Clathrate‐hydrate formation by water spraying onto a porous metal plate exuding a hydrophobic liquid coolant

A novel technique for producing a clathrate hydrate from a gaseous guest substance was devised and experimentally tested. This technique employs a horizontally oriented spray nozzle and a vertically oriented porous metal plate placed in opposition to each other in a guest‐gas phase. Water is sprayed onto the plate while a precooled hydrophobic liquid coolant is seeping out of the plate to form a continuous film flowing down the plate surface. The coolant film is expected to sweep the heat released by hydrate formation away from the plate surface and, at the same time, to prevent the hydrate crystals from agglomerating on the surface thereby hindering the successive contact of the water spray with the coolant. A series of experiments has been performed to reveal the behavior of hydrate formation in the above scheme of guest‐gas/water/coolant contact operations. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009     

Bubble formation in cocurrently upward flowing liquid

The effects of liquid velocity, nozzle diameter, gas chamber volume and gas flow rate on volumes, shapes and growth curves of bubbles formed at a nozzle submerged in a cocurrently upward flowing liquid in a bubble column were experimentally investigated. The bubble volume decreases with increasing liquid flow velocity. The effect of liquid flow velocity on the volume of bubble increases with an increase in the gas flow rate. To simulate bubble formation at a nozzle submerged in cocurrently upward flowing liquid, a revised non-spherical bubble formation model was proposed. Bubble volumes, bubble growth curves and shapes experimentally obtained in this study, as well as in previous experimental studies, are well predicted by the present model.     

Liquid Flow on Structured Packing: CFD Simulation and Experimental Study

A CFD model of the two‐phase countercurrent flow in the geometry of the plate‐type structured packing Mellapak 250.Y was built, tested and verified. The model was applied to determine the effect of liquid and gas flow rates and physicochemical properties of the flowing liquids on the interfacial area formed on structured packing. The CFD model allowed us to determine the minimum liquid flow rate at which an unbroken liquid film was observed on the packing surface. The simulations confirmed that with an increase of the wetting rate the surface of the packing covered with a liquid film increased until the surface was totally covered up, while further slight changes of an interfacial area were the result of wave formation. The effect of gas load (F factor) on the film surface was in the range of a calculation error. Results of the CFD simulation allow us to predict the stages of film formation during liquid flow, to follow local velocity oscillations, film thickness and velocity profiles of phases.     

连续油管速度管柱技术的应用

重点介绍了连续油管速度管柱技术在实际中的应用,讨论了在行业应用中的注意事项。随着大庆油田不断的开发,许多自喷井和气井的产量变小,最终完全停止生产,而恢复井产量的一个方法是积液回到自喷的流体中去,安装一个直径较小的连续油管（速度管柱）。很多参数（当前和将来地层的压力,流体和天然气产出率,连续油管的直径和深度,井口,井底流压等）影响速度管柱的性能。通过评价速度管柱的设计是否能将积液井重新变成自喷井和自喷持续的时间,地层流入井内的流体性能和流出连续油管的液体性能,推广其运用,从而提高油气的产量。     

Helical liquid flow on a vertical cylinder and its application to gas absorption

An experimental examination of a novel device for enhancing the gas absorption into an aqueous absorbent flowing down the outer wall of a vertical cylinder was reported. This device utilizes flexible strings tightly wound around the cylinder, taking the form of a multiple helix. The absorbent flows along parallel channels partitioned by the strings, maintaining mutual contact with the surrounding gas for a longer time than it would when it flows down the same cylinder wall in the absence of such strings. Both flow‐observation experiments and absorption experiments using water as the absorbent flowing along a single helical channel and carbon dioxide as the gas to be absorbed were carried out. The effectiveness of the helical‐flow device for promoting the absorption was recognized at water flow rates high enough to induce an oscillatory flow mode accompanied by periodical liquid?gas interface deformation. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 59: 3109–3118, 2013     

Axial distribution of solids holdup for both hydrophilic and hydrophobic particles in three‐phase fluidized beds

The axial concentration distribution of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic particles, corresponding to poor and good attachment to rising bubbles in water, was investigated in a gas‐liquid‐solid fluidized bed. The sedimentation‐dispersion model depicted satisfactorily the axial distribution of solids holdup by modifying only the terminal settling velocity, which considered the effect of an additional drag force resulting from the attached rising bubbles. This model explained correctly the different phenomena, i.e. solids holdup decreased with increasing the axial height in the non‐attached system, but increased in the attached system.     

