Academic literature on the topic 'Coal matrix shrinkage'

With the analysis of key elements on the strain state of coal, a permeability dynamic prediction model which is divided by the critical desorption pressure for undersaturated coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs was established on the basis of pore pressure and considering the matrix shrinkage effect of coal. The law between permeability and pore pressure was analyzed during production with the new model. Through case study, the rationality of the model was also verified. The research shows that the degree of permeability changes mainly depends on the relationship between the critical desorption pressure and the rebound pressure which depends on the strength of the matrix shrinkage. Under the condition of equivalent matrix shrinkage, the reservoirs permeability rebounds better with high Young's modulus and low Poisson's ratio. Adjustment factor contributes to improve the influence of matrix shrinkage on permeability and the larger the matrix shrinkage strength is, the higher the permeability rebounds. PM model and CB model are similar to the new model. PM model limits the matrix shrinkage strength, and CB model is a special case of the new model. Comparing with the well test permeability, the new model is more reasonable to characterize the matrix shrinkage effect in the development process.

It has been reported that coal matrix swelling/shrinkage associated with CO2, adsorption/desorption are typically two to five times larger than that found for methane, yet there has been no direct measurements of this effect on permeability of coals to CO2. The feasibility of ECBM/CO2 sequestration technology depends very much on the magnitude of matrix swelling effect on permeability, especially in deep, low permeability coal seam reservoirs. The main objective of this research is to investigate the effects of coal matrix swelling induced by CO2 adsorption on the permeability of different coals which have been undergoing methane desorption under simulated reservoir conditions in the laboratory. Coal and reservoir properties which may impact upon this behaviour will be identified through extensive laboratory testing. This paper – first of two – presents the procedure for the laboratory tests as well as the findings. In the second part, a field permeability model for enhanced methane recovery and CO2 sequestration, incorporating the findings of the current laboratory tests, would be developed.

In part II of this two-part paper series, a field permeability model for enhanced methane recovery and CO2 sequestration, incorporating the findings of the current laboratory tests presented in part I is presented. It has been reported that coal matrix swelling/shrinkage associated with CO2, adsorption/desorption are typically two to five times larger than that found for methane, yet there has been no direct measurements of this effect on permeability of coals to CO2. The feasibility of ECBM/CO2 sequestration technology depends very much on the magnitude of matrix swelling effect on permeability, especially in deep, low permeability coal seam reservoirs. The main objective of this research is to investigate and develop numerical models based on the the effects of coal matrix swelling induced by CO2 adsorption on the permeability of different coals which have been undergoing methane desorption under simulated reservoir conditions in the laboratory.

Summary Sorption-induced strain and permeability were measured as a function of pore pressure using subbituminous coal from the Powder River basin of Wyoming, USA, and high-volatile bituminous coal from the Uinta-Piceance basin of Utah, USA. We found that for these coal samples, cleat compressibility was not constant, but variable. Calculated variable cleat-compressibility constants were found to correlate well with previously published data for other coals. Sorption-induced matrix strain (shrinkage/swelling) was measured on unconstrained samples for different gases: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrogen (N2). During permeability tests, sorption-induced matrix shrinkage was demonstrated clearly by higher-permeability values at lower pore pressures while holding overburden pressure constant; this effect was more pronounced when gases with higher adsorption isotherms such as CO2 were used. Measured permeability data were modeled using three different permeability models that take into account sorption-induced matrix strain. We found that when the measured strain data were applied, all three models matched the measured permeability results poorly. However, by applying an experimentally derived expression to the strain data that accounts for the constraining stress of overburden pressure, pore pressure, coal type, and gas type, two of the models were greatly improved. Introduction Coal seams have the capacity to adsorb large amounts of gases because of their typically large internal surface area (30 to 300 m2/g) (Berkowitz 1985). Some gases, such as CO2, have a higher affinity for the coal surfaces than others, such as N2. Knowledge of how the adsorption or desorption of gases affects coal permeability is important not only to operations involving the production of natural gas from coalbeds but also to the design and operation of projects to sequester greenhouse gases in coalbeds (RECOPOL Workshop 2005). As reservoir pressure is lowered, gas molecules are desorbed from the matrix and travel to the cleat (natural-fracture) system, where they are conveyed to producing wells. Fluid movement in coal is controlled by diffusion in the coal matrix and described by Darcy flow in the fracture (cleat) system. Because diffusion of gases through the matrix is a much slower process than Darcy flow through the fracture (cleat) system, coal seams are treated as fractured reservoirs with respect to fluid flow. However, coalbeds are more complex than other fractured reservoirs because of their ability to adsorb (or desorb) large quantities of gas. Adsorption of gases by the internal surfaces of coal causes the coal matrix to swell, and desorption of gases causes the coal matrix to shrink. The swelling or shrinkage of coal as gas is adsorbed or desorbed is referred to as sorption-induced strain. Sorption-induced strain of the coal matrix causes a change in the width of the cleats or fractures that must be accounted for when modeling permeability changes in the system. A number of permeability-change models (Gray 1987; Sawyer et al. 1990; Seidle and Huitt 1995; Palmer and Mansoori 1998; Pekot and Reeves 2003; Shi and Durucan 2003) for coal have been proposed that attempt to account for the effect of sorption-induced strain. Accurate measurement of sorption-induced strain becomes important when modeling the effect of gas sorption on coal permeability. For this work, laboratory measurements of sorption-induced strain were made for two different coals and three gases. Permeability measurements also were made using the same coals and gases under different pressure and stress regimes. The objective of this current work is to present these data and to model the laboratory-generated permeability data using a number of permeability-change models that have been described by other researchers. This work should be of value to those who model coalbed-methane fields with reservoir simulators because these results could be incorporated into those reservoir models to improve their accuracy.

