The phenomenon of particle retention in granular materials has a wide range of implications. For agricultural operations, these particles can be contaminants transported through the ground that can eventually reach to aquifers, consequently contaminating the water. In oil reservoirs, these particles can be clays that get detached from the rock and migrate with the flow after a change of pressure, plugging the reservoir with the consequent reduction in permeability. These particles can also be traceable nanoparticles, introduced in the reservoir with the purpose of identifying bypassed oil. For all these reasons it is important to understand the mechanisms that contribute to the transport and retention of these particles. In this dissertation the retention of micro and nano size particles was investigated. In saturated model sediments (sphere packs), we analyzed the retention of particles by the mechanism of straining (size exclusion). The analysis focused on experiments reported in the literature in which particles smaller than the smallest pore throats were retained in the sediment. The analysis yields a mechanistic explanation of these observations, by indentifying the retention sites as gaps between pairs of sediment grains. A predictive model was developed that yields a relationship between the straining rate constant and particle size in agreement with the experimental observations. In unsaturated granular materials, the relative contributions of grain surfaces, interfacial areas and contact lines between phases to the retention of colloidal size particles were investigated. An important part of this analysis was the identification and calculation of the length of the contact lines between phases. This estimation of contact line lengths in porous media is the first of its kind. The algorithm developed to compute contact line length yielded values consistent with observations from beads pack and real rocks, which were obtained independently from analysis of high resolution images. Additionally, the predictions of interfacial areas in granular materials were consistent with an established thermodynamic theory of multiphase flow in porous media. Since there is a close relationship between interfacial areas and contact lines this supports the accuracy of the contact line length estimations. Predictions of contact line length and interfacial area in model sediments, combined with experimental values of retention of colloidal size particles in columns of glass beads suggested that it is plausible for interfacial area and contact line to contribute in the same proportion to the retention of particles. The mechanism of retention of surface treated nanoparticles in sedimentary rocks was also investigated, where it was found that retention is reversible and dominated by attractive van der Waals forces between the particles and the rock’s grain surfaces. The intricate combination of factors that affect retention makes the clear identification of the mechanism responsible for trapping a complex task. The work presented in this dissertation provides significant insight into the retention mechanisms in relevant scenarios. / text

The oil and gas industry need for high performing and low cost multiphase meters is ever more justified given the rapid depletion of conventional oil reserves. This has led oil companies to develop smaller/marginal fields and reservoirs in remote locations and deep offshore, thereby placing great demands for compact and more cost effective soluti8ons of on-line continuous multiphase flow measurement. The pattern recognition approach for clamp-on multiphase measurement employed in this research study provides one means for meeting this need. Cont/d.

No description available.

The research presented in this thesis was motivated by the desire to understand the flow field within a new digital microfluidic device currently under development. This required an investigation of the dynamics of a droplet migrating along the surface of another fluid due to interfacial surface tension gradients. The quantitative analysis of the flow field presented in this thesis provides the first known solution for the velocity field in a migrating droplet confined to an interface. The first step towards gaining insight into the flow field was accomplished by using the method of reflections to obtain an analytical model for a submerged droplet migrating near a free surface. The submerged droplet model enabled the analysis of the velocity field and droplet migration speed and their dependence on the fluid properties. In general, the migration velocity of a submerged droplet was found to differ dramatically from the classic problem of thermocapillary migration in an unbounded substrate. A boundary-collocation scheme was developed to determine the flow field and migration velocity of a droplet floating trapped at the air-substrate interface. The numerical method was found to produce accurate solutions for the velocity and temperature fields for nearly all parameters. This numerical scheme was used to judge the accuracy of the flow field obtained by the submerged droplet model. In particular, the model was tested using parameter values taken from a digital microfluidic device. It was determined that the submerged droplet model captured most of the flow structure within the microfluidic droplet. However, for a slightly different choice of parameters, agreement between the two methods was lost. In this case, the numerical scheme was used to uncover novel flow structures.

