The presence of a reasonable flowback system after fracturing is a necessary condition for the high production of shale gas wells. At present, the optimization of the flowback system lacks a relevant theoretical basis. Due to this lack, this study established a new method for evaluating the conductivity of artificial fractures in shale, which can quantitatively characterize the backflow, embedment, and fragmentation of proppant during the flowback process. Then, the mechanism of the stress sensitivity of artificial fractures on fracture conductivity during the flowback stage of the shale gas well was revealed by performing the artificial fracture conductivity evaluation experiment. The results show that a large amount of proppant migrates, and the fracture conductivity decreases rapidly in the early stage of flowback, and then the decline gradually slows down. When the effective stress is low, the proppant is mainly plastically deformed, and the degree of fragmentation and embedment is... [more]

The global trend towards net-zero carbon emissions from burning fuels in combustion engines alerts us to the alternative role of biodiesel. The manufacturing cost of biodiesel hinders the fast development of various types of biofuels. Feedstock cost is one of the major determining factors of biodiesel cost and thus the extent of its competitiveness in the fuel market with other available alternative fuels or fossil fuels. Some low-cost feedstocks such as high-acid oil, which is produced from the acidifying processes of soybean soapstock, frequently contain high contents of free fatty acids (FFAs) and water. Hence, those feedstocks cannot be used to produce biodiesel through strong alkaline catalyst transesterification on an industrial scale. In contrast, the water can be converted to hydroxyl radicals to enhance the formation of esters from the dissociation of the FFA in a supercritical reacting tank. Hence, cheap high-acid oils containing high amounts of water and FFAs were used to pr... [more]

The record photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells is constantly increasing, reaching 26% currently. However, there is a crucial need for the development of simple architectures that are compatible with large-scale industrialization and possess adequate stability. The aim of the work presented here is to compare the efficiency of glass−glass and glass−backsheet encapsulations for carbon-based perovskite solar cell application, which possesses a great potential for industrialization. This was conducted by first separating the relative effects of humidity and heat. A time evolution of the macroscopic power conversion efficiency (PCE) was performed, together with specific characterizations in order to scout the origin of flaws and degradations. A significant contribution of the paper is the identification of both TiO2 and carbon layers as barriers against moisture permeation, which inhibit moisture paths through the interfaces. This is the origin of the equivalent durability of... [more]

Hay and straw are commonly used materials in agriculture. They are organic materials and, therefore, flammable. This article examines the behaviour of hay and straw when exposed to radiant heat. The objective of this study is to experimentally determine the ignition temperature of hay and straw under the influence of radiant heat. This research investigates the effects of sample type (hay and straw) and sample quantity on the thermal degradation process, temperature increase within the samples, and ignition temperature of the samples as a function of time. The ignition temperature of hay was determined to be higher (407 °C) compared to straw (380 °C).

Solid oxide fuel cells with protonic ion conducting electrolytes (H-SOFCs) are recognized and anticipated as eco-friendly electrochemical devices fueled with several kinds of fuels. One distinct feature of SOFCs that makes them different from others is fuel flexibility. Ammonia is a colorless gas with a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with a distinct strong smell at room temperature. It is easily dissolved in water and is a great absorbent. Ammonia plays a vital role as a caustic for its alkaline characteristics. Nowadays, ammonia is being used as a hydrogen carrier because it has carbon-free molecules and prosperous physical properties with transportation characteristics, distribution options, and storage capacity. Using ammonia as a fuel in H-SOFCs has the advantage of its ammonia cracking attributes and quality of being easily separated from generated steam. Moreover, toxic NOx gases are not formed in the anode while using ammonia as fuel in H-SOFCs. Recently, various numerical st... [more]

In order to study the lean combustion process of a natural gas engine by separating the combustor, a spark ignition natural gas engine with separated combustors was retrofitted from a S195 single-cylinder diesel engine. Methods: The electronic control system controlled the gas supply and the spark plug ignition. A low pressure injection valve was set in the inlet pipe to form a lean mixture while a high pressure injection valve was placed in the subsidiary chamber to create a rich mixture, which was then ignited and injected into the main combustor, where the lean mixture was subsequently ignited again to achieve stratified combustion. Results: The test results showed that steady ignition is feasible in the system and verified the impact of the shape of the main combustor on HC, the impact of channel diameter on NOX production, and the impact of the ratios of high-pressure gas and low-pressure gas on HC and NOX. The combustion conditions of high-pressure gas and low-pressure gas in the... [more]

