Transport properties of concentrated suspensions are of interest to many industries. Mineral slurries at higher solids concentrations have shown some rheologically interesting characteristics such as shear thickening, the increase of viscosity of a multi-phase mixture with increasing shear rate. The general literature on the rheology of suspensions records the presence of yield stresses, shear thinning and normal stress differences. Little is said specifically about shear thickening behaviour except for colloidal suspensions. The aim of this study is to examine the behaviour of coarse shear thickening suspensions and determine the causes of this phenomenon. The study intended to achieve the following objectives to; develop the appropriate techniques for rheometric studies of shear thickening suspensions; investigate the nature of particle-fluid interaction; develop a model of shear thickening behaviour as it occurs in non-colloidal suspensions and to develop a method of applying the rheology results to flows and flow geometries of practical relevance. The effects of wall slip dominate much of the literature of shear thickening materials. To investigate this aspect a significant portion of the experimental work examined the effect of shear thickening on torsional flow. The rheogram produced from parallel plate rheometry was reassessed as a non-controlled flow and a rheology model dependant analysis demonstrated that the effects of slip are considerably more problematic for shear thickening suspensions, particularly as wall slip is an increasing function of shear stress. As a consequence of the rheometric method described above it was observed that the rate of change of the first normal stress difference, N1, with shear rate changes as shear thickening commences for non-colloidal suspensions. N1 is initially negative and is increasingly negative at low shear rates. Additional rheometric analysis examined the transient effects in the behaviour of a non-colloidal shear thickening suspension. By employing large angle oscillating strain tests the strain required to initiate a shear thickening response was determined. Coherent back scattering of laser light experiments were able to show the change in orientation of the particles with respect to its rotation around the vorticity axis. After a viscosity minimum was reached the orientation became more random as particle rotation and lamina disruption occurred. This was considered to be the cause of the measured shear thickening. A model of shear thickening in concentrated, non-colloidal suspensions of non-spherical particles was developed. Based on hydrodynamic interaction in the Stokes flow regime, the flow of interstitial fluid subjected the adjacent particles to lubricating and Couette type forces, acting as a couple. When a series of force balances on a particle contained between two moving laminae are conducted as a time sequence, the particle orientation and motion can be observed. The model has qualitative agreement with several aspects of the experimentally observed behaviour of shear thickening suspensions, such as viscosity change with shear rate and concentration, and the first normal stress difference increasing with shear rate. Pipe line flow experiments were conducted on the model suspension. Particle settling produces unusual patterns in shear thickening suspensions, with an annulus of delayed settling near the wall.

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This thesis reports the rheological properties of algae slurries as a function of cell concentration for three microalgae species: Nannochloris sp.,Chlorella vulgaris, and Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Rheological properties ofalgae slurries have a direct impact on the agitation and pumping power requirements as well as process design for producing algal biofuels. This study measures the rheological properties of eight diff erent concentrations of each species ranging from 0.5 to 80 kg dry biomass/m³. Strain-controlled steady rate sweep tests were performed for each sample with an ARES-TA rheometer using a double wall couette cup and bob attachment. Shear rates ranged from 5 - 270 s⁻¹, corresponding to typical expected conditions. The results showed that Nannochloris sp. slurry behaved as a Newtonian fluid for concentrations up to 20 kg/m³. Samples with concentrations above 40 kg/m³ behaved as a shear thinning non-Newtonian fluid. The effective viscosity increased with increased biomass concentration for a maximum value of 3.3x10⁻³ Pa-s. Similarly, C. vulgaris slurry behaved as a Newtonian fluid with concentrations of up to 40 kg/m³, above which it displayed a shear thinning non-Newtonianf behavior and a maximum eff ective viscosity of 3.5x10⁻² Pa-s. On the other hand, P. tricornutum slurry demonstrated solely Newtonian fluid behavior, with the dynamic viscosity increasing with increasing biomass concentration for a maximum value of 3.2x10⁻³ Pa-s. The maximum observed e ffective viscosity occurred at a concentration of 80 kg/m³ for all three species. Moreover, an energy analysis was performed where a non-dimensional bioenergy transport e ffectiveness was de termined as the ratio of the energy content of the transported algae biomass to the sum of the required pumping power and the harvesting power. The results show that the increase in major losses due to increase in viscosity was overcompensated by the increase in the transported biomass energy. Also, cultivating a more concentrated slurry requires less dewatering power and is the preferred option. The largest bioenergy transport eff ectiveness was observed for the slurries with the largest initial dry biomass concentrations. Finally, the relative viscosity of algae slurries was modeled using a Kelvin-Voit based model for dilute and concentrated viscoelastic par- ticle suspensions. The model, which depends primarily on the packing factor of the algae species, agrees with the measured viscosity with an average error of 18%, while the concentrated particle suspension model was slightly more accurate than the dilute suspension model. / text

Nonadhesive hydrate slurries have been shown to exhibit low viscosities in a field-scale flow loop when formed under appropriate conditions. The factors that favor formation of low-viscosity hydrate slurries include high Reynolds Number and Capillary Number, and high mass transfer and heat transfer rates. High liquid loading and high superficial fluid velocities are found to be conducive to the formation of low viscosity hydrate slurries. Dispersed bubble flow has been observed to facilitate flowable hydrate slurry production. Alternatively, the formation of nonadhesive hydrates at moderate superficial velocity is possible when a static mixer is used upstream of the hydrate formation location. For certain fields, low-viscosity hydrate slurry technology could eliminate the need for insulation and hydrate inhibitor chemicals (revised version of ICGH 2008 paper 5818) .