CNPq / Dentre os diversos tipos de escoamentos multifásicos, o escoamento particulado desperta interesse devido à sua presença em diversos sistemas, como na indústria farmacêutica, química e de petróleo, entre outros. Na indústria petrolífera, especificamente, o escoamento particulado pode ser utilizado quando existe o fenômeno de invasão, caracterizado pela fuga de fluido do poço em direção à formação rochosa, associado à presença de fraturas. Partículas de granulometria selecionada são adicionadas ao fluido de perfuração para promover o preenchimento das fraturas e reestabelecer a circulação no poço. Nesse sentido, o objetivo deste trabalho é investigar o escoamento particulado aplicado ao preenchimento de uma fratura perfeitamente retangular e não permeável. A modelagem matemática do escoamento utiliza uma abordagem euleriana para a fase contínua (fluido) e lagrangiana para a fase discreta (partículas). Os modelos numéricos aplicados para a solução do problema consistem no Dense Discrete Phase Model (DDPM) para o cálculo do acoplamento entre as partículas e o fluido e do Discrete Element Method (DEM) para contabilizar as colisões entre partículas. A análise em questão mostra a influência do comprimento da fratura (hF R ), de parâmetros do escoamento (número de Reynolds - Re e viscosidade dinâmica do fluido - μβ ), das partículas (diâmetro da partícula - Dp e razão entre massa específica da partícula e fluido - ρp/β ) e do processo de injeção (número de partículas injetadas - Np,inj ) sobre a formação do leito de partículas. Tal influência é analisada através do comprimento (hpct ) e posicionamento (hpct ) do leito, além do preenchimento vertical da fratura (epct ). Um leito de partículas ótimo é capaz de reduzir a vazão de fuga (Qf uga ) até um patamar próximo de zero, se formar no menor tempo possível (test ), próximo à entrada da fratura, apresentando um comprimento mínimo e um preenchimento vertical máximo. Para obter um leito ótimo, a pressão na entrada do canal (pm,CH,i ) deve ser monitorada para garantir que a pressão de fratura, que é a pressão na qual existe a falha mecânica da formação, não seja ultrapassada pela pressão gerada pela injeção de partículas. A pressão de entrada é analisada através da adimensionalização em relação à pressão no fenômeno de invasão, antes da injeção de partículas e em relação ao gradiente de pressão gerado entre a saída do canal e a saída da fratura. Os resultados obtidos mostram que todos os parâmetros são capazes de alterar as características geométricas do leito, mostrando uma influência direta na vazão de fuga e no tempo de preenchimento. / Among the most diverse types of multiphase flow, the particulate flow raises interest due to its presence in several systems such as farmaceutical, chemical and oil and gas indus- try. Specifically in the oil and gas industry the particulate flow may be applied upon the appearence of the invasion phenomenon, characterized by the fluid loss to the reservoir, associated to the presence of fractures. Particles with selected granulometry are added to the mud in order to fill the fratures and reestablish circulation. In this line, the aim of this work is to investigate the particulate flow applied to the filling of a perfectly retangular and impermeable fracture. The flow is mathematicaly modeled by an eulerian approach applied to the continuous phase (fluid) and by a lagrangian approach applied to the discrete phase (particles). The numerical models used to attain the solution of the problem are the Dense Discrete Phase Model (DDPM) which accounts for the coupling between the phases and the Discrete Element Method (DEM) which calculates particle collision. The analysis shows the influence of the fracture length (hF R ), flow paramenters (Reynolds number - Re and dynamic viscosity - μβ ), particle parameters (diameter - Dp and specific mass ratio between particles and fluid - ρp/β ) and parameters of the injection process (number of injected particles - Np,inj ) on the formation of the bed. Such influence is analyzed through the length (hpct ) and heigth (hpct ) of the bed and the vertical filling of the fracture (epct ). An optimal bed would be capable to attain a fluid loss close to zero in the least time possible (test ) by forming itself very close to the fracture entering, having a minimum length and a maximum height. In order to obtain the optimized bed, the pressure on the channel inlet (pm,CH,i ) should be monitored to guarantee that the fracturing pressure is not surpassed by the buildup pressure generated by the particles injection. This pressure is analyzed by the initial pressure on the inlet channel, before the particle injection, and the pressure drop generated by the fracture. Results indicate that all sensitivity parameters can alter the geometric characteristics of the bed, showing a direct influence on reducing the fluid loss through the fracture and on the filling time.

