed sorbent was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The parameters that affected the extraction efficiencies, i.e. polymerization time, type of desorption solvent and its volume, sample flow rate, sample volume, sample pH, ionic strength, and organic modifier were investigated. Under the optimal conditions, the method was linear over the range of 0.5-10 μg/L and a detection limit of 0.5 ng/L. This simple, rapid, and cost-effective method was successfully applied to the preconcentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from water samples. The developed method provided a high enrichment factor with good extraction efficiency (85-98%) and a relative standard deviation <10%. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. Process for refining hydrocarbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Risenfeld, E H

    1924-11-26

    A process is disclosed for the refining of hydrocarbons or other mixtures through treatment in vapor form with metal catalysts, characterized by such metals being used as catalysts, which are obtained by reduction of the oxide of minerals containing the iron group, and by the vapors of the hydrocarbons, in the presence of the water vapor, being led over these catalysts at temperatures from 200 to 300/sup 0/C.

  17. Pore formation during dehydration of a polycrystalline gypsum sample observed and quantified in a time-series synchrotron X-ray micro-tomography experiment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Fusseis

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available We conducted an in-situ X-ray micro-computed tomography heating experiment at the Advanced Photon Source (USA to dehydrate an unconfined 2.3 mm diameter cylinder of Volterra Gypsum. We used a purpose-built X-ray transparent furnace to heat the sample to 388 K for a total of 310 min to acquire a three-dimensional time-series tomography dataset comprising nine time steps. The voxel size of 2.2 μm3 proved sufficient to pinpoint reaction initiation and the organization of drainage architecture in space and time.

    We observed that dehydration commences across a narrow front, which propagates from the margins to the centre of the sample in more than four hours. The advance of this front can be fitted with a square-root function, implying that the initiation of the reaction in the sample can be described as a diffusion process.

    Novel parallelized computer codes allow quantifying the geometry of the porosity and the drainage architecture from the very large tomographic datasets (20483 voxels in unprecedented detail. We determined position, volume, shape and orientation of each resolvable pore and tracked these properties over the duration of the experiment. We found that the pore-size distribution follows a power law. Pores tend to be anisotropic but rarely crack-shaped and have a preferred orientation, likely controlled by a pre-existing fabric in the sample. With on-going dehydration, pores coalesce into a single interconnected pore cluster that is connected to the surface of the sample cylinder and provides an effective drainage pathway.

    Our observations can be summarized in a model in which gypsum is stabilized by thermal expansion stresses and locally increased pore fluid pressures until the dehydration front approaches to within about 100 μm. Then, the internal stresses are released and dehydration happens efficiently, resulting in new pore space. Pressure release, the production of pores and the

  18. Pore formation during dehydration of polycrystalline gypsum observed and quantified in a time-series synchrotron radiation based X-ray micro-tomography experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fusseis, F.; Schrank, C.; Liu, J.; Karrech, A.; Llana-Fúnez, S.; Xiao, X.; Regenauer-Lieb, K.

    2011-10-01

    We conducted an in-situ X-ray micro-computed tomography heating experiment at the Advanced Photon Source (USA) to dehydrate an unconfined 2.3 mm diameter cylinder of Volterra Gypsum. We used a purpose-built X-ray transparent furnace to heat the sample to 388 K for a total of 310 min to acquire a three-dimensional time-series tomography dataset comprising nine time steps. The voxel size of 2.2 μm3 proved sufficient to pinpoint reaction initiation and the organization of drainage architecture in space and time. We observed that dehydration commences across a narrow front, which propagates from the margins to the centre of the sample in more than four hours. The advance of this front can be fitted with a square-root function, implying that the initiation of the reaction in the sample can be described as a diffusion process. Novel parallelized computer codes allow quantifying the geometry of the porosity and the drainage architecture from the very large tomographic datasets (6.4 × 109 voxel each) in unprecedented detail. We determined position, volume, shape and orientation of each resolvable pore and tracked these properties over the duration of the experiment. We found that the pore-size distribution follows a power law. Pores tend to be anisotropic but rarely crack-shaped and have a preferred orientation, likely controlled by a pre-existing fabric in the sample. With on-going dehydration, pores coalesce into a single interconnected pore cluster that is connected to the surface of the sample cylinder and provides an effective drainage pathway. Our observations can be summarized in a model in which gypsum is stabilized by thermal expansion stresses and locally increased pore fluid pressures until the dehydration front approaches to within about 100 μm. Then, the internal stresses are released and dehydration happens efficiently, resulting in new pore space. Pressure release, the production of pores and the advance of the front are coupled in a feedback loop. We

  19. Pore formation during dehydration of a polycrystalline gypsum sample observed and quantified in a time-series synchrotron X-ray micro-tomography experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fusseis, F.; Schrank, C.; Liu, J.; Karrech, A.; Llana-Fúnez, S.; Xiao, X.; Regenauer-Lieb, K.

    2012-03-01

    We conducted an in-situ X-ray micro-computed tomography heating experiment at the Advanced Photon Source (USA) to dehydrate an unconfined 2.3 mm diameter cylinder of Volterra Gypsum. We used a purpose-built X-ray transparent furnace to heat the sample to 388 K for a total of 310 min to acquire a three-dimensional time-series tomography dataset comprising nine time steps. The voxel size of 2.2 μm3 proved sufficient to pinpoint reaction initiation and the organization of drainage architecture in space and time. We observed that dehydration commences across a narrow front, which propagates from the margins to the centre of the sample in more than four hours. The advance of this front can be fitted with a square-root function, implying that the initiation of the reaction in the sample can be described as a diffusion process. Novel parallelized computer codes allow quantifying the geometry of the porosity and the drainage architecture from the very large tomographic datasets (20483 voxels) in unprecedented detail. We determined position, volume, shape and orientation of each resolvable pore and tracked these properties over the duration of the experiment. We found that the pore-size distribution follows a power law. Pores tend to be anisotropic but rarely crack-shaped and have a preferred orientation, likely controlled by a pre-existing fabric in the sample. With on-going dehydration, pores coalesce into a single interconnected pore cluster that is connected to the surface of the sample cylinder and provides an effective drainage pathway. Our observations can be summarized in a model in which gypsum is stabilized by thermal expansion stresses and locally increased pore fluid pressures until the dehydration front approaches to within about 100 μm. Then, the internal stresses are released and dehydration happens efficiently, resulting in new pore space. Pressure release, the production of pores and the advance of the front are coupled in a feedback loop.

  20. Role of uniform pore structure and high positive charges in the arsenate adsorption performance of Al13-modified montmorillonite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao, Shou; Feng, Chenghong; Huang, Xiangning; Li, Baohua; Niu, Junfeng; Shen, Zhenyao

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Al 13 modification changes As(V) sorption mechanism of montmorillonites. ► Intercalated ion charges mainly affects As(V) adsorption kinetics. ► Uniform pore structure exhibit more excellent As(V) adsorption performance. - Abstract: Four modified montmorillonite adsorbents with varied Al 13 contents (i.e., Na-Mont, AC-Mont, PAC 20 -Mont, and Al 13 -Mont) were synthesized and characterized by N 2 adsorption/desorption, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier-transform infrared analyses. The arsenate adsorption performance of the four adsorbents were also investigated to determine the role of intercalated Al 13 , especially its high purity, high positive charge (+7), and special Keggin structure. With increased Al 13 content, the physicochemical properties (e.g., surface area, structural uniformity, basal spacing, and pore volume) and adsorption performance of the modified montmorillonites were significantly but disproportionately improved. The adsorption data well fitted the Freundlich and Redlich–Peterson isotherm model, whereas the kinetic data better correlated with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The arsenate sorption mechanism of the montmorillonites changed from physical to chemisorption after intercalation with Al 13 . Increasing charges of the intercalated ions enhanced the arsenate adsorption kinetics, but had minimal effect on the structural changes of the montmorillonites. The uniform pore structure formed by intercalation with high-purity Al 13 greatly enhanced the pore diffusion and adsorption rate of arsenate, resulting in the high adsorption performance of Al 13 -Mont.

