During the production and transportation of oil and gas, flow assurance issues may occur due to the solid deposits that are formed and carried by the flowing fluid. Solid deposition may cause serious damage and possible failure to production equipment in the flow lines. The major flow assurance problems that are faced in the fields are concerned with asphaltene, wax and scale deposition, as well as hydrate formations. Hydrates, wax and asphaltene deposition are mostly addressed in deep-water environments, where fluid flows through a long path with a wide range of pressure and temperature variations (Hydrates are generated at high pressure and low temperature conditions). In fact, a large change in the thermodynamic condition of the fluid yields phase instability and triggers solid deposit formations. In contrast, scales are formed in aqueous phase when some incompatible ions are mixed. Among the different flow assurance issues in hydrocarbon reservoirs, asphaltenes are the most complicated one. In fact, the difference in the nature of these molecules with respect to other hydrocarbon components makes this distinction. Asphaltene molecules are the heaviest and the most polar compounds in the crude oils, being insoluble in light n-alkenes and readily soluble in aromatic solvents. Asphaltene is attached to similarly structured molecules, resins, to become stable in the crude oils. Changing the crude oil composition and increasing the light component fractions destabilize asphaltene molecules. For instance, in some field situations, CO₂ flooding for the purpose of enhanced oil recovery destabilizes asphaltene. Other potential parameters that promote asphaltene precipitation in the crude oil streams are significant pressure and temperature variation. In fact, in such situations the entrainment of solid particulates in the flowing fluid and deposition on different zones of the flow line yields serious operational challenges and an overall decrease in production efficiency. The loss of productivity leads to a large number of costly remediation work during a well life cycle. In some cases up to $5 Million per year is the estimated cost of removing the blockage plus the production losses during downtimes. Furthermore, some of the oil and gas fields may be left abandoned prematurely, because of the significance of the damage which may cause loss about $100 Million. In this dissertation, we developed a robust wellbore model which is coupled to our in-house developed compositional reservoir model (UTCOMP). The coupled wellbore/reservoir simulator can address flow restrictions in the wellbore as well as the near-wellbore area. This simulator can be a tool not only to diagnose the potential flow assurance problems in the developments of new fields, but also as a tool to study and design an optimum solution for the reservoir development with different types of flow assurance problems. In addition, the predictive capability of this simulator can prescribe a production schedule for the wells that can never survive from flow assurance problems. In our wellbore simulator, different numerical methods such as, semi-implicit, nearly implicit, and fully implicit schemes along with blackoil and Equation-of-State compositional models are considered. The Equation-of-State is used as state relations for updating the properties and the equilibrium calculation among all the phases (oil, gas, wax, asphaltene). To handle the aqueous phase reaction for possible scales formation in the wellbore a geochemical software package (PHREEQC) is coupled to our simulator as well. The governing equations for the wellbore/reservoir model comprise mass conservation of each phase and each component, momentum conservation of liquid, and gas phase, energy conservation of mixture of fluids and fugacity equations between three phases and wax or asphaltene. The governing equations are solved using finite difference discretization methods. Our simulation results show that scale deposition is mostly initiated from the bottom of the wellbore and near-wellbore where it can extend to the upper part of the well, asphaltene deposition can start in the middle of the well and the wax deposition begins in the colder part of the well near the wellhead. In addition, our simulation studies show that asphaltene deposition is significantly affected by CO₂ and the location of deposition is changed to the lower part of the well in the presence of CO₂. Finally, we applied the developed model for the mechanical remediation and prevention procedures and our simulation results reveal that there is a possibility to reduce the asphaltene deposition in the wellbore by adjusting the well operation condition. / text

On the first part, we consider nonlinear operators I depending on a family of nonlocal linear operators [mathematical equations]. We study the solutions of the Dirichlet initial and boundary value problems [mathematical equations]. We do not assume even symmetry for the kernels. The odd part bring some sort of nonlocal drift term, which in principle competes against the regularization of the solution. Existence and uniqueness is established for viscosity solutions. Several Hölder estimates are established for u and its derivatives under special assumptions. Moreover, the estimates remain uniform as the order of the equation approaches the second order case. This allows to consider our results as an extension of the classical theory of second order fully nonlinear equations. On the second part, we study two phase problems posed over a two dimensional cone generated by a smooth curve [mathematical symbol] on the unit sphere. We show that when [mathematical equation] the free boundary avoids the vertex of the cone. When [mathematical equation]we provide examples of minimizers such that the vertex belongs to the free boundary. / 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.