Les mélanges multiphasiques en déséquilibre de vitesse sont habituellement modélisés à l'aide d'un modèle à 6 ou 7 équations (Baer and Nunziato, 1986). Ces modèles sont très efficaces pour traiter des mélanges avec effets d'interpénétration. Ils peuvent aussi être utilisés pour traiter des problèmes à interface dans lesquels il est nécessaire de respecter les conditions d'interface (continuité de la vitesse normale et de la pression). Ceci est réalisé à l'aide de solveurs de relaxation mécanique (Saurel and Abgrall, 1999). Une autre méthode consiste à utiliser un modèle à une vitesse et une pression (Kapila et al., 2001). Cependant, de nombreuses applications font intervenir des interfaces instables entre fluides. On traite habituellement ces zones de mélanges turbulents en utilisant un modèle à une vitesse et en résolvant spatialement les diverses instabilités. Dans de nombreuses applications cela devient impossible en raison du trop grand nombre de « jets » et de « bulles ». De plus, on rencontre des difficultés numériques y compris pour le calcul d'une instabilité isolée (Liska and Wendroff, 2004). Dans ce manuscrit, nous abordons le problème de la modélisation des zones de mélange avec des modèles multiphasiques. Cela pose un sérieux problème de modélisation pour des écoulements évoluant d'une situation où l'interface est bien définie (une seule vitesse) vers une configuration de mélange de fluides à plusieurs vitesses. Cette question a été abordée par Besnard and Harlow (1988), Youngs et al. (1989), Chen et al. (1996), Glimm et al. (1999), Saurel et al. (2003) par exemple. / Multiphase mixtures with velocity disequilibrium are usually modelled with 6 or 7 equations models (Baer and Nunziato, 1986). These models are very efficient to model mixtures with velocity drift effects. They can also be used to model interfacial flows where the respect of interface conditions (continuous normal velocity and pressure) is mandatory. Such aim is usually achieved with the help of stiff mechanical relaxation solvers (Saurel and Abgrall, 1999). Another option is to use single pressure and single velocity models (Kapila et al., 2001). However, many applications involve unstable fluid-fluid interfaces for which flow conditions range from well separated fluids to fully mixed ones. The usual way to deal with these turbulent mixing zones is to use a single velocity flow model and to resolve spatially the various instabilities. However, spatial resolution of these instabilities in many applications is impossible as too many ‘jets' and ‘bubbles' are present. Also, numerical difficulties and large inaccuracies are present even for an isolated instability computation (Liska and Wendroff, 2004). In this work, we address the issue of mixing zone modelling with multiphase flow models. This poses the serious difficulty of model derivation for flows conditions ranging from well defined interfaces (single velocity) to fluid mixtures evolving with several velocities. This issue has been addressed by Besnard and Harlow (1988), Youngs et al. (1989), Chen et al. (1996), Glimm et al. (1999), Saurel et al. (2003) to cite a few. In Saurel et al. (2010) an extension of the Kapila et al. (2001) model was done to deal with permeation effects through material interfaces.