  1. Pore Structure Model for Predicting Elastic Wavespeeds in Fluid-Saturated Sandstones

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zimmerman, R. W.; David, E. C.

    2011-12-01

    During hydrostatic compression, in the elastic regime, ultrasonic P and S wave velocities measured on rock cores generally increase with pressure, and reach asymptotic values at high pressures. The pressure dependence of seismic velocities is generally thought to be due to the closure of compliant cracks, in which case the high-pressure velocities must reflect only the influence of the non-closable, equant "pores". Assuming that pores can be represented by spheroids, we can relate the elastic properties to the pore structure using an effective medium theory. Moreover, the closure pressure of a thin crack-like pore is directly proportional to its aspect ratio. Hence, our first aim is to use the pressure dependence of seismic velocities to invert the aspect ratio distribution. We use a simple analytical algorithm developed by Zimmerman (Compressibility of Sandstones, 1991), which can be used for any effective medium theory. Previous works have used overly restrictive assumptions, such as assuming that the stiff pores are spherical, or that the interactions between pores can be neglected. Here, we assume that the rock contains an exponential distribution of crack aspect ratios, and one family of stiff pores having an aspect ratio lying somewhere between 0.01 and 1. We develop our model in two versions, using the Differential Scheme, and the Mori-Tanaka scheme. The inversion is done using data obtained in dry experiments, since pore fluids have a strong effect on velocities and tend to mask the effect of the pore geometry. This avoids complicated joint inversion of dry and wet data, such as done by Cheng and Toksoz (JGR, 1979). Our results show that for many sets of data on sandstones, we can fit very well the dry velocities. Our second aim is to predict the saturated velocities from our pore structure model, noting that at a given differential stress, the pore structure should be the same as for a dry test. Our results show that the Biot-Gassmann predictions always

  2. Predicting the bioaccumulation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls in benthic animals in sediments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tuikka, A.I., E-mail: anitat@student.uef.fi [University of Eastern Finland, Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu (Finland); Leppänen, M.T., E-mail: Matti.T.Leppanen@ymparisto.fi [Finnish Environment Institute, Laboratories/Research and Innovation Laboratory, P.O. Box 35, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 Jyväskylä (Finland); Akkanen, J., E-mail: jarkko.akkanen@uef.fi [University of Eastern Finland, Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu (Finland); Sormunen, A.J., E-mail: Arto.Sormunen@mamk.fi [University of Eastern Finland, Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu (Finland); Leonards, P.E.G., E-mail: pim.leonards@vu.nl [Institute for Environmental Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam (Netherlands); Hattum, B. van, E-mail: bert.vanhattum@deltares.nl [Institute for Environmental Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam (Netherlands); Vliet, L.A. van, E-mail: lavanvliet@hotmail.com [Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, National Institute for Coastal and Marine Management/RIKZ, P.O. Box 207, 9750 AE Haren (Netherlands); Brack, W., E-mail: werner.brack@ufz.de [Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany); Smedes, F., E-mail: smedes@recetox.muni.cz [Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, National Institute for Coastal and Marine Management/RIKZ, P.O. Box 207, 9750 AE Haren (Netherlands); and others

    2016-09-01

    There were two main objectives in this study. The first was to compare the accuracy of different prediction methods for the chemical concentrations of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the organism, based on the measured chemical concentrations existing in sediment dry matter or pore water. The predicted tissue concentrations were compared to the measured ones after 28-day laboratory test using oligochaeta worms (Lumbriculus variegatus). The second objective was to compare the bioaccumulation of PAHs and PCBs in the laboratory test with the in situ bioaccumulation of these compounds. Using the traditional organic carbon-water partitioning model, tissue concentrations were greatly overestimated, based on the concentrations in the sediment dry matter. Use of an additional correction factor for black carbon with a two-carbon model, significantly improved the bioaccumulation predictions, thus confirming that black carbon was important in binding the chemicals and reducing their accumulation. The predicted PAH tissue concentrations were, however, high compared to the observed values. The chemical concentrations were most accurately predicted from their freely dissolved pore water concentrations, determined using equilibrium passive sampling. The patterns of PCB and PAH accumulation in sediments for laboratory-exposed L. variegatus were similar to those in field-collected Lumbriculidae worms. Field-collected benthic invertebrates and L. variegatus accumulated less PAHs than PCBs with similar lipophilicity. The biota to sediment accumulation factors of PAHs tended to decrease with increasing sediment organic carbon normalized concentrations. The presented data yields bioconcentration factors (BCF) describing the chemical water-lipid partition, which were found to be higher than the octanol-water partition coefficients, but on a similar level with BCFs drawn from relevant literature. In conclusion, using the two-carbon model method

  3. Molecularly imprinted macroporous monoliths for solid-phase extraction: Effect of pore size and column length on recognition properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vlakh, E G; Stepanova, M A; Korneeva, Yu M; Tennikova, T B

    2016-09-01

    The series of macroporous monolithic molecularly imprinted monoliths differed by pore size, column length (volume) and amount of template used for imprinting was synthesized using methacrylic acid and glycerol dimethacrylate as co-monomers and antibiotic ciprofloxacin as a template. The prepared monoliths were characterized regarding to their permeability, pore size, porosity, and resistance to the flow of a mobile phase. The surface morphology was also analyzed. The slight dependence of imprinting factor on flow rate, as well as its independence on pore size of macroporous molecularly imprinted monolithic media was observed. The column obtained at different conditions exhibited different affinity of ciprofloxacin to the imprinted sites that was characterized with Kdiss values in the range of 10(-5)-10(-4)M. The solid-phase extraction of ciprofloxacin from such biological liquids as human blood serum, human urine and cow milk serum was performed using the developed monolithic columns. In all cases, the extraction was found to be 95.0-98.6%. Additionally, the comparison of extraction of three fluoroqinolone analogues, e.g. ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and moxifloxacin, from human blood plasma was carried out. Contrary to ciprofloxacin extracted with more than 95%, this parameter did not exceed 40% for its analogues. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Understanding capillary condensation and hysteresis in porous silicon: network effects within independent pores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naumov, Sergej; Khokhlov, Alexey; Valiullin, Rustem; Kärger, Jörg; Monson, Peter A

    2008-12-01

    The ability to exert a significant degree of pore structure control in porous silicon materials has made them attractive materials for the experimental investigation of the relationship between pore structure, capillary condensation, and hysteresis phenomena. Using both experimental measurements and a lattice gas model in mean field theory, we have investigated the role of pore size inhomogeneities and surface roughness on capillary condensation of N2 at 77K in porous silicon with linear pores. Our results resolve some puzzling features of earlier experimental work. We find that this material has more in common with disordered materials such as Vycor glass than the idealized smooth-walled cylindrical pores discussed in the classical adsorption literature. We provide strong evidence that this behavior comes from the complexity of the processes within independent linear pores, arising from the pore size inhomogeneities along the pore axis, rather than from cooperative effects between different pores.