Nowadays, when the environment is changing rapidly and dynamically, there is a particular need for adaptive data mining methods. `Spam' filters, personalized recommender and marketing systems, network intrusion detection systems, business prediction and decision support systems need to be regularly retrained to take into account changing nature of the data. In the stationary settings the more data is at hand, the more accurate model can be trained. In the changing environment an old data decreases the accuracy. In such a case only a subset of the historical data might be selected to form a training set. For instance, the training window strategy uses only the newest historical instances. In the thesis adaptive data mining methods are addressed, which are based on selective training set formation. The thesis improves the training strategies under sudden, gradual and recurring concept drifts. Four adaptive training set formation algorithms are developed and experimentally validated, which allow to increase the generalization performance of the base models under each of the three concept drift types. Experimental evaluation using generated and real data confirms improvement of the classification and prediction accuracies as compared to using all the historical data as well as the selected existing adaptive learning algorithms from the recent literature. A tailored method for an industrial boiler application, which unifies several drift types, is developed. / Šiandieninėje, dinamiškai besikeičiančioje aplinkoje reikalingi adaptyvūs duomenų gavybos metodai. Nepageidaujamų laiškų klasifikatoriai, asmeninio rekomendavimo ir rinkodaros, įsilaužimų į kompiuterinius tinklus aptikimo, verslo rodiklių prognozavimo bei sprendimų priėmimo sistemos turi nuolat “persimokyti”, reaguoti į besikeičiančius duomenis. Stacionarioje aplinkoje kuo daugiau mokymo duomenų - tuo tikslesnis modelis. Besikeičiančioje aplinkoje seni duomenys blogina tikslumą. Tokiu atveju, vietoje visų turimų istorinių duomenų panaudojimo, gali būti tikslingai išrenkama tik tam tikra jų dalis, pvz. naudojamas mokymo langas (tik naujausi duomenys). Tiriamojo darbo objektas yra adaptyvūs mokymo metodai, kurie remiasi kryptingu mokymo imties formavimu. Darbe patobulintos mokymo strategijos esant staigiems, palaipsniams ir pasikartojantiems pokyčiams. Sukurti ir eksperimentiškai aprobuoti keturi adaptyvaus mokymo imties formavimo algoritmai, kurie leidžia pagerinti klasifikavimo bei prognozavimo tikslumą besikeičiančiose aplinkose, esant atitinkamai kiekvienam iš trijų pokyčių tipų. Naudojant generuotus bei realius duomenis eksperimentiškai parodytas klasifikavimo bei prognozavimo tikslumo pagerėjimas, lyginant su visų istorinių duomenų naudojimu mokymui, bei žinomais šioje srityje naudojamais adaptyviais mokymo algoritmais. Sukurta metodika pritaikyta pramoninio katilo atvejui, jungiančiam kelis aplinkos pokyčių tipus.