[pt] Sistemas de escoamento multifásico se formam ao longo de um poço de produção de petróleo. A análise do comportamento do escoamento através da coluna de produção é realizada com o apoio de ferramentas computacionais e é essencial para o projeto e operação de um sistema de produção de petróleo. Os simuladores comerciais disponíveis para esse tipo de análise exigem aquisição de licença, cujo custo é elevado, restringindo seu uso às grandes companhias petrolíferas e aos renomados institutos de pesquisa. Além disso, esses programas não permitem a visualização da metodologia utilizada para o tratamento do problema físico e para a solução numérica empregada, e nem a alteração de parâmetros internos, tornando seu uso restrito a certas classes de problemas. Apesar da grande demanda e utilidade desse tipo de software ainda há poucos trabalhos desenvolvidos nessa área. Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo apresentar o desenvolvimento de um simulador de escoamento multifásico simplificado e aberto, com aplicação na otimização da produção de óleo e gás. Dentre as aplicações do programa podemos citar a obtenção das curvas de gradiente de pressão e a otimização de gás-lift. Um estudo paramétrico foi conduzido, mostrando a influência de parâmetros como, por exemplo, o diâmetro da tubulação. Os resultados obtidos foram comparados com a literatura e são fisicamente coerentes. Sendo assim, o programa desenvolvido mostra-se promissor. / [en] Multiphase flow systems are formed along an oil production well. The analysis of the flow behavior through the production column is performed with the aid of computational tools, and is very important to the design and optimization of the oil well production operation. In general, the commercial softwares available to analyze this process are very expensive, which restrict its use to some particular companies. In addition, the methodology used to analyze the physical problem, and the numerical solution are fixed and closed, which restrict its use to certain classes of problems, since it is not possible to change or improve the numerical solution. Despite the great demand and use of this kind of software, there are few researches in this area. This research aims to present the development of a simplified multiphase flow simulator open to public, with application to the optimization of oil and gas production wells. Among the applications are the plot of pressure-distribution curves and the optimization of gas-lift. A parametric study is performed, showing the influence of some governing parameters, such as tubing diameter, in the production flow rate. The results obtained were compared with pertinent literature and are physically reasonable, showing that the software developed is promising.

[pt] Dentre os custos considerados na explotação de um campo de petróleo, os de perfuração constituem uma parcela significativa do total. Dentro deste cenário, devemos estar atentos à remoção dos cascalhos gerados pela perfuração, também referido como limpeza de poços. Esta operação é, ainda hoje, um tema crítico na perfuração de poços de alta inclinação, pois os cascalhos que se depositam devido à ação da gravidade, formam um leito no interior do espaço anular formado entre a coluna de perfuração e o revestimento. Quando este leito ocupa grande parte do espaço anular, ele é responsável por diversos problemas na perfuração, como por exemplo, desgaste prematuro da broca, baixas taxas de penetração, fraturamento da formação, torques e arrastes excessivos na coluna de perfuração, prisão da coluna de perfuração, interrupção da circulação de fluido, aumento da pressão no anular, etc. Se esta situação não for tratada adequadamente, o problema pode provocar a perda do poço. A tese propõe uma modelagem para o escoamento multifásico na perfuração de poços de petróleo, capaz de avaliar a formação do leito de cascalhos e prever oscilações de pressões no anular decorrentes do escoamento. O modelo adotado é o de duas camadas, onde o espaço anular é dividido em duas regiões: leito e suspensão. O leito (Região 1) é formado pelos cascalhos que se sedimentam devido ao efeito gravitacional enquanto a suspensão (Região 2) é a porção do anular acima do leito depositado, formada pelo fluido de perfuração e os cascalhos transportados. As equações que constituem o modelo implementado são dadas pelas equações de conservação de massa para os sólidos e para o líquido e as equações de conservação de quantidade de movimento para o leito e para a suspensão. O método dos volumes finitos foi utilizado para a discretização das equações diferenciais juntamente com o método de Newton para a solução do sistema não-linear de equações. A solução é dada através das seguintes variáveis: altura do leito, velocidade dos sólidos no leito e na suspensão, velocidade do fluido no leito e na suspensão, pressão no anular e concentração de sólidos no anular. Exemplos de aplicação da metodologia são apresentados e mostram o comportamento das variáveis envolvidas ao longo do tempo. Os exemplos mostram a eficácia da metodologia para simular operações de perfuração, em especial, a limpeza de poço. / [en] Among the costs considered on an oil field exploration, the drilling process related ones constitute a significant share. Consequently, the focus on the removal of cuttings