  5. Invariance of single-file water mobility in gramicidin-like peptidic pores as function of pore length.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Portella, Guillem; Pohl, Peter; de Groot, Bert L

    2007-06-01

    We investigated the structural and energetic determinants underlying water permeation through peptidic nanopores, motivated by recent experimental findings that indicate that water mobility in single-file water channels displays nonlinear length dependence. To address the molecular mechanism determining the observed length dependence, we studied water permeability in a series of designed gramicidin-like channels of different length using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. We found that within the studied range of length the osmotic water permeability is independent of pore length. This result is at variance with textbook models, where the relationship is assumed to be linear. Energetic analysis shows that loss of solvation rather than specific water binding sites in the pore form the main energetic barrier for water permeation, consistent with our dynamics results. For this situation, we propose a modified expression for osmotic permeability that fully takes into account water motion collectivity and does not depend on the pore length. Different schematic barrier profiles are discussed that explain both experimental and computational interpretations, and we propose a set of experiments aimed at validation of the presented results. Implications of the results for the design of peptidic channels with desired permeation characteristics are discussed.

  6. Influence of the pore network on hydrogen diffusion through blended cement pastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boher, Cedric; Frizon, Fabien; Bart, Florence; Lorente, Sylvie

    2013-01-01

    This article presents a study on the influence of the pore size distribution on gas diffusion through CEM V cement pastes, for different water saturation degrees. The numerical results are compared to the experimental hydrogen diffusion coefficients obtained with water saturation levels ranging from 20% to 95%. The model developed in our research group accounts for the various types of transfer through the pore network: Knudsen diffusion or molecular diffusion depending on the pore size, together with hydrogen diffusion through water. The virtual pore network is created from mercury porosimetry data as a result of the combination of different sizes pore families. By testing different combinations, we could propose pore arrangements leading to diffusion coefficients corresponding to the experimental ones, and show how the combinations of the biggest pore family contribute to control the gas diffusion process. (authors)

  7. Chemical fingerprinting of hydrocarbon-contamination in soil

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boll, Esther Sørensen; Nejrup, Jens; Jensen, Julie K.

    2015-01-01

    Chemical fingerprinting analyses of 29 hydrocarbon-contaminated soils were performed to assess the soil quality and determine the main contaminant sources. The results were compared to an assessment based on concentrations of the 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons pointed out by the U...... and in assessing weathering trends of hydrocarbon contamination in the soils. Multivariate data analysis of sum-normalized concentrations could as a stand-alone tool distinguish between hydrocarbon sources of petrogenic and pyrogenic origin, differentiate within petrogenic sources, and detect weathering trends....... Diagnostic ratios of PACs were not successful for source identification of the heavily weathered hydrocarbon sources in the soils. The fingerprinting of contaminated soils revealed an underestimation of PACs in petrogenic contaminated soils when the assessment was based solely on EPAPAH16. As alkyl...

  8. Remediation of 20,000 m3 of hydrocarbon-impacted soil at a former well site using the biopile process

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bedard, G. [Biogenie Inc., Calgary, AB (Canada)

    2006-07-01

    The remediation of 20,000 m{sup 3} of hydrocarbon-impacted soil at a former well site using the biopile process was discussed. The site involved was an abandoned site located southwest from Red Deer, Alberta in an agricultural area. The presentation provided background on the site history and discussed an additional site assessment. The objectives of this assessment were to complete the delineation of the hydrocarbon plume; confirm the depth of impact identified in a previous environmental assessment; and, select the most efficient remediation strategy. The presentation also discussed findings of the Environmental Services Association (ESA). Site specific challenges that were addressed included proximity of land owners; lease slopes to a nearby river; large volume of impacted material; depth of impact; limited space available on-site; high concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs); segregation of impacted soil; and winter installation and start-up. The proposed strategy and its advantages as well as the methodology for the remediation strategy were all discussed. 5 tabs., 5 figs.

  9. Air-dust-borne associations of phototrophic and hydrocarbon-utilizing microorganisms: promising consortia in volatile hydrocarbon bioremediation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Bader, Dhia; Eliyas, Mohamed; Rayan, Rihab; Radwan, Samir

    2012-11-01

    Aquatic and terrestrial associations of phototrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms active in hydrocarbon bioremediation have been described earlier. The question arises: do similar consortia also occur in the atmosphere? Dust samples at the height of 15 m were collected from Kuwait City air, and analyzed microbiologically for phototrophic and heterotrophic hydrocarbon-utilizing microorganisms, which were subsequently characterized according to their 16S rRNA gene sequences. The hydrocarbon utilization potential of the heterotrophs alone, and in association with the phototrophic partners, was measured quantitatively. The chlorophyte Gloeotila sp. and the two cyanobacteria Nostoc commune and Leptolyngbya thermalis were found associated with dust, and (for comparison) the cynobacteria Leptolyngbya sp. and Acaryochloris sp. were isolated from coastal water. All phototrophic cultures harbored oil vapor-utilizing bacteria in the magnitude of 10(5) g(-1). Each phototrophic culture had its unique oil-utilizing bacteria; however, the bacterial composition in Leptolyngbya cultures from air and water was similar. The hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria were affiliated with Acinetobacter sp., Aeromonas caviae, Alcanivorax jadensis, Bacillus asahii, Bacillus pumilus, Marinobacter aquaeolei, Paenibacillus sp., and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. The nonaxenic cultures, when used as inocula in batch cultures, attenuated crude oil in light and dark, and in the presence of antibiotics and absence of nitrogenous compounds. Aqueous and diethyl ether extracts from the phototrophic cultures enhanced the growth of the pertinent oil-utilizing bacteria in batch cultures, with oil vapor as a sole carbon source. It was concluded that the airborne microbial associations may be effective in bioremediating atmospheric hydrocarbon pollutants in situ. Like the aquatic and terrestrial habitats, the atmosphere contains dust-borne associations of phototrophic and heterotrophic hydrocarbon

  10. The use of paleo-thermo-barometers and coupled thermal, fluid flow and pore fluid pressure modelling for hydrocarbon and reservoir prediction in fold and thrust belts

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roure, F.; Andriessen, P.A.M.; Callot, J.P.; Ferket, H.; Gonzales, E.; Guilhaumou, N.; Hardebol, N.J.; Lacombe, O.; Malandain, J.; Mougin, P.; Muska, K.; Ortuno, S.; Sassi, W.; Swennen, R.; Vilasi, N.

    2010-01-01

    Basin modelling tools are now more efficient to reconstruct palinspastic structural cross sections and compute the history of temperature, pore-fluid pressure and fluid flow circulations in complex structural settings. In many cases and especially in areas where limited erosion occurred, the use of

  11. Method for inverting reflection trace data from 3-D and 4-D seismic surveys and identifying subsurface fluid and pathways in and among hydrocarbon reservoirs based on impedance models

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, W.; Anderson, R.N.