The non-structural model of heat exchanger networks (HENs) offers a wide solution space for optimization due to the random matching of hot and cold streams. However, this stochastic matching can sometimes result in infeasible structures, leading to inefficient optimization. To address this issue, a tabu matching based on a heuristic algorithm for HENs is proposed. The proposed tabu-matching method involves three main steps: First, the critical temperature levels—high, medium, and low-temperature intervals—are determined based on the inlet and outlet temperatures of streams. Second, the number of nodes is set according to the temperature intervals. Third, the nodes of streams are flexibly matched within the tabu rules: the low-temperature interval of hot streams with the high-temperature interval of cold streams; the streams crossing cannot be matched. The results revealed that by incorporating the tabu rules and adjusting the number of nodes, the ratio of the feasible zone in the whole... [more]

Modeling and assessing the sustainability of machining systems has been considered to be a crucial approach to improving the environmental performance of machining processes. As the most common machining system, the computer numerical control (CNC) milling system is a typical man−machine cooperative system where the activities of the machine tool and operator generate material and energy consumption. However, the energy consumption of the operator in the CNC milling system has often been ignored in most existing research. Therefore, existing methods fail to provide a comprehensive understanding of the sustainability of the CNC milling system. To fill this gap, an exergy loss assessment method is proposed to investigate the sustainability of the CNC milling system, where the energy consumption of the operator, the energy consumption of the machine tool, and material consumption are taken into consideration. The key performance indexes of the energy consumption of the operator, the energ... [more]

Horizontal well multi-cluster fracturing technology is crucial for the economic development of fractured shale reservoirs. The abundance of natural fractures in shale reservoirs significantly influences the propagation path of hydraulic fractures and determines the formation of complex fracture networks. To investigate the impact of natural weak planes on the geometric parameters of fractures in shale reservoirs, we first conducted tests on the mechanical characteristics of core samples from outcropping shale in the Weiyuan area using the indoor three-point bending method and digital image correlation (DIC) technology, providing data validation for subsequent numerical models. Secondly, considering the interaction between hydraulic and natural weak planes in three-dimensional space, we established a three-dimensional numerical model for horizontal well fracturing to simulate the synchronous competition and expansion of fractures in multi-cluster fracturing. Based on this foundation, we... [more]

The gasification of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is characterized by a substantial release of cold energy, which can be utilized for power generation via thermoelectric generator (TEG). Employing a gasifier integrated with a thermoelectric generator for LNG gasification allows for the recovery of cold energy and its conversion to useful power, a process that holds significant potential for widespread application. In the study, a thermoelectric model has been developed for an annular thermoelectric module, which formed a new category of gasifier tube. The influence of the module’s structure as well as the heat transfer parameters on the thermoelectric performance was examined. The results revealed that an optimum height of the thermoelectric leg, specifically 2 mm, maximized the output power while allowing the thermoelectric conversion efficiency to reach a peak of 3.25%. Another noteworthy finding is that an increase in the central angle of the thermoelectric leg leads to a concomitant... [more]

There is a growing interest in green hydrogen, with researchers, institutions, and countries focusing on its development, efficiency improvement, and cost reduction. This paper explores the concept of green hydrogen and its production process using renewable energy sources in several leading countries, including Australia, the European Union, India, Canada, China, Russia, the United States, South Korea, South Africa, Japan, and other nations in North Africa. These regions possess significant potential for “green” hydrogen production, supporting the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy and promoting environmental sustainability through the electrolysis process, a common method of production. The paper also examines the benefits of green hydrogen as a future alternative to fossil fuels, highlighting its superior environmental properties with zero net greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, it explores the potential advantages of green hydrogen utilization across various industrial, c... [more]

In this paper, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was established and verified on the basis of experimental results, and then the effect of hydrogenation addition on combustion and emission characteristics of a diesel−hydrogen dual-fuel engine fueled with hydrogenation addition (0%, 5%, and 10%) under different hydrogenation energy shares (HESs) and compression ratios (CRs) were investigated using CONVERGE3.0 software. And, this work assumed that the hydrogen and air were premixed uniformly. The correctness of the simulation model was verified by experimental data. The values of HES are in the range of 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%. And, the values of CR are in the range of 14, 16, 18, and 20. The results of this study showed that the addition of hydrogen to diesel fuel has a significant effect on the combustion characteristics and the emission characteristics of diesel engines. When the HES was 15%, the in-cylinder pressure increased by 10.54%. The in-cylinder temperature increased by... [more]

The formation of natural gas hydrates seriously affects the production efficiency of gas wells. Obtaining the correct temperature and pressure profile along the wellbore of gas wells is a prerequisite for accurately predicting the location of hydrate formation and using downhole throttling technology. According to the numerical iterative transfer law of wellbore microelement state parameters, a multi-field and multi-phase coupling method is proposed. Based on the analysis of typical temperature and pressure models, considering the gas well velocity field and density field, a gas well multi-phase correction coefficient is introduced. Based on the judgment method of multi-phase flow pattern, the friction gradient equation of multi-phase flow is obtained, and the respective theoretical prediction equations are created for the temperature field, pressure field, density field, and velocity field. Thereby, a wellbore temperature and pressure field model with multi-field and multi-phase coupl... [more]

Research into multiphase flow and particle technology is closely related and holds significant importance in various fields of engineering and scientific applications [...]