generated by the drilling process, or the hole cleaning operation, is essential. This operation remains a critical issue in the drilling of high inclination-wells, since the cuttings tend to deposit themselves due to gravity´s action, forming a bed in the annular space formed between the drill string and the casing. When this bed takes a sizable fraction of the annular space, it becomes responsible for many problems that appear on the drilling stage, such as premature bit´s exhaustion, low rates of penetration, formation fracture, excessive torque and drag on the drillstring, stuck pipe, fluid flow interruption, etc. If this situation is not treated properly, it may cause the loss of the well. This present thesis proposes a model for multiphase flow in the wellbore drilling, capable of evaluating the formation of the cuttings´ bed and to predict oscillations of pressures in annulus due to the flow. A two-layer model is adopted, where the annular space is divided in two regions: bed and suspension. The bed (Region 1) is formed by the cuttings, which were deposited due to the action of gravitational force, while the suspension (Region 2) is the portion of the annular above the deposited bed, formed by the drilling fluid and cuttings. The constitutive equations of the aforementioned model are given by the equations of mass conservation for solids and liquids and the momentum conservation equations for the bed and the suspension. The finite volumes method was used to turn the differentials equations into discrete ones, while the Newton´s method was applied for the solution of the nonlinear system of equations. The solution is given through the following variables: bed height, solid velocity and fluid velocity both in bed and suspension, annular pressure and solid concentration in the annular. Examples of application of the methodology are presented, showing the behavior of the involved variables through time. The examples show the efficacy of the methodology to simulate drilling operations, in special hole cleaning ones.

Afin de prédire l’évolution de la composition chimique du laitier dans différents procédés sidérurgiques, un modèle CFD a été développé. Les coefficients de transfert de masse sont estimés à partir des modèles basés sur les paramètres physico-chimiques et hydrodynamiques, comme par exemple la diffusivité des espèces chimiques et la divergence de l’interface. Ces modèles ont été développé pour la prédiction du transfert gaz-liquide où le les nombres de Schmidt (Sc=ν⁄D) sont relativement faible (Sc≈200). Par contre, les procédés industriels ont un nombre de Sc considérablement plus importante, de l’ordre de 103 à 104. Pour évaluer la pertinence de ces modèles, l’hydrodynamique au voisinage d’une interface liquide-liquide a été étudiée. Un modèle CFD et des mesures par l’anémométrie laser (LDA) ont été utilisés pour calculer et valider les champs de vitesse d’une maquette à eau d’une lingotière de coulée continue (CC).Le modèle de transfert de masse d’une lingotière de coulée continu industriel nous a montré que les coefficients de transfert de masse ne sont pas distribués de manière homogène, et les propriétés physiques du laitier ne doivent pas y être non plus. Cette distribution non-homogène a été confirmée par des essais physiques. Les écoulements calculés numériquement ont été utilisé pour prédire les coefficients de transfert de masse entre les deux phases liquide. Ces paramètres seront utilisés comme donnée d’entré pour un modèle de thermodynamique afin de prédire l’évolution de la composition chimique du laitier. / In order to characterize the mass transfer coefficients (MTC) of different species across liquid steel/slag interface, a multiphase Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) model was developed. MTC’s are estimated from models based on physicochemical and hydrodynamic parameters, such as mass diffusivity, interface shear and divergence strength. These models were developed for gas-liquid interactions with relative low Schmidt (Sc=ν⁄D) numbers (Sc≈200). However, the industrial processes involve mass transfer of chemical species with Sc number ranging from 103 to 104. To evaluate the applicability of these existing models, the fluid flow in the vicinity of a liquid/liquid interface is investigated. Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) and Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA) were used to calculate and measure the velocity field on a continuous casting (CC) water model configuration. The work provides new insights and original measures to understand the fluid flow near liquid-liquid interfaces.The mass transfer model of an industrial continuous casting mold showed that the mass transfer coefficients are not homogeneously distributed, and slag properties should follow this trend. This non-homogeneity was confirmed by physical experiments performed with a water model of a CC configuration and its CFD representation. The calculated flow was used to predict the MTC and the interface area between phases, since the interface is constantly moving. These parameters will be the input of thermodynamic models to predict slag composition and viscosity. This methodology is currently under validation, and it will also be applied to improve steel plant performance in the desulphurization process.