Bubble formation in flowing liquid

Initial bubbles in flowing liquid from a nozzle were observed from two mutually perpendicular directions. Two nozzles of 0.086 cm and 0.305 cm in diameter were used. The gas flow rate and the superficial liquid velocity ranged from 0.33 cm³/s to 36.2 cm³/s and from 0 cm/s to 154.9 cm/s, respectively. The bubble size formed in flowing liquid decreased with decreasing gas flow rate and with increasing superficial liquid velocity. Three types of bubble formation, i.e. single bubbles, coalescent bubbles and gas jets, were observed depending upon the gas rate and the liquid velocity. Two empirical equations of the bubble sizes are given.     

Gas absorption into a wavy two‐layer falling film

Absorption of a weakly soluble gas into a two‐layer film flowing down a vertical wall is studied in the framework of an approximate long‐wave model. It is shown that wavy regimes in the film strongly affect the absorption rate. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 2058–2069, 2015     

The Influence of the External Imprinted Flow Field on Capillary Instability Driven Jet Breakup

The breakup of a flowing liquid jet surrounded by a second flowing liquid is governed by capillary instabilities. These instabilities are caused by minor perturbations in the flow field that build up sinusoidal waves at the jet interface and eventually break it up. The phenomenon of such fatal wavelengths was described first by Lord Rayleigh and later extended by several authors to quiescent and flowing liquid‐liquid systems. The jet formation in a co‐flowing environment was only recently investigated. Originating from the forced breakup of liquid jets in air, this paper reports on the breakup mechanism of liquid jets surrounded by a fluid. By using different flow cells and consequently different flow profiles along the jet trajectory, the breakup mechanism given by the material and process parameters could be excited or suppressed. Two questions concerning droplet generation and the droplet size distribution are addressed: the suppression of the fatal wavelength in transient flow fields and the use of external flow fields to support the fatal wavelength.     

Single and Binary CO2/CH4 Separation of a Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework‐8 Membrane

The performance of a zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8 (ZIF‐8) membrane in single and binary CO₂/CH₄ gas separation was investigated by means of a gas transport model that included generalized Maxwell‐Stefan and binary friction models. The model concerns gas diffusion through the membrane layer, gas flow through membrane intercrystalline pores, and resistance of the support layer. The effective membrane area considering the actual area for the gas permeated through the membrane was also introduced in this model. The selective ZIF‐8 membrane was successfully synthesized using a microwave‐assisted solvothermal method on an α‐alumina support pre‐attached with ZIF‐8 seeds by solvent evaporation. The simulated data agreed well with the experimental data. The model revealed that the membrane intercrystalline pores and its effective area significantly affected the CO₂/CH₄ gas permeation and separation performance.     

In situ biaxial stretching for the platelet formation of an ethylene–vinyl alcohol copolymer through multistage stretching extrusion and its effect on the gas‐barrier properties of polyethylene

The morphological evolution of ethylene–vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) and its effect on the gas‐barrier properties of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) were investigated. HDPE/EVOH blends were prepared through a multistage stretching extrusion, which combined an assembly of force‐assembling elements (FAEs) with an extruder. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that with an increasing number of FAEs, the biaxial‐stretching field existing in each FAE transformed the dispersed EVOH phase into well‐defined platelets along the flowing plane. Dynamic rheological results further revealed that the formation of the platelets enlarged the interfaces between the dispersed barrier phase and the matrix; this not only led to the decline of the complex viscosity but also created more tortuous paths for the diffusion of gas molecules. Compared with that of the non‐FAE specimen blended with 25 wt % EVOH, the oxygen permeability coefficient decreased more than one order of magnitude when one FAE was applied. The structural model for permeability indicated that the enhanced barrier resulted from the increased tortuosity of the diffusion pathway, which was provided by the aligned high‐aspect‐ratio platelets. Compared with the previous biaxial‐stretching method, multistage stretching extrusion provided a simple and economical way to generate a laminar structure of the dispersed phase in the matrix phase without the application of an external stretching force. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40221.     