The coal pillar dam of underground reservoirs and residual coal in goaves have a direct impact on the quality of mine water. In this paper, the coal pillar dam of an underground reservoir and residual coal in the goaf and mine water in the Daliuta coal mine are used as research objects. The adsorption mechanism of residual coal with respect to NO3− in mine water was analyzed by carrying out adsorption experiments. The composition and variation of organic matter in mine water at different times were simulated using three-dimensional fluorescence spectrum analysis. The influence of residual coal and microorganisms in underground reservoirs on the change in NO3− contents in mine water was explored. Moreover, the mechanism of NO3− changes in the water body was clarified. The results showed that the concentration of NO3− in the water first decreased and then increased, showing a downward trend as a whole. The adsorption of NO3− by residual coal led to a decrease in its concentration, which... [more]

There is a problem of a rapid decline in production caused by the repeated heating of the near-wellbore zone during steam stimulation. Finding a suitable foam system to expand the area of the steam chamber and slow down the rapid production of hot water during the recovery process can effectively improve the effect of steam stimulation. In this paper, CGS foam was prepared with high-temperature-resistant surfactant GD, graphite particles, and clay particles. Through the study of foam properties, it was found that with the addition of particles, the strength of the foam’s liquid film, half-life time, and temperature resistance was greatly improved. The appropriate permeability of the CGS foam and the movement characteristics of it in formations with different permeabilities were studied through a plugging experiment with a sand pack. The plugging performances of the GD foam, CGS foam, and pure particles in a simulated reservoir were compared. The development of the steam cavity during t... [more]

Previously conducted studies have established the conversion relationship between incident energy, reflected energy, transmitted energy and absorbed energy of rocks under dynamic load. In this paper, the combined dynamic and static loading tests of sandstone under different prestress and different bedding angles are carried out to explore the law of the influence of prestress and bedding angles on energy evolution and damage evolution. The purpose is to provide some reference for deep mining, rock engineering design and geological hazard assessment. The energy conversion and damage characteristics of sandstone in the whole process of deformation are studied, and the internal energy conversion mechanism of sandstone under dynamic load is proposed. It is found that the increase in prestress will lead to the increase in the initial energy value of sandstone and further affect the shape of the energy evolution curve. In addition, the relationship between strain and energy transformation is... [more]

Tight-sandstone oil and gas resources are the key areas of unconventional oil and gas resources exploration and development. Because tight-sandstone reservoirs usually have the characteristics of a low porosity and ultralow permeability, large-scale hydraulic fracturing is often required to form artificial fractures with a high conductivity to achieve efficient development. The brittleness of rock is the key mechanical factor for whether fracturing can form a complex fracture network. Previous scholars have carried out a lot of research on the brittleness characteristics of conglomerate and shale reservoirs, but there are few studies on the brittleness characteristics of sandstone with different types and different coring angles in tight-sandstone reservoirs and the fracture propagation law of sandstone with different brittleness characteristics. Based on this, this paper carried out a systematic triaxial compression and hydraulic fracturing experiment on the tight sandstone of Shan 1... [more]

In view of the high impact of extreme disasters, this paper comprehensively evaluates power grid performance from a new low-carbon toughness perspective. First, considering the increase in carbon emissions and the recovery time of carbon emissions, low-carbon resilience indicators are proposed. At the same time, considering the power-regulation effect of the phase-shifter transformer, the fault and response model of a power grid under an ice disaster is established, and then, a comprehensive evaluation index system of low-carbon toughness of the power grid is constructed. The weight determination is carried out using the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process-entropy-based weight method, while the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation center of gravity method is used to evaluate the power grid comprehensively. Finally, examples are presented to verify the feasibility of the proposed method, emphasizing its potential for evaluating the comprehensive performance of low-carbon and toughness of the pow... [more]