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Cement-based materials are of importance in the construction of geothermal wells and high-temperature oil and gas wells. These materials fill the annulus between the well casing and the rock forming a protective layer, known as sealant, which is used primarily to secure and support the casing inside the well. In addition it prevents entry of unwanted fluids into the well and communication between formation fluids at different levels. These cement based sealants need to perform for many years at high temperatures and in severe chemical environments; conditions which can cause the material of the well-casing to degrade resulting in reduced strength and increased permeability. The aim of this study is to develop new materials which will have the potential properties (high strength and low permeability) for use as sealants in geothermal and deep, hot oil wells. In order to do this special cement slurries, based on the CaO−Al2O3−SiO2−H2O (CASH) hydroceramic system, have been synthesised over the temperature range 200 to 350 °C (i.e. the typical working temperature of these wells). The additives used in these cement slurries are silica flour and alumina. A detailed description of a suite of novel hydroceramic compositions over the temperature range 200 to 350 °C is given. X-ray diffraction has been used to determine the mineralogical composition and Rietveld refinement to quantify the known phases present at different temperatures. In addition the chemistry of some of the major phases present has been examined using electron probe microanalysis. Scanning electron microprobe and simulation software have been employed to study the crystal shape of these major minerals. The engineering properties of the hydroceramic materials are very important. A study of the compressive strength and permeability has been carried out over a range of temperature (200 to 350 °C). In addition permeability has been calculated using simulation software and the results compared with experimental values. Hydroceramic formulations with excellent strength and permeability measurements have been found. Some of these formulations have been tested for durability under simulated well conditions. These materials have been immersed into different brines for a certain period of time at temperatures between 200 to 300 °C. Some preliminary results regarding the changes in mineralogy in these samples are presented in this thesis. These experiments have been carried out at the Synchrotron Radiation Source (SRS) using tomographic energy-dispersive diffraction imaging (TEDII).

L'utilisation de la réfrigération secondaire permet de réduire l'impact environnemental des systèmes frigorifiques grâce à une réduction de l'utilisation de gaz à effet de serre, néanmoins un tel procédé abaisse l'efficacité des systèmes. Afin de rendre ce procédé plus efficace et viable, l'utilisation de fluide à forte densité énergétique ainsi qu'un couplage avec un dispositif de stockage thermique a été envisagé comme réponse à une problématique industrielle de distribution de froid (climatisation, procédés de refroidissement). Un montage expérimental constitué d'une boucle de circulation et d'un réacteur de formation a été utilisé afin d'évaluer les caractéristiques de charge et décharge d'un réseau utilisant des fluides diphasiques. Cette étude a également permis l'élaboration et la validation de modèles prédictifs (réservoir de stockage, échangeur de chaleur, écoulement) de dynamique de stockage et déstockage pour différents matériaux. Ces modèles ont ensuite été appliqués au cas d'un réseau industriel afin d'étudier l'impact du matériau de stockage choisi sur le dimensionnement du système, sur la consommation énergétique mais aussi sur sa viabilité économique. Ainsi, les résultats ont d'abord montré que l'utilisation d'un dispositif améliorait l'efficacité d'un système et que le retour sur investissement dépendait des scénarios de stockage envisagés. Enfin, une forte dépendance sur le choix du matériau a également été soulevée. / The use of secondary refrigeration can reduce cooling system impact on environment by greenhouse gas reduction, nevertheless this kind of technology reduce the system efficiency. The use of high energetic density and thermal energy storage was considered to improve system efficiency and to answer to industrial cooling process issue (air-conditioning, cooling process or temperature preservation). An experimental set-up composed by a stired tank reactor and circulation loop was used in order to evaluate the charging and discharging dynamic of a cooling district using phase change slurry. This experimental study offers the opportunity to elaborate and validate further models (stirred tank reactor, heat exchanger, flow behavior) to predict the charging and discharging behaviors for various storage materials. Then, these models were used in the case of an industrial system to observe the impact of the storage material or system sizing, energy consumption and economic sustainability. Thus, results show that the impact of the storage device on system energy efficiency and the return on investment depends on storage scenarios. Finally the impact of the chosen material on system efficiency was pointed out.