A New Estimate of Sand and Grout Thermal Properties in the Sandbox Experiment for Accurate Validations of Borehole Simulation Codes

Ground-coupled heat pumps usually employ fields of borehole heat exchangers (BHEs), which must be designed by suitable models. In order to validate a BHE model, it is advisable to compare the computation results with experimental data. A well-known data set was provided by Beier et al. (Geothermics 2011, 40) through a laboratory model usually called “sandbox”. Several authors proposed estimates of the thermal properties of the sandbox grout and sand. In this paper, we present a new estimate of those properties, obtained by means of 2D finite-element simulations that consider all the details of the experimental setup, including the thin aluminum pipe at the BHE boundary. Our results show that the measured temperatures in the fluid and in the sand can be reproduced very accurately by considering thermal conductivities 0.863 W/(mK) for the grout and 3.22 W/(mK) for the sand, volumetric heat capacities 4.6 MJ/(m3K) for the grout and 3.07 MJ/(m3K) for the sand, and a slightly enhanced heat capacity of the water contained in the BHE. The 2D simulations are validated by comparison with an analytical solution and by 3D simulations.

Protection enhancing of threaded connections of light-alloy drill pipes against contact corrosion

When using light-alloy drill pipes (LAIDP) with steel tool joints, the development of contact corrosion is observed under certain operating conditions. The value of corrosion mainly depends on the difference in electrochemical potential (ECP) of the contacting metals. One of the effective methods for increasing the corrosion resistance of aluminum alloys is the micro-arc oxidation (MAO) method. This is an electrochemical process in combination with micro-arc-discharges phenomena at the anode-electrolyte border, which allows forming ceramic coatings of aluminum oxides on the surface, including its high-toughness and wear-resistant phase - α-Al2O3 (corundum). MAO-technology is a highly efficient and environmentally friendly process. At the forming of such a coating on the threaded part and in the tool joint zone of the pipe, a barrier for contact corrosion between the steel tool joint and the surface of the aluminum pipe is created. In this work, contact corrosion on samples in a pair of 1953T1 aluminum alloy - 40KhN2MA steel in a 5% NaCl solution at 80 °C was investigated. The data obtained showed the effectiveness of using protective MAO-coating to reduce contact corrosion and increase the reliability of the tool joint threaded connection of LAIDP.

Assessment the readiness of the well for pipeline pulling during the construction of underwater crossing

Directional survey results are used to monitor the condition of the well when pulling through the pipeline. They can be considered as a technical justification for the regulation of design and contracting organizations specialized in the construction of underwater crossings. The objective of this paper is to analyze methods of obtaining and processing directional survey data to assess the suitability of a well for pipeline pulling. It is established that using modern research and development methods it is possible to describe the directional survey results and construct a geometric model of the well to calculate the stress-strain state of the pipeline during pulling. However, in order to build a model as close to the real conditions as possible, it is necessary to provide the results of the directional survey both on the lower generating line and on the arch. This is possible using downhole gyroscopes. It is possible to survey the lower generating line by any methods, and to survey the well arch only through a plastic (polypropylene) or aluminum pipe. The results of the directional survey carried out along the lower generating line and arch of the well will make it possible to describe them in an analytical way, to build an appropriate geometric model of the well bore and use it to assess the readiness of the well for pulling the pipeline during the submerged crossing construction.

Design, Construction and CFD Modeling of a Banana-Solar Dryer With Double Pass Solar Air Collector

A work on the design, construction and computational fluid dynamics modelling of a solar dryer with a double pass solar air collector is presented. Using fundamental relationships, an indirect solar dying system for drying banana was designed and constructed. The system consists of a drying chamber and a double pass solar collector (DPSC), connected together with a flexible aluminum pipe. The system features a unique arrangement, as the drying chamber is underneath the double pass solar collector, and the solar collector itself can be adjusted to an angle of 0° up to 35° the maintenance or research purpose. The DPSC has five longitudinal fins, lying parallel with air flow. The solar dryer is incorporated with a convective DC fan that sucks hot air from the solar collector on to the drying chamber. The DPSC achieved an optimal peak outlet temperature of 345K with a maximum operational efficiency of 72.5%. A computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model is achieved for prediction of the dryer temperature and 3D airflow distribution within the dryer unit using ANSYS 18.2. The CFD model was validated using experimental data. The developed dryer demonstrated improved efficiency over similar dryers, and this is attributable to the unique arrangement of component parts.