Šiandieninėje, dinamiškai besikeičiančioje aplinkoje reikalingi adaptyvūs duomenų gavybos metodai. Nepageidaujamų laiškų klasifikatoriai, asmeninio rekomendavimo ir rinkodaros, įsilaužimų į kompiuterinius tinklus aptikimo, verslo rodiklių prognozavimo bei sprendimų priėmimo sistemos turi nuolat “persimokyti”, reaguoti į besikeičiančius duomenis. Stacionarioje aplinkoje kuo daugiau mokymo duomenų - tuo tikslesnis modelis. Besikeičiančioje aplinkoje seni duomenys blogina tikslumą. Tokiu atveju, vietoje visų turimų istorinių duomenų panaudojimo, gali būti tikslingai išrenkama tik tam tikra jų dalis, pvz. naudojamas mokymo langas (tik naujausi duomenys). Tiriamojo darbo objektas yra adaptyvūs mokymo metodai, kurie remiasi kryptingu mokymo imties formavimu. Darbe patobulintos mokymo strategijos esant staigiems, palaipsniams ir pasikartojantiems pokyčiams. Sukurti ir eksperimentiškai aprobuoti keturi adaptyvaus mokymo imties formavimo algoritmai, kurie leidžia pagerinti klasifikavimo bei prognozavimo tikslumą besikeičiančiose aplinkose, esant atitinkamai kiekvienam iš trijų pokyčių tipų. Naudojant generuotus bei realius duomenis eksperimentiškai parodytas klasifikavimo bei prognozavimo tikslumo pagerėjimas, lyginant su visų istorinių duomenų naudojimu mokymui, bei žinomais šioje srityje naudojamais adaptyviais mokymo algoritmais. Sukurta metodika pritaikyta pramoninio katilo atvejui, jungiančiam kelis aplinkos pokyčių tipus. / Nowadays, when the environment is changing rapidly and dynamically, there is a particular need for adaptive data mining methods. `Spam' filters, personalized recommender and marketing systems, network intrusion detection systems, business prediction and decision support systems need to be regularly retrained to take into account changing nature of the data. In the stationary settings the more data is at hand, the more accurate model can be trained. In the changing environment an old data decreases the accuracy. In such a case only a subset of the historical data might be selected to form a training set. For instance, the training window strategy uses only the newest historical instances. In the thesis adaptive data mining methods are addressed, which are based on selective training set formation. The thesis improves the training strategies under sudden, gradual and recurring concept drifts. Four adaptive training set formation algorithms are developed and experimentally validated, which allow to increase the generalization performance of the base models under each of the three concept drift types. Experimental evaluation using generated and real data confirms improvement of the classification and prediction accuracies as compared to using all the historical data as well as the selected existing adaptive learning algorithms from the recent literature. A tailored method for an industrial boiler application, which unifies several drift types, is developed.

With the rise in constructing using FRP reinforcement, owing to corrosion problems in steel-reinforced structures, there is a need for a system to resist lateral loads induced from wind and earthquake loads. The present study addressed the applicability of reinforced-concrete shear walls totally reinforced with glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars to attain reasonable strength and drift requirements as specified in different codes. Four large-scale shear walls - one reinforced with steel bars (as reference specimen) and three totally reinforced with GFRP bars - were constructed and tested to failure under quasi-static reversed cyclic lateral loading. The GFRP-reinforced walls had different aspect ratios covering the range of medium-rise walls. The reported test results clearly showed that properly designed and detailed GFRPreinforced walls could reach their flexural capacities with no strength degradation, and that shear, sliding shear, and anchorage failures were not major problems and could be effectively controlled. The results also showed recoverable and self-centering behavior up to allowable drift limits before moderate damage occurred and achieved a maximum drift meeting the limitation of most building codes. Acceptable levels of energy dissipation accompanied by relatively small residual forces, compared to the steel-reinforced shear wall, were observed. Finite element simulation was conducted and the analyses captured the main features of behavior. Interaction of flexural and shear deformations of the tested shear walls was investigated. It was found that relying on the diagonal transducers tended to overestimate shear distortions by 30% to 50%. Correcting the results based on the use of vertical transducers was assessed and found to produce consistent results. Decoupling the flexural and shear deformations was discussed. Using GFRP bars as elastic material gave uniform distribution of shear strains along the shear region, resulting in shear deformation ranging from 15 to 20% of total deformation. The yielding of the steel bars intensified the shear strains at the yielding location, causing significant degradation in shear deformation ranging from 2 to 40% of total deformation. The results obtained demonstrated significantly high utilization levels of such shear wall type, therefore, primary guidelines for seismic design of GFRP-reinforced shear wall in moderate earthquakes regions was presented, as no design guidelines for lateral load resistance for GFRP-reinforced walls are available in codes. The ultimate limit state was addressed by providing strength capacity that limit ductility demand to their safe flexural displacement capacity. The strength demands were derived from ground motion spectra using modification factors that depend on both the strength and energy absorption of the structure. Deformation capacity was derived by proposing new definitions for elastic (virtual yield) displacement and maximum allowable displacement. Strength modification factor was proposed based on the test results. The occurrence of "virtual plastic hinge" for GFRP-reinforced shear walls was described providing new definitions convenient with the behavior of the GFRP-reinforced shear walls. "Virtual plastic hinge" length was estimated based on observations and calculations. Subsequently, the experimental results were used to justify the proposed design procedure. The promising results could provide impetus for constructing shear walls reinforced with GFRP bars and constitute a step toward using GFRP reinforcement in such lateral-resisting systems.