    1998-08-25

    A method is disclosed for inverting 3-D seismic reflection data obtained from seismic surveys to derive impedance models for a subsurface region, and for inversion of multiple 3-D seismic surveys (i.e., 4-D seismic surveys) of the same subsurface volume, separated in time to allow for dynamic fluid migration, such that small scale structure and regions of fluid and dynamic fluid flow within the subsurface volume being studied can be identified. The method allows for the mapping and quantification of available hydrocarbons within a reservoir and is thus useful for hydrocarbon prospecting and reservoir management. An iterative seismic inversion scheme constrained by actual well log data which uses a time/depth dependent seismic source function is employed to derive impedance models from 3-D and 4-D seismic datasets. The impedance values can be region grown to better isolate the low impedance hydrocarbon bearing regions. Impedance data derived from multiple 3-D seismic surveys of the same volume can be compared to identify regions of dynamic evolution and bypassed pay. Effective Oil Saturation or net oil thickness can also be derived from the impedance data and used for quantitative assessment of prospective drilling targets and reservoir management. 20 figs.

  12. Inter-subunit interactions across the upper voltage sensing-pore domain interface contribute to the concerted pore opening transition of Kv channels.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tzilhav Shem-Ad

    Full Text Available The tight electro-mechanical coupling between the voltage-sensing and pore domains of Kv channels lies at the heart of their fundamental roles in electrical signaling. Structural data have identified two voltage sensor pore inter-domain interaction surfaces, thus providing a framework to explain the molecular basis for the tight coupling of these domains. While the contribution of the intra-subunit lower domain interface to the electro-mechanical coupling that underlies channel opening is relatively well understood, the contribution of the inter-subunit upper interface to channel gating is not yet clear. Relying on energy perturbation and thermodynamic coupling analyses of tandem-dimeric Shaker Kv channels, we show that mutation of upper interface residues from both sides of the voltage sensor-pore domain interface stabilizes the closed channel state. These mutations, however, do not affect slow inactivation gating. We, moreover, find that upper interface residues form a network of state-dependent interactions that stabilize the open channel state. Finally, we note that the observed residue interaction network does not change during slow inactivation gating. The upper voltage sensing-pore interaction surface thus only undergoes conformational rearrangements during channel activation gating. We suggest that inter-subunit interactions across the upper domain interface mediate allosteric communication between channel subunits that contributes to the concerted nature of the late pore opening transition of Kv channels.

  13. Inter-subunit interactions across the upper voltage sensing-pore domain interface contribute to the concerted pore opening transition of Kv channels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shem-Ad, Tzilhav; Irit, Orr; Yifrach, Ofer

    2013-01-01

    The tight electro-mechanical coupling between the voltage-sensing and pore domains of Kv channels lies at the heart of their fundamental roles in electrical signaling. Structural data have identified two voltage sensor pore inter-domain interaction surfaces, thus providing a framework to explain the molecular basis for the tight coupling of these domains. While the contribution of the intra-subunit lower domain interface to the electro-mechanical coupling that underlies channel opening is relatively well understood, the contribution of the inter-subunit upper interface to channel gating is not yet clear. Relying on energy perturbation and thermodynamic coupling analyses of tandem-dimeric Shaker Kv channels, we show that mutation of upper interface residues from both sides of the voltage sensor-pore domain interface stabilizes the closed channel state. These mutations, however, do not affect slow inactivation gating. We, moreover, find that upper interface residues form a network of state-dependent interactions that stabilize the open channel state. Finally, we note that the observed residue interaction network does not change during slow inactivation gating. The upper voltage sensing-pore interaction surface thus only undergoes conformational rearrangements during channel activation gating. We suggest that inter-subunit interactions across the upper domain interface mediate allosteric communication between channel subunits that contributes to the concerted nature of the late pore opening transition of Kv channels.

  14. Bioremediation: Technology for treating hydrocarbon-contaminated wastewater

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Towprayoon, S.; Kuntrangwattana, S. [King Mongkut`s Institute of Technology, Bangkok (Thailand)

    1996-12-31

    Cutting oil wastewater from an iron and steel factory was applied to the soil windrow. Self-remediation was then compared with remediation with acclimatized indigenous microbes. The incremental reduction rate of the microorganisms and hydrocarbon-degradable microbes was slower in self-remediation than in the latter treatment. Within 30 days, when the acclimatized indigenous microbes were used, there was a significant reduction of the contaminated hydrocarbons, while self-remediation took longer to reduce to the same concentration. Various nitrogen sources were applied to the soil pile, namely, organic compost, chemical fertilizer, ammonium sulfate, and urea. The organic compost induced a high yield of hydrocarbon-degradable microorganisms, but the rate at which the cutting oil in the soil decreased was slower than when other nitrogen sources were used. The results of cutting oil degradation studied by gas chromatography showed the absence of some important hydrocarbons. The increment of the hydrocarbon-degradable microbes in the land treatment ecosystem does not necessarily correspond to the hydrocarbon reduction efficiency. 3 refs., 3 figs.

  15. Biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons at low temperatures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whyte, L. G.; Greer, C W.

    1999-01-01

    Bioremediation of contaminated Arctic sites has been proposed as the logistically and economically most favorable solution despite the known technical difficulties. The difficulties involve the inhibition of pollutants removal by biodegradation below freezing temperatures and the relative slowness of the process to remove enough hydrocarbon pollutants during the above-freezing summer months. Despite these formidable drawbacks, biodegradation of hydrocarbon contaminants is possible even in below-zero temperatures, especially if indigenous psychrophilic and psychrotropic micro-organism are used. This paper reports results of a study involving several hydrocarbon-degrading psychrotropic bacteria and suggests bioaugmentation with specific cold-adapted organisms and/or biostimulation with commercial fertilizers for enhancing degradation of specific contaminants in soils from northern Canada. An evaluation of the biodegradation potential of hydrocarbon contaminated soils in the high Arctic suggested that the contaminated soils contained sufficient numbers of cold-adapted hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria and that the addition of fertilizer was sufficient to enhance the level of hydrocarbon degradation at low ambient summer temperatures. 9 refs., 2 tabs., 3 figs

  16. A CLOSED-FORM EXPRESSION APPROXIMATING THE MIE SOLUTION FOR THE REAL-IN-LINE TRANSMISSION OF CERAMICS WITH SPHERICAL INCLUSIONS OR PORES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pabst W.

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available A new closed-form expression is presented for estimating the real-in-line transmission of ceramics consisting of non-absorbing phases in dependence of the inclusion or pore size. The classic approximations to the exact Mie solution of the scattering problem for spheres are recalled (Rayleigh, Fraunhofer, Rayleigh-Gans-Debye/RGD, van de Hulst, and it is recalled that the large-size variant of the RGD approximation is the basis of the Apetz-van-Bruggen approach. All approximations and our closed-form expression are compared mutually and vis-a-vis the exact Mie solution. A parametric study is performed for monochromatic light in the visible range (600 nm for two model systems corresponding to composites of yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG, refractive index 1.832 with spherical alumina inclusions (refractive index 1.767, and to porous YAG ceramics with spherical pores (refractive index 1. It is shown that for the YAG-alumina composites to achieve maximum transmission with inclusion volume fractions of 1 % (and slab thickness 1 mm, inclusion sizes of up to 100 nm can be tolerated, while pore sizes of 100 nm will be completely detrimental for porosities as low as 0.1 %. While the van-de-Hulst approximation is excellent for small phase contrast and low concentration of inclusions, it fails for principal reasons for small inclusion or pore sizes. Our closed-form expression, while less precise in the aforementioned special case, is always the safer choice and performs better in most cases of practical interest, including high phase contrasts and high concentrations of inclusions or pores.