Surface changes in polyhydroxyalkanoate films during biodegradation and biofouling

BACKGROUND: Despite the recognition that microbial biofilms play a role in environmental degradation of bioplastics, few studies investigate the relationship between bioplastic biodegradation and microbial colonisation. We have developed protocols based on a combination of confocal laser scanning microscopy and contact angle goniometry to qualitatively and quantitatively map surface changes due to biofilm formation and biopolymer degradation of solvent cast poly(3‐hydroxyalkanoate) films in an accelerated in vitro biodegradation system. RESULTS: A significant regression relationship between biofilm formation and polymer biodegradation (R² = 0.96) was primarily conducted by cells loosely attached to the film surfaces (R² = 0.95), rather than the strongly attached biofilm (R² = 0.78). During biodegradation the surface rugosity of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) and poly[(3‐hydroxybutyrate)‐co‐(3‐hydroxyvalerate)] increased by factors of 1.5 and 1.76, respectively. In contrast, poly(3‐hydroxyoctanoate) films showed little microbial attachment, negligible weight loss and insignificant changes in surface rugosity. CONCLUSION: A statistically significant link is established between polymer weight loss and biofilm formation. Our results suggest that this degradation is primarily conducted by cells loosely attached to the polymer rather than those strongly attached. Biofilm formation and its type are dependent upon numerous factors; the flat undifferentiated biofilms observed in this study produce a gradual increase in surface rugosity, observed as an increase in waviness. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Double Gas Hydrate Formation in the Presence or Absence of Kinetic Inhibitors in a Flow Mini‐Loop Apparatus

Double gas hydrate formation in the presence or absence of kinetic inhibitors in a flow mini‐loop apparatus was investigated. For the prediction of the gas consumption rate during hydrate formation in this system, the rate equation based on the Kashchiev and Firoozabadi model for simple gas hydrate formation in a batch system was developed for double gas hydrate formation in a flow mini‐loop apparatus. To complete the theoretical evaluation of gas hydrate formation through the mini‐loop apparatus in the presence or absence of kinetic hydrate inhibitors (KHI), a laboratory flow mini‐loop apparatus was set up to measure the induction time for hydrate formation and the uptake rate when a gaseous mixture (such as 75 % C1/25 % C3, 25 % C1/75 % C3, 75 % C1/25 % i‐C4, and 25 % C1/75 % i‐C4) is contacted with water containing or not containing dissolved inhibitor under suitable temperature and pressure conditions. In each experiment, a water blend saturated with gas mixture was circulated up to the required pressure. The pressure was maintained at a constant value during the experimental runs by means of a required gas mixture make‐up. The effect of pressure on gas consumption during hydrate formation was investigated in the presence or absence of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and L ‐tyrosine as kinetic inhibitors at various concentrations. A good agreement was found between the predicted and experimental data in the presence or absence of KHI. The total average absolute deviation percents between the experimental and predicted values of gas consumption were found to be 16.4 and 17.5 % for the double gas hydrate formation in the presence or absence of the kinetic inhibitors, respectively.     