Understanding pesticide transport is crucial to evaluate their ecological impact on ecosystems. Current knowledge on the spatial variability of pesticide deposition, the impact of erosion on pesticides export and the in situ pesticide degradation is very limited at the catchment scale. In this thesis, characterisation and modeling at two scales, the plot and catchment, were combined in two agricultural contexts. A formalism was developed to predict pesticide transport in runoff and was integrated in LISEM (LImbourg Soil Erosion Model). The results show that impermeable roads contributed to more than 40% to the overall load of fungicides exported via runoff from the vineyard. Pesticide partitioning between suspended solids and runoff water differed largely according to the molecules and the hydrological dynamics. The occurrence of degradation products and the enrichment of one enantiomer were observed suggesting the potential of chiral analyses for assessing biodegradation of chiral pesticides at such scale. Overall, the investigation demonstrated that combining different approaches enable a better understanding of pesticide transport.

The overall aims of this thesis were to elucidate the circulatory responses to ultra-endurance exercise (Adventure Racing), and furthermore, to contribute to the clarification of the so called “exercise-induced cardiac fatigue” in relation to said exercise. An Adventure race (AR) varies in duration from six hours to over six days, in which the participants have to navigate through a number of check-points over a pre-set course, using a combination of three or more endurance/outdoor sports, e.g., cycling, running, and kayaking. This thesis is based on the results from four different protocols; 12- and 24-h (n = 8 and 9, respectively) in a controlled setting with fixed exercise intensity, and 53-h and 5-7-day (n = 15 in each) in field setting under race conditions. The subjects in all protocols were experienced adventure racing athletes, competitive at elite level. Study I and II address the circulatory responses and cardiovascular drift, using methods for monitoring heart rate (HR), oxygen uptake (VO2), cardiac output (non-invasive re-breathing) and blood pressure, during ergometer cycling at fixed steady state work rate at periods before, during and after the ultra-endurance exercise. In Study III and IV we examined the possible presence of exercise-induced cardiac fatigue after a 5-7-day AR, from two different perspectives. In Study III analyses were performed with biochemical methods to determine circulating levels of cardiac specific biomarkers (i.e., creatine kinase isoenzyme MB (CK-MB), troponin I, B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal prohormonal B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)). We also made an attempt to relate increases in biomarkers to rated relative performance. In Study IV we used tissue velocity imaging (TVI) (VIVID I, GE VingMed Ultrasound, Norway) to determine whether the high workload (extreme duration) would induce signs of functional cardiac fatigue similar to those that occur in skeletal muscle, i.e., decreased peak systolic velocities. Using conventional echocardiography we also evaluated whether the hearts of experienced ultra-endurance athletes are larger than the normal upper limit. The central circulation changed in several steps in response to ultra-endurance exercise. Compared to initial levels, VO2 was increased at every time-point measured. The increase was attributed to peripheral adaptations, confirmed by a close correlation between change in VO2 and change in arteriovenous oxygen difference. The first step of the circulatory response was typical of normal (early) cardiovascular drift, with increased HR and concomitantly decreased stroke volume (SV) and oxygen pulse (VO2/HR), occurring over the first 4-6 h. The second step, which continued until approximately 12h, included reversed HR-drift, with normalisation of SV and VO2/HR. When exercise continued for 50 h a late cardiovascular drift was noted, characterised by increased VO2/HR, (indicating more efficient energy distribution), decreased peripheral resistance, increased SV, and decreased work of the heart. Since cardiac output was