  17. FORMATION OF PORES ASSOCIATED WITH THE INFLOW OF MOVING MAGNETIC FEATURES

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Xiaobo; Yang, Zhiliang [Department of Astronomy, Beijing Normal University, No. 19, XinJieKouWai St., HaiDian District, Beijing 100875 (China); Zhang, Hongqi, E-mail: zlyang@bnu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Solar Activity, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China)

    2015-07-10

    We investigate the formation of pores in NOAA AR 10930 associated with the inflow of moving magnetic features (MMFs) using simultaneous Hinode/Solar Optical Telescope filtergrams and magnetograms. The main results are outlined as follows: (1) the existence of MMFs around pores is a fairly common phenomenon. Around the four innate and one residue pores investigated, there are obvious inflows of MMFs during the pores’ growth phase. (2) The observed magnetic flux transport conveyed by MMFs is strongly correlated with the change in the pore’s flux content, and therefore reflects the pore’s growth and decay. The concentration and dissolution of the pores are direct results of the local convergence and convection of sunspots’ magnetic outflow. (3) The most common source of MMF flows into pores are produced near sunspots and move along the connection lines between the sunspots’ penumbrae and the pores. These monopolar and bipolar magnetic elements are either fragments from the penumbra or continuations of penumbral fibrils. Pores also merge dissociated elements and receive flows produced by small-scale bipolar emergence. MMF inflows that diminish a pore’s magnetic flux often trigger chromospheric bright points. (4) In their decay phase, the pores release outflows of magnetic elements. The distribution of flows around pores is asymmetrical: the inflow is concentrated on the side facing the parent sunspot, while the outflow is generally concentrated on the opposite side. A pore’s outflow is also part of the process of decomposing and removing of the active region’s magnetic field.

  18. Confocal pore size measurement based on super-resolution image restoration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Dali; Wang, Yun; Qiu, Lirong; Mao, Xinyue; Zhao, Weiqian

    2014-09-01

    A confocal pore size measurement based on super-resolution image restoration is proposed to obtain a fast and accurate measurement for submicrometer pore size of nuclear track-etched membranes (NTEMs). This method facilitates the online inspection of the pore size evolution during etching. Combining confocal microscopy with super-resolution image restoration significantly improves the lateral resolution of the NTEM image, yields a reasonable circle edge-setting criterion of 0.2408, and achieves precise pore edge detection. Theoretical analysis shows that the minimum measuring diameter can reach 0.19 μm, and the root mean square of the residuals is only 1.4 nm. Edge response simulation and experiment reveal that the edge response of the proposed method is better than 80 nm. The NTEM pore size measurement results obtained by the proposed method agree well with that obtained by scanning electron microscopy.

  19. Preliminary Geospatial Analysis of Arctic Ocean Hydrocarbon Resources

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Long, Philip E.; Wurstner, Signe K.; Sullivan, E. C.; Schaef, Herbert T.; Bradley, Donald J.

    2008-10-01

    Ice coverage of the Arctic Ocean is predicted to become thinner and to cover less area with time. The combination of more ice-free waters for exploration and navigation, along with increasing demand for hydrocarbons and improvements in technologies for the discovery and exploitation of new hydrocarbon resources have focused attention on the hydrocarbon potential of the Arctic Basin and its margins. The purpose of this document is to 1) summarize results of a review of published hydrocarbon resources in the Arctic, including both conventional oil and gas and methane hydrates and 2) develop a set of digital maps of the hydrocarbon potential of the Arctic Ocean. These maps can be combined with predictions of ice-free areas to enable estimates of the likely regions and sequence of hydrocarbon production development in the Arctic. In this report, conventional oil and gas resources are explicitly linked with potential gas hydrate resources. This has not been attempted previously and is particularly powerful as the likelihood of gas production from marine gas hydrates increases. Available or planned infrastructure, such as pipelines, combined with the geospatial distribution of hydrocarbons is a very strong determinant of the temporal-spatial development of Arctic hydrocarbon resources. Significant unknowns decrease the certainty of predictions for development of hydrocarbon resources. These include: 1) Areas in the Russian Arctic that are poorly mapped, 2) Disputed ownership: primarily the Lomonosov Ridge, 3) Lack of detailed information on gas hydrate distribution, and 4) Technical risk associated with the ability to extract methane gas from gas hydrates. Logistics may control areas of exploration more than hydrocarbon potential. Accessibility, established ownership, and leasing of exploration blocks may trump quality of source rock, reservoir, and size of target. With this in mind, the main areas that are likely to be explored first are the Bering Strait and Chukchi

  20. Capillary condensation hysteresis in overlapping spherical pores: a Monte Carlo simulation study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gor, Gennady Yu; Rasmussen, Christopher J; Neimark, Alexander V

    2012-08-21

    The mechanisms of hysteretic phase transformations in fluids confined to porous bodies depend on the size and shape of pores, as well as their connectivity. We present a Monte Carlo simulation study of capillary condensation and evaporation cycles in the course of Lennard-Jones fluid adsorption in the system of overlapping spherical pores. This model system mimics pore shape and connectivity in some mesoporous materials obtained by templating cubic surfactant mesophases or colloidal crystals. We show different mechanisms of capillary hysteresis depending on the size of the window between the pores. For the system with a small window, the hysteresis cycle is similar to that in a single spherical pore: capillary condensation takes place upon achieving the limit of stability of adsorption film and evaporation is triggered by cavitation. When the window is large enough, the capillary condensation shifts to a pressure higher than that of the isolated pore, and the possibility for the equilibrium mechanism of desorption is revealed. These finding may have important implications for practical problems of assessment of the pore size distributions in mesoporous materials with cagelike pore networks.

  1. Selective adsorption of volatile hydrocarbons and gases in high surface area chalcogels containing [ES3]3- anions (E = As, Sb)

    KAUST Repository

    Ahmed, Ejaz; Khanderi, Jayaprakash; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Rothenberger, Alexander

    2014-01-01

    We describe the sol-gel synthesis of the two new chalcogels KFeSbS3 and NaFeAsS3, which demonstrate excellent adsorption selectivity for volatile hydrocarbons and gases. These predominantly mesoporous materials have been synthesized by reacting Fe(OAc)2 with K3SbS3 or Na3AsS3 in a formamide/water mixture at room temperature. Aerogels obtained after supercritical drying have BET surface areas of 636 m2/g and 505 m2/g for KFeSbS3 and NaFeAsS3, respectively, with pore sizes in the micro- (below 2 nm), meso- (2-50 nm), and macro- (above 50 nm) regions.

  2. Selective adsorption of volatile hydrocarbons and gases in high surface area chalcogels containing [ES3]3- anions (E = As, Sb)

    KAUST Repository

    Ahmed, Ejaz

    2014-11-25

    We describe the sol-gel synthesis of the two new chalcogels KFeSbS3 and NaFeAsS3, which demonstrate excellent adsorption selectivity for volatile hydrocarbons and gases. These predominantly mesoporous materials have been synthesized by reacting Fe(OAc)2 with K3SbS3 or Na3AsS3 in a formamide/water mixture at room temperature. Aerogels obtained after supercritical drying have BET surface areas of 636 m2/g and 505 m2/g for KFeSbS3 and NaFeAsS3, respectively, with pore sizes in the micro- (below 2 nm), meso- (2-50 nm), and macro- (above 50 nm) regions.