The accuracy of the relationship between formation pressure and water saturation has a direct impact on predicting the production performance of coal reservoirs. As a result, researchers are becoming more interested in this connection. The most commonly used method to evaluate this connection is the semianalytic method, but it disregards the impact of coal matrix shrinkage on pore compressibility, resulting in inaccurate water saturation estimations for coal reservoirs. A material balance equation that considers the effect of coal matrix shrinkage on cleat porosity and pore compressibility, as well as the gas–water relative permeability curve, is used for the first time in this study to establish a model between pressure and water saturation. Furthermore, this study extends the proposed pressure–saturation model to predict cumulative gas production and gas recovery, resolving the difficult problem of calculating recovery for coalbed methane reservoirs. To verify its accuracy, this study compares the proposed method with numerical simulations and previous methods; the results of the comparison show that the water saturation under formation pressure calculated by the method proposed in this study is closer to the results of the numerical simulation. Sun’s model ignores the effect of matrix shrinkage on pore compressibility, resulting in larger calculation results. The findings of this study indicate that the effect of coal matrix shrinkage on pore compressibility cannot be ignored, and that the proposed method can replace numerical simulation as a simple and accurate method for water saturation evaluation, which can be applied to predict cumulative gas and recovery estimation for closed coalbed methane reservoirs. The proposed method increases the accuracy of the semianalytical method and broadens its application. It is critical for the prediction of coal reservoir production performance and forecasting of production dynamics.

In order to explore the influence of coal deformation caused by temperature and desorption on seepage characteristics in the process of heat injection mining of coalbed methane, the permeability test, thermal expansion, and constant temperature adsorption desorption of coal samples under different temperature and stress states were carried out using the high temperature multifunctional triaxial test system, and the influence of thermal expansion and desorption deformation effect on coal permeability in the process of temperature increase is studied. The results show that (1) with the increase of temperature, the sensitivity of coal thermal expansion deformation to temperature decreases gradually. The thermal expansion deformation makes the coal matrix expand, and the seepage channel is squeezed and the permeability decreases. (2) The effect of thermal expansion deformation is related to the porosity of coal. When the porosity of coal is high, the thermal expansion deformation reduces the permeability; on the contrary, the inward expansion of thermal expansion deformation is limited, and the effect on permeability is weakened. (3) The desorption of coal cause matrix shrinkage. The higher the desorption amount, the more obvious the shrinkage and the higher the permeability. Increasing temperature promotes desorption deformation of coal and increases permeability. (4) In the process of increasing temperature, the change of coal permeability is affected by thermal expansion deformation and desorption deformation. With the increase of temperature, when the influence of thermal expansion deformation on coal permeability is dominant, the permeability decreases gradually, and when desorption deformation is dominant on coal permeability, the permeability increases gradually. (5) With the increase of axial pressure, confining pressure, and pore pressure, the decrease of coal porosity is smaller. When the temperature increases, the temperature corresponding to the minimum permeability point is smaller. The research conclusion provides a basis for the technology of heat injection mining coalbed methane.