maintained at all-time points we interpret the changes as physiologically appropriate adaptations. Our findings in Study III point towards a distinction between the clinical/pathological and the physiological/exercise-induced release of cardiac biomarkers. The results imply that troponin and CKMB lack relevance in the (healthy) exercise setting, but that BNP, or NT-proBNP adjusted for exercise duration, might be a relevant indicator for impairment of exercise performance. High levels of NTproBNP, up to 2500 ng · l -1 , can be present after ultra-endurance exercise in healthy athletes without any subjective signs or clinical symptoms of heart failure. However, these high levels of NT-proBNP seemed to be associated with decreased relative exercise performance, and might be an indicator of the cardiac fatigue that has previously been described after endurance exercise. Study IV revealed that the sizes of the hearts (left ventricle) of all of our ultra-endurance athletes were within normal limits. The measurements of peak systolic velocities showed (for group average) no signs of cardiac fatigue even after 6 days of continuous exercise. This discrepancy between ours and other studies, involving e.g., marathon or triathlon, might reflect the fact that this type of exercise is performed at relatively low average intensity, suggesting that the intensity, rather than the duration, of exercise is the primary determinant of cardiac fatigue. / Physiology of Adventure Racing

The Swedish industry uses large volumes of compressed air. The compressed air process isenergy intensive and creates large amounts of excess heat. It is therefore important to utilizethe excess heat, optimize the operation of the compressors and to have a regular maintenanceon the system. This thesis is a pre-study to make a compressed air system energy efficient andis done in collaboration with Ljunghäll AB. Ljunghäll AB is one of Northern Europe's leadingdie casting companies and are located in Södra Vi, Sweden. The purpose is to describe andmap the compressed air system in the old part of the facility in Södra Vi. The thesis will alsogive an explanation of how Ljunghäll AB can improve the compressed air system. Providethem suggestions for energy savings and lower the environmental impact of production. Theobjective of the thesis is to create an understanding of how improvements in the compressedair system can be done by studying the operation, compressor, pipe system and leak detecting.The economic aspects of the solutions together with the effect of noise and engine operationof the compressors have not been taken into consideration. To reach improvement measures avisit to the facility in Södra Vi was made, where measuring and mapping was executed andthen compared with earlier studies and literature. The conclusions of the thesis show thatLjunghäll AB has a good operation and control of the compressors, through the variable speeddrive and steering system. It also showed that the choice of the existing compressors are goodfor their compressed air usage. The study also resulted in the following suggestions for theenergy efficiency and lowering of the environmental impact of production at Ljunghäll AB’scompressed air system: Water heat recovery, replacement of old pipes, cover the leakage,regular maintenance of compressors and fittings, training in compressed air for workers,centralized compressor central and sectioning of the pipe system.

L'influence de la nature des électrodes sur les performances des capteurs de gaz à base d'oxyde métallique semiconducteur sont reconnu et prouvé expérimentalement. Ici, pour la première fois nous fournissons une mise en évidence par spectroscopie infrarouge (DRIFTS) de l'influence de la nature d'électrodes (Pt et Au) sur la chimie de surface lors de la détection de CO aux sur couche épaisse de SnO₂. Nos résultats montrent que la nature et la concentration des intermédiaires de réaction de CO (les carbonates et carboxylates) dépendent de la présence et de la nature des électrodes. De plus, les mesures en thermodésorption prouvent que l'influence de la nature des électrodes joue un rôle clé sur l'adsorption d'oxygène à la surface SnO₂. Ces résultats sont discutés au sein d'un modèle empirique.