  3. Pore closure in zeolitic imidazolate frameworks under mechanical pressure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henke, Sebastian; Wharmby, Michael T; Kieslich, Gregor; Hante, Inke; Schneemann, Andreas; Wu, Yue; Daisenberger, Dominik; Cheetham, Anthony K

    2018-02-14

    We investigate the pressure-dependent mechanical behaviour of the zeolitic imidazolate framework ZIF-4 (M(im) 2 ; M 2+ = Co 2+ or Zn 2+ , im - = imidazolate) with high pressure, synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction and mercury intrusion measurements. A displacive phase transition from a highly compressible open pore ( op ) phase with continuous porosity (space group Pbca , bulk modulus ∼1.4 GPa) to a closed pore ( cp ) phase with inaccessible porosity (space group P 2 1 / c , bulk modulus ∼3.3-4.9 GPa) is triggered by the application of mechanical pressure. Over the course of the transitions, both ZIF-4 materials contract by about 20% in volume. However, the threshold pressure, the reversibility and the immediate repeatability of the phase transition depend on the metal cation. ZIF-4(Zn) undergoes the op-cp phase transition at a hydrostatic mechanical pressure of only 28 MPa, while ZIF-4(Co) requires about 50 MPa to initiate the transition. Interestingly, ZIF-4(Co) fully returns to the op phase after decompression, whereas ZIF-4(Zn) remains in the cp phase after pressure release and requires subsequent heating to switch back to the op phase. These variations in high pressure behaviour can be rationalised on the basis of the different electron configurations of the respective M 2+ ions (3d 10 for Zn 2+ and 3d 7 for Co 2+ ). Our results present the first examples of op-cp phase transitions ( i.e. breathing transitions) of ZIFs driven by mechanical pressure and suggest potential applications of these functional materials as shock absorbers, nanodampers, or in mechanocalorics.

  4. Br2 induced oxidative pore modification of a porous coordination network.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohtsu, Hiroyoshi; Kawano, Masaki

    2016-01-14

    Iodinated pores of a Zn-based coordination network were modified by Br2 oxidation to produce brominated pores in a polycrystalline-to-polycrystalline manner while maintaining the same network topology. Ab initio X-ray powder diffraction analysis and Raman spectroscopy revealed that the brominated pore can trap Br2 or I2 by strong σ/π-type interactions. A kinetic study in solution revealed that the pore modification by Br2 oxidation is much faster than the Br2 encapsulation process.

  5. Fabrication and Characterization of Single Phase α-Alumina Membranes with Tunable Pore Diameters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masuda, Tatsuya; Asoh, Hidetaka; Haraguchi, Satoshi; Ono, Sachiko

    2015-01-01

    Nanoporous and single phase α-alumina membranes with pore diameters tunable over a wide range of approximately 60–350 nm were successfully fabricated by optimizing the conditions for anodizing, subsequent detachment, and heat treatment. The pore diameter increased and the cell diameter shrunk upon crystallization to α-alumina by approximately 20% and 3%, respectively, in accordance with the 23% volume shrinkage resulting from the change in density associated with the transformation from the amorphous state to α-alumina. Nevertheless, flat α-alumina membranes, each with a diameter of 25 mm and a thickness of 50 μm, were obtained without thermal deformation. The α-alumina membranes exhibited high chemical resistance in various concentrated acidic and alkaline solutions as well as when exposed to high temperature steam under pressure. The Young’s modulus and hardness of the single phase α-alumina membranes formed by heat treatment at 1250 °C were notably decreased compared to the corresponding amorphous membranes, presumably because of the nodular crystallite structure of the cell walls and the substantial increase in porosity. Furthermore, when used for filtration, the α-alumina membrane exhibited a level of flux higher than that of the commercial ceramic membrane. PMID:28788005

  6. Fabrication and Characterization of Single Phase α-Alumina Membranes with Tunable Pore Diameters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tatsuya Masuda

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Nanoporous and single phase α-alumina membranes with pore diameters tunable over a wide range of approximately 60–350 nm were successfully fabricated by optimizing the conditions for anodizing, subsequent detachment, and heat treatment. The pore diameter increased and the cell diameter shrunk upon crystallization to α-alumina by approximately 20% and 3%, respectively, in accordance with the 23% volume shrinkage resulting from the change in density associated with the transformation from the amorphous state to α-alumina. Nevertheless, flat α-alumina membranes, each with a diameter of 25 mm and a thickness of 50 μm, were obtained without thermal deformation. The α-alumina membranes exhibited high chemical resistance in various concentrated acidic and alkaline solutions as well as when exposed to high temperature steam under pressure. The Young’s modulus and hardness of the single phase α-alumina membranes formed by heat treatment at 1250 °C were notably decreased compared to the corresponding amorphous membranes, presumably because of the nodular crystallite structure of the cell walls and the substantial increase in porosity. Furthermore, when used for filtration, the α-alumina membrane exhibited a level of flux higher than that of the commercial ceramic membrane.

  7. Assessing impediments to hydrocarbon biodegradation in weathered contaminated soils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adetutu, Eric; Weber, John; Aleer, Sam; Dandie, Catherine E; Aburto-Medina, Arturo; Ball, Andrew S; Juhasz, Albert L

    2013-10-15

    In this study, impediments to hydrocarbon biodegradation in contaminated soils were assessed using chemical and molecular methodologies. Two long-term hydrocarbon contaminated soils were utilised which were similar in physico-chemical properties but differed in the extent of hydrocarbon (C10-C40) contamination (S1: 16.5 g kg(-1); S2: 68.9 g kg(-1)). Under enhanced natural attenuation (ENA) conditions, hydrocarbon biodegradation was observed in S1 microcosms (26.4% reduction in C10-C40 hydrocarbons), however, ENA was unable to stimulate degradation in S2. Although eubacterial communities (PCR-DGGE analysis) were similar for both soils, the alkB bacterial community was less diverse in S2 presumably due to impacts associated with elevated hydrocarbons. When hydrocarbon bioaccessibility was assessed using HP-β-CD extraction, large residual concentrations remained in the soil following the extraction procedure. However, when linear regression models were used to predict the endpoints of hydrocarbon degradation, there was no significant difference (P>0.05) between HP-β-CD predicted and microcosm measured biodegradation endpoints. This data suggested that the lack of hydrocarbon degradation in S2 resulted primarily from limited hydrocarbon bioavailability. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Time evolution of pore system in lime - Pozzolana composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doleželová, Magdaléna; Čáchová, Monika; Scheinherrová, Lenka; Keppert, Martin

    2017-11-01

    The lime - pozzolana mortars and plasters are used in restoration works on building cultural heritage but these materials are also following the trend of energy - efficient solutions in civil engineering. Porosity and pore size distribution is one of crucial parameters influencing engineering properties of porous materials. The pore size distribution of lime based system is changing in time due to chemical processes occurring in the material. The present paper describes time evolution of pore system in lime - pozzolana composites; the obtained results are useful in prediction of performance of lime - pozzolana systems in building structures.

  9. Geochemical assessment of light gaseous hydrocarbons in near-surface soils of Kutch-Saurashtra: Implication for hydrocarbon prospects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, P. Lakshmi Srinivasa; Madhavi, T.; Srinu, D.; Kalpana, M. S.; Patil, D. J.; Dayal, A. M.