L'objectif de cette thèse est de contribuer au développement et à la validation d'outils numériques permettant la Simulation aux Grandes Echelles (SGE) de l'allumage d'un écoulement turbulent diphasique dans une chambre de combustion. Pour ce faire, une méthode de dépôt d'énergie modélisant l'apport d'énergie lié au claquage de la bougie d'allumage a été implémentée dans la chaîne de calcul CEDRE. Cette méthode a été validée sur une simulation de l'allumage d'un écoulement laminaire purement gazeux d'air et de propane. Une SGE de l'écoulement d'air du MERCATO a été effectué à l'aide du solveur Navier-Stokes CHARME de CEDRE. Cette simulation reproduit fidèlement l'écoulement turbulent non-réactif dans la chambre de combustion. Une méthode d'injection simplifiée FIMUR a été ajoutée au solveur lagrangien SPARTE de CEDRE. Dans cette méthode, des gouttes sont injectées directement au nez de l'injecteur avec une distribution de vitesse et de taille imposée. Une SGE de l'écoulement turbulent diphasique dispersé non-réactif dans la chambre MERCATO a ensuite été réalisée avec cette méthode. La comparaison des champs particulaires moyens de vitesse et de taille obtenus par simulation numérique avec les données expérimentales est satisfaisante. Enfin, des SGE de l'allumage de la chambre MERCATO ont été effectuées à partir du champ diphasique non-réactif simulé et de la méthode de dépôt d'énergie développée. Selon l'instant du dépôt d'énergie, les simulations conduisent à des allumages réussis ou ratés. La propagation de la flamme dans la chambre pour un allumage réussi a fait l'objet d'une analyse détaillée pour tenter de déterminer les principaux facteurs l'influençant. / The goal of this thesis is to contribute to the development and validation of numerical tools for the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of the ignition of a turbulent multiphase flow in a combustion chamber. An energy deposition method that models the energy supplied by the spark plug to the flow was implemented in the CEDRE code. This method was validated on a simulation of the ignition of a purely gaseous laminar propane-air flow. Then, a LES of the non-reacting gas flow in the monosector combustor MERCATO was performed with the Navier-Stokes solver CHARME of the CEDRE code. The comparison between simulations and experiments demonstrates that the main flow field features are well reproduced. In order to simulate the non-reacting dispersed two-phase flow of the same configuration, a simplified injection method called FIMUR was implemented in the Lagrangian solver SPARTE of the CEDRE code. In this method, droplets are injected directly at the tip of the injector with velocities deduced from experimental correlations while the size distribution is directly obtained from experimental data. The comparison of the mean droplet velocity and diameter fields in the vicinity of the injector between simulations and experiments appears satisfactory. Finally, LES's of the ignition of the MERCATO were performed using the non-reacting two-phase flow simulations and the aformentioned energy deposition method. Depending on the instant of energy deposition, the simulations lead to successful or failed ignitions. The flame propagation in a successful ignition was analysed in order to attempt to determine the physical phenomena at play and to better understand them.