复合塔板上气液穿孔流动测试方法

开发了多路电导测试系统,用于复合塔气液穿孔流动的研究。在开孔率20％的复合塔板上,布置了86路电导探针,在多种操作状态下,详细测定了通气、通液、阻塞筛孔数所占的分率以随气液流量变化的情况。为复合塔板气液流动规律的分析和结构改进提供了新的依据。     

井下节流及其对携液能力的影响研究

井下节流工艺将地面油嘴转移到井筒中,在实现井筒节流降压的同时,充分利用地温对节流后的天然气气流加热,从而达到降低地面管线压力、防止水合物生成、取消地面加热装置、减少注醇量等目的。为准确预测井下节流后气井井筒温度、压力分布,建立了气井井下节流井筒压力和温度动态预测模型。结合油田实例,预测气井节流后温度、压力沿井筒的分布,计算节流后温度、压力条件下井筒内气体流速和临界流速,为气井的生产提供了重要依据。井下节流后,气体由于压力降低而膨胀,气体的内能转变成动能,促使气流速度增大,临界流量减小,从而很大程度上提高了气流的携液能力,延长了气井的自喷生产期,大大的增加了气井的累计产量。对于即将积液或者积液不久的井来说,井下节流工艺可以改善井况,延长生产时间,也可作为一种排水采气工艺。     

Modelling and experimental study of hydrate formation kinetics of natural gas‐water‐surfactant system in a multi‐tube bubble column reactor

To promote the heat and mass transfer during the hydrate formation process, an internal spiral‐grooved tube (ISGT) was proposed as the reaction tube in a large‐scale multi‐tube bubble column reactor with external slurry circulation. In order to investigate such multi‐component gas (natural gas)‐water‐surfactant systems during the hydrate formation process in the ISGT, based on the solute permeation model and Kolmogorov isotropic turbulence theory, a CFD method combined with the population balance model (PBM) was utilized to simulate gas‐liquid mass transfer coefficient. Then, the hydrate formation kinetics model in ISGT was modelled based on the model proposed by Kashchiev and Firoozabadi. The hydrate formation experiments were carried out in the multi‐tube bubble column reactor at six different pressure‐temperature‐circulating flow velocities of piston pump regimes to investigate the actual formation process of natural gas hydrate. The experimental results were then used to finetune the optimized parameters to facilitate accurate model predictions.     

Experimental investigation of hydrate formation behaviour of a natural gas bubble in a simulated deep sea environment

A vertically flowing, closed circuit, high pressure water tunnel was designed and constructed for holding individual gas bubbles stationary against an opposing flow for detailed observations. Hydrate formation behavior of natural gas bubbles was studied at constant pressure as well as under conditions of controlled decompression designed to simulate buoyant rise of the bubble.A bubble of simulated natural gas suspended in 3°C salt water formed hydrates when the pressure was 4826 kPa or higher. The simulated decompression accompanying buoyant rise had very little effect on hydrate formation behavior of a bubble starting from a pressure of 5516 kPa or above. At lower starting pressures, a slight increase in the reaction rate was detected in the initial stages of a run. The conversion of the simulated natural gas to hydrates was complete in runs starting from a pressure of 4826 kPa or above.     

Automatic titration of reducing gases in inert gases using an oxygen pump-gauge

A computer-aided gas analyzing system with a zirconia oxygen pump-gauge was developed and used to measure a small amount of reducing gas in a flowing inert gas. The flowing Ar containing CO or CH₄ was automatically titrated with oxygen by scanning the current of the oxygen pump; on-line titration data were analyzed by correcting for the response delay of the EMF sensor to the pump current. This scan method is very advantageous for a precise and rapid determination of the total oxygen demand (TOD) of the flowing gas.     

Analysis of Liquid Jet Breakup in One‐ and Two‐Phase Flows

The phenomenon of breakup of a jet into drops has been applied mainly to separation technologies in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and metallurgical industries. The paper deals with the experimental analysis directed at the breakup of polymer solutions flowing through an orifice nozzle. The analysis of the breakup and atomization of a liquid jet by a high‐speed gas jet is presented. Additionally, non‐Newtonian effects on the breakup of the liquid jet into drops were studied using the microphotography method. In the experiments, various aqueous solutions of polyacrylamide were used. The polymer solutions studied were power‐law fluids. Analysis of the photographs of the jet breakup showed that the length of the jets depends on the liquid and gas flow rates and on the concentration of the polymer used. High‐molecular‐weight polymers added to a solvent lead to changes in the rheological properties of the liquid and the breakup length of the jet.