Summary Increases in carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere and their contributions to global climate change are a major concern. CO2 sequestration in unmineable coals may be a very attractive option, for economic as well as environmental reasons, if a combination of enhanced-coalbed-methane (ECBM) production and tax incentives becomes sufficiently favorable compared to the costs of capture, transport, and injection of CO2. Darcy flow through cleats is an important transport mechanism in coal. Cleat compression and permeability changes caused by gas sorption/desorption, changes of effective stress, and matrix swelling and shrinkage introduce a high level of complexity into the feasibility of a coal sequestration project. The economic effects of CO2-induced swelling on permeabilities and injectivities has received little (if any) detailed attention. CO2 and methane (CH4) have different swelling effects on coal. In this work, the Palmer-Mansoori model for coal shrinkage and permeability increases during primary methane production was rewritten to also account for coal swelling caused by CO2 sorption. The generalized model was added to a compositional, dual-porosity coalbed-methane reservoir simulator for primary (CBM) and ECBM production. A standard five-spot of vertical wells and representative coal properties for Appalachian coals was used (Rogers 1994). Simulations and sensitivity analyses were performed with the modified simulator for nine different parameters, including coal seam and operational parameters and economic criteria. The coal properties and operating parameters that were varied included Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, cleat porosity, and injection pressure. The economic variables included CH4 price, CO2 cost, CO2 credit, water disposal cost, and interest rate. Net-present-value (NPV) analyses of the simulation results included profits resulting from CH4 production and potential incentives for sequestered CO2. This work shows that for some coal seams, the combination of compressibility, cleat porosity, and shrinkage/swelling of the coal may have a significant impact on project economics. Introduction In recent years, primary production of natural gas from coal seams has become an important source of energy in the United States. Proven CBM reserves have been estimated at 18.5 Tscf, representing 10% of the total natural-gas reserves in the United States. CBM production started in the early 1980s as a small, high-cost operation but reached 1.6 Tscf in 2002. This was more than 8% of the total US natural-gas production that year (Kuuskraa 2003). The production of CBM reservoirs begins with the pumping of significant volumes of water to lower reservoir pressure and to allow CH4desorption and flow (Stevens et al. 1998). The fraction of the original gas in place typically produced by primary depletion seems to be somewhat controversial. However, according to recent publications, recoveries are often between 20 and 60% of the original gas in place, so that considerable amounts of gas are left behind (Gale and Freund 2001; Stevens et al. 1999; Van Bergen et al. 2001).Because of this, and because of concerns about global warming caused by accumulations of CO2 in the atmosphere (National Energy Technology Laboratory 2003, 2004), new technologies for ECBM production based on the injection of carbon are being investigated in the US, Europe, China, and Japan (Coal-Seq Forum 2004, 2006). In the CO2-ECBM/sequestration process, injected CO2 flows through the cleats in the coal by Darcy flow, diffuses into the coal matrix, and is sorbed by it; CH4 diffuses from the matrix into the cleats, through which it flows to production wells (Sams et al. 2005). The injection of CO2 into coalbeds has many potential advantages: It sequesters CO2, it reduces the production time for CBM, and it increases reserves by improving the recovery of CBM. However, the improved CH4 recovery is accompanied by an increase in costs for CO2 supply, additional drilling, and well and surface equipment. Thus, CO2-ECBM and sequestration are accompanied not only by promised benefits but also by new technical challenges and financial risks.

In the paper a new permeability model based on matchstick model accounting for stress change and matrix shrinkage and swelling caused by gas mixture (CH4 and CO2) is proposed. Finally, a history matching exercise is carried out using field data and experimental data and several models are compared to determine the accuracy of the new model. The modeling results show that the new model can fit the experimental results well. With the exchange of CH4 on coal matrix with CO2, the coal matrix tends to swell and the coal permeability will decrease. So the fracture pressure has better to be high enough to guarantee the easy flow of gases in coal seam. Only when we know the coal permeability change during CO2 injection, can we have better knowledge about the ECBM performance and CO2 sequestration feasibility for a certain coal seam.

A petrographic coal structure of Late Permian coals from the Liupanshui coalfield, Western Guizhou, SW China, has been distinguished for its novel macro-lithological characteristics. Petrographic, mineralogical and geochemical studies have been conducted for a typical coal sample (No.3 coal, Songhe coalmine, Panzhou County, China) and its geological genesis and significance for coalbed methane (CBM) evaluation is accordingly discussed. It was found that coal is characterized by a banded structure with intensively fractured vitrain sublayers, where a great number of fractures were developed and filled with massive inorganic matter. The study of coal quality, coal petrography, mineralogy and lanthanides and yttrium (REY) geochemistry of the infilling mineral matter (IMM) indicates that this fractured coal structure resulted from the tissues of coal-forming plants or coal matrix shrinkage, as well as the precipitation