    2013-02-01

    Light hydrocarbons in soil have been used as direct indicators in geochemical hydrocarbon exploration, which remains an unconventional path in the petroleum industry. The occurrence of adsorbed soil gases, methane and heavier homologues were recorded in the near-surface soil samples collected from Kutch-Saurashtra, India. Soil gas alkanes were interpreted to be derived from deep-seated hydrocarbon sources and have migrated to the surface through structural discontinuities. The source of hydrocarbons is assessed to be thermogenic and could have been primarily derived from humic organic matter with partial contribution from sapropelic matter. Gas chromatographic analyses of hydrocarbons desorbed from soil samples through acid extraction technique showed the presence of methane through n-butane and the observed concentrations (in ppb) vary from: methane (C1) from 4-291, ethane (C2) from 0-84, propane (C3) from 0-37, i-butane (iC4) from 0-5 and n-butane (nC4) from 0-4. Carbon isotopes measured for methane and ethane by GC-C-IRMS, range between -42.9‰ to -13.3‰ (Pee Dee Belemnite - PDB) and -21.2‰ to -12.4‰ (PDB), respectively. The increased occurrence of hydrocarbons in the areas near Anjar of Kutch and the area south to Rajkot of Saurashtra signifies the area potential for oil and gas.

  10. Effect of Pore Geometry on Gas Adsorption: Grand Canonical Monte Carlo Simulation Studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Eon Ji; Chang, Rak Woo; Han, Ji Hyung; Chung, Taek Dong

    2012-01-01

    In this study, we investigated the pure geometrical effect of porous materials in gas adsorption using the grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations of primitive gas-pore models with various pore geometries such as planar, cylindrical, and random pore geometries. Although the model does not possess atomistic level details of porous materials, our simulation results provided many insightful information in the effect of pore geometry on the adsorption behavior of gas molecules. First, the surface curvature of porous materials plays a significant role in the amount of adsorbed gas molecules: the concave surface such as in cylindrical pores induces more attraction between gas molecules and pore, which results in the enhanced gas adsorption. On the contrary, the convex surface of random pores gives the opposite effect. Second, this geometrical effect shows a nonmonotonic dependence on the gas-pore interaction strength and length. Third, as the external gas pressure is increased, the change in the gas adsorption due to pore geometry is reduced. Finally, the pore geometry also affects the collision dynamics of gas molecules. Since our model is based on primitive description of fluid molecules, our conclusion can be applied to any fluidic systems including reactant-electrode systems

  11. In-situ hydrocarbon delineation using laser-induced fluorescence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taer, A.D.; Hastings, R.W.; Brown, A.Y.; Frend, R.

    1996-01-01

    An investigation of hydrocarbons in soils was conducted at an active Shell Oil Company petroleum products terminal, located in Carson, California. An investigation approach involving Laser-Induced Fluorescence (LIF) and Cone Penetrometer Testing (CPT) technologies was implemented to provide real-time, in-situ characterization of site stratigraphy, hydrocarbon distribution and importantly, hydrocarbon product differentiation. The area of investigation is located along a property boundary, where a plume of separate phase hydrocarbons has been actively recovered for several years. CPT/LIF technology was selected for the investigation since previous delineation efforts using hydrocarbon fingerprinting methods proved inconclusive. Additionally, the CPT/LIF technology had the potential to provide a cost effective solution to accomplish project objectives. Based on the information obtained during this investigation, it was determined that the plume of separate phase hydrocarbons along the northern property boundary is from a source distinctly different than any identified hydrocarbons known to be from on-site sources. In addition, the plume was determined to not be connected with any other known on-site hydrocarbon plumes. The results of this CPT/LIF investigation were consistent with the known hydrogeologic conditions. This evaluation determined that CPT/LIF technology was very effective in addressing project objectives and resulted in a significant cost savings

  12. Constructed wetlands for treatment of dissolved phase hydrocarbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moore, B J; Ross, S D [Komex International, Calgary, AB (Canada); Gibson, D [Calgary Univ., AB (Canada); Hardisty, P E [Komex Clarke Bond, Bristol (United Kingdom)

    1999-01-01

    The use of constructed wetlands as an alternative to conventional treatment of condensate-contaminated groundwater was studied. In 1997 a pilot scale wetland was constructed and implemented at the Gulf Strachan Gas Processing Plant to determine its ability in treating extracted groundwater contaminated with natural gas condensates. This paper presented the results of hydrocarbon removal efficiency, hydrocarbon removal mechanisms, winter operation, and the effect of hydrocarbons on vegetation health. The inflow water to the wetland contains 15 to 20 mg/L of C[sub 5]-C[sub 10] hydrocarbons, including 50 per cent BTEX compounds. During the summer months, hydrocarbon removal efficiency was 100 per cent, but decreased to 60 and 30 per cent in the spring and late fall, respectively. The hydrocarbons not removed in the wetland were eventually removed along the outflow channel. Temperature was determined to be an important factor in the variable removal rates, particularly when there is no aeration. The main hydrocarbon removal mechanisms appear to be volatilization, biodegradation and dilution. At present, plant uptake is not a factor. 12 refs., 1 tab., 3 figs.

  13. Constructed wetlands for treatment of dissolved phase hydrocarbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moore, B.J.; Ross, S.D.; Gibson, D.; Hardisty, P.E.

    1999-01-01

    The use of constructed wetlands as an alternative to conventional treatment of condensate-contaminated groundwater was studied. In 1997 a pilot scale wetland was constructed and implemented at the Gulf Strachan Gas Processing Plant to determine its ability in treating extracted groundwater contaminated with natural gas condensates. This paper presented the results of hydrocarbon removal efficiency, hydrocarbon removal mechanisms, winter operation, and the effect of hydrocarbons on vegetation health. The inflow water to the wetland contains 15 to 20 mg/L of C 5 -C 10 hydrocarbons, including 50 per cent BTEX compounds. During the summer months, hydrocarbon removal efficiency was 100 per cent, but decreased to 60 and 30 per cent in the spring and late fall, respectively. The hydrocarbons not removed in the wetland were eventually removed along the outflow channel. Temperature was determined to be an important factor in the variable removal rates, particularly when there is no aeration. The main hydrocarbon removal mechanisms appear to be volatilization, biodegradation and dilution. At present, plant uptake is not a factor. 12 refs., 1 tab., 3 figs

  14. Saturated versus unsaturated hydrocarbon interactions with carbon nanostructures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deivasigamani eUmadevi

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The interactions of various acyclic and cyclic hydrocarbons in both saturated and unsaturated forms with the carbon nanostructures (CNSs have been explored by using density functional theory (DFT calculations. Model systems representing armchair and zigzag carbon nanotubes (CNTs and graphene have been considered to investigate the effect of chirality and curvature of the CNSs towards these interactions. Results of this study reveal contrasting binding nature of the acyclic and cyclic hydrocarbons towards CNSs. While the saturated molecules show stronger binding affinity in acyclic hydrocarbons; the unsaturated molecules exhibit higher binding affinity in cyclic hydrocarbons. In addition, acyclic hydrocarbons exhibit stronger binding affinity towards the CNSs when compared to their corresponding cyclic counterparts. The computed results excellently corroborate the experimental observations. The interaction of hydrocarbons with graphene is more favourable when compared with CNTs. Bader’s theory of atoms in molecules has been invoked to characterize the noncovalent interactions of saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons. Our results are expected to provide useful insights towards the development of rational strategies for designing complexes with desired noncovalent interaction involving CNSs.