TiO2 photoelectrode has become an attractive platform due to its excellent photoelectric performance and has been widely used in battery, photocatalysis, and other photoelectric fields. However, when the TiO2 photoelectrode is used in solar flow batteries, the small photo-charging current is a potential problem, which will extend the charging process and lower the battery utilization efficiency. To address this issue, Cu2O is introduced to the surface of the TiO2 photoelectrode, and Cu2O-TiO2 forms a heterojunction to improve battery performance in this work. The formation mechanism of Cu2O-TiO2 is revealed and utilized to deposit Cu2O on pre-treated FTO glass covered with TiO2 films using electrochemical deposition (ECD). The photoelectrochemical properties of Cu2O-TiO2 photoelectrodes are characterized using XRD, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, XPS, and electrochemical characterizations. The successful deposition of Cu2O on the surface of TiO2 photoelectrode is confirmed, an... [more]

The winding process is one of the essential processes in the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Current collector failure frequently occurs in the winding process, which severely increases the production cost and reduces production efficiency. In order to solve this problem, we first analyze the relationship between different process parameters and the failure of the current collector, and put forward the standard to determine the failure of the current collector. Moreover, we conducted tensile experiments to validate the differences in the mechanical performance of the current collector under different thicknesses. Finally, the circumferential stress and strain of the current collector winding were calculated using finite element analysis. The accuracy of the proposed criterion for determining current collector failure was verified through experimental measurements of stress and strain. The results demonstrate that the criterion proposed in this study can accurately calcul... [more]

Employing multi-stage fracturing technology in horizontally accessed wells is a well-known way to successfully develop shale reservoirs. The interaction between natural fractures and hydraulic fractures has a significant impact on the fracturing effect. In this study, a coupled model of rock deformation and fluid flow was established using the cohesive zone method to simulate the propagation of hydraulic fractures under the synergistic effect of natural fractures and wellbore interference. The influence of in situ stress, fracture spacing, the number of fracture clusters, and the fracturing methods on the formation of fracture networks was analyzed. Studies on the fracture morphology and connectivity of fracture networks show that when the in situ stress difference is small, multiple fractures can easily form, and when the in situ stress difference is large, they can easily gather into a single fracture. An excessive reduction in fracture spacing may impede the optimal propagation and... [more]

This paper establishes a mathematical model of the high-pressure common rail injection system used in diesel engines according to the parameters of its key components, and AMESim 2020 software was used to establish a simulation model of the common rail injection system used in diesel engines. The simulation model mainly includes a high-pressure oil pump model, a common rail pipe model, and a model of four injectors. This paper also describes an experimental analysis of the accuracy of the established simulation model. Through a simulation analysis of the system rail’s pressure fluctuation and pressure characteristics, it was concluded that the length of the common rail pipe, the diameter of the common rail pipe, and the inner diameter of the high-pressure fuel pipes are important influencing parameters for the rail pressure characteristics of the system. In this study, according to the original common rail pipe and high-pressure fuel pipe model, a response surface methodology was used... [more]

As the ‘heart’ of energy vehicles, the lithium-ion battery is in desperate need of precision improvement, green production, and cost reduction. To achieve this goal, the electro-hydraulic servo pump control system (EHSPCS) is applied to the lithium-ion battery pole rolling mill (LBPRM). However, this development can lead to limited dynamic performance and large power loss as a result of the EHSPCS unique volume direct-drive control mode. At present, how to solve this conflict has not been studied and how the EHSPCS component parameters influence the dynamic response, power loss, and economic performance is not clear. In this paper, a multi-objective optimization (MOO) model for the LBPRM-EHSPCS is proposed by comprehensively considering the dynamic, efficiency, and economic characteristics. Firstly, the evaluation model of the dynamic response, power loss, and cost is investigated. Then, the NSGA-II algorithm is introduced to address the Pareto front of the MOO model. Finally, the powe... [more]

In this study, a diesel engine was used to operate with blends of light fraction waste cooking oil (LFWCO) with diethyl ether (DEE). DEE was blended as an additive in the 5% to 20% ratio in steps of 5% each. The test indicates that LFWCO+15-DEE produced optimum results regarding performance and emission. The BSFC for LFWCO+15-DEE was found to be higher by about 28.9%, and the BTE was lower by about 7.6%, in contrast to diesel, at 100% operating load, respectively. For LFWCO+15-DEE the EGT was lower by about 11.9%, in contrast to neat diesel, at 100% operating load. The various emissions such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrous oxide (NO), and smoke opacity for LFWCO+15-DEE were found to be lower by about 32.9%, 25%, and 29.4%, but the NO release was more than other blends and it was about 36%, in contrast to diesel at 100% operating load, respectively.