  15. The hydraulic conductivity of sediments: A pore size perspective

    KAUST Repository

    Ren, X.W.; Santamarina, Carlos

    2017-01-01

    in the void ratio is higher than the theoretical value due to two concurrent phenomena: 1) percolating large pores are responsible for most of the flow, and 2) the larger pores close first during compaction. The prediction of hydraulic conductivity based

  16. Radiolysis of hydrocarbons in liquid phase (Modern state of problem)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saraeva, V.V.

    1986-01-01

    Problems of ionizing radiation effect on hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon systems in a liquid phase are considered. Modern representations on the mechanism of hydrocarbon radiolysis are presented. Electron moderation and ion-electron pair formation, behaviour of charged particles, excited states, radical formation and their reactions are discussed. Behaviour of certain hydrocarbon classes: alkanes, cyclic hydrocarbons, olefines, aromatic hydrocarbons as well as different hydrocarbon mixtures is considered in detail. Radiation-chemical changes in organic coolants and ways of increasing radiation resistance are considered. Polyphenyl compounds are noted to be most perspective here

  17. Integrative structure and functional anatomy of a nuclear pore complex

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Seung Joong; Fernandez-Martinez, Javier; Nudelman, Ilona; Shi, Yi; Zhang, Wenzhu; Raveh, Barak; Herricks, Thurston; Slaughter, Brian D.; Hogan, Joanna A.; Upla, Paula; Chemmama, Ilan E.; Pellarin, Riccardo; Echeverria, Ignacia; Shivaraju, Manjunatha; Chaudhury, Azraa S.; Wang, Junjie; Williams, Rosemary; Unruh, Jay R.; Greenberg, Charles H.; Jacobs, Erica Y.; Yu, Zhiheng; de La Cruz, M. Jason; Mironska, Roxana; Stokes, David L.; Aitchison, John D.; Jarrold, Martin F.; Gerton, Jennifer L.; Ludtke, Steven J.; Akey, Christopher W.; Chait, Brian T.; Sali, Andrej; Rout, Michael P.

    2018-03-01

    Nuclear pore complexes play central roles as gatekeepers of RNA and protein transport between the cytoplasm and nucleoplasm. However, their large size and dynamic nature have impeded a full structural and functional elucidation. Here we determined the structure of the entire 552-protein nuclear pore complex of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae at sub-nanometre precision by satisfying a wide range of data relating to the molecular arrangement of its constituents. The nuclear pore complex incorporates sturdy diagonal columns and connector cables attached to these columns, imbuing the structure with strength and flexibility. These cables also tie together all other elements of the nuclear pore complex, including membrane-interacting regions, outer rings and RNA-processing platforms. Inwardly directed anchors create a high density of transport factor-docking Phe-Gly repeats in the central channel, organized into distinct functional units. This integrative structure enables us to rationalize the architecture, transport mechanism and evolutionary origins of the nuclear pore complex.

  18. Integrative structure and functional anatomy of a nuclear pore complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Seung Joong; Fernandez-Martinez, Javier; Nudelman, Ilona; Shi, Yi; Zhang, Wenzhu; Raveh, Barak; Herricks, Thurston; Slaughter, Brian D; Hogan, Joanna A; Upla, Paula; Chemmama, Ilan E; Pellarin, Riccardo; Echeverria, Ignacia; Shivaraju, Manjunatha; Chaudhury, Azraa S; Wang, Junjie; Williams, Rosemary; Unruh, Jay R; Greenberg, Charles H; Jacobs, Erica Y; Yu, Zhiheng; de la Cruz, M Jason; Mironska, Roxana; Stokes, David L; Aitchison, John D; Jarrold, Martin F; Gerton, Jennifer L; Ludtke, Steven J; Akey, Christopher W; Chait, Brian T; Sali, Andrej; Rout, Michael P

    2018-03-22

    Nuclear pore complexes play central roles as gatekeepers of RNA and protein transport between the cytoplasm and nucleoplasm. However, their large size and dynamic nature have impeded a full structural and functional elucidation. Here we determined the structure of the entire 552-protein nuclear pore complex of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae at sub-nanometre precision by satisfying a wide range of data relating to the molecular arrangement of its constituents. The nuclear pore complex incorporates sturdy diagonal columns and connector cables attached to these columns, imbuing the structure with strength and flexibility. These cables also tie together all other elements of the nuclear pore complex, including membrane-interacting regions, outer rings and RNA-processing platforms. Inwardly directed anchors create a high density of transport factor-docking Phe-Gly repeats in the central channel, organized into distinct functional units. This integrative structure enables us to rationalize the architecture, transport mechanism and evolutionary origins of the nuclear pore complex.

  19. Origin and in situ concentrations of hydrocarbons in the Kumano forearc basin from drilling mud gas monitoring during IODP NanTroSEIZE Exp. 319

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wiersberg, Thomas; Schleicher, Anja M.; Horiguchi, Keika; Doan, Mai-Linh; Eguchi, Nobuhisa; Erzinger, Jörg

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Exp. 319 of IODP was the first cruise in the history of scientific ocean drilling with drilling mud gas monitoring. • Hydrocarbons were the only formation-derived gases identified in drilling mud. • Chemical and isotopic compositions of hydrocarbons exhibit a microbial origin. • Absolute CH 4 concentrations in the formation reaching up to 24 L gas /L sediment . - Abstract: NanTroSEIZE Exp. 319 of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) was the first cruise in the history of scientific ocean drilling with drilling mud circulation through a riser. Drilling mud was pumped through the drill string and returned to the drill ship through the riser pipe during drilling of hole C0009A from 703 to 1604 mbsf (meter below sea floor) and hole enlargement from 703 to 1569 mbsf. During riser drilling, gas from returning drilling mud was continuously extracted, sampled and analyzed in real time to reveal information on the gas composition and gas concentrations at depth. Hydrocarbons were the only formation-derived gases identified in drilling mud and reached up to 14 vol.% of methane and 48 ppmv of ethane. The chemical and isotopic compositions of hydrocarbons exhibit a microbial origin. Hydrocarbons released from drilling mud and cuttings correlate with visible allochthonous material (wood, lignite) in drilling cuttings. At greater depth, addition of small but increasing amounts of hydrocarbons probably from low-temperature thermal degradation of organic matter is indicated. The methane content is also tightly correlated with several intervals of low Poisson’s ratio from Vp/Vs observed in sonic velocity logs, suggesting that the gas is situated in the pore space of the rock as free gas. The gas concentrations in the formation, determined from drilling mud gas monitoring, reaching up to 24 L gas /L sediment for methane in hole C0009A, in line with gas concentrations from interpreted downhole sonic logs

  20. Coarse and fine root plants affect pore size distributions differently

    OpenAIRE

    Bodner, G.; Leitner, D.; Kaul, H.-P.

    2014-01-01

    Aims Small scale root-pore interactions require validation of their impact on effective hydraulic processes at the field scale. Our objective was to develop an interpretative framework linking root effects on macroscopic pore parameters with knowledge at the rhizosphere scale. Methods A field experiment with twelve species from different families was conducted. Parameters of Kosugi?s pore size distribution (PSD) model were determined inversely from tension infiltrometer data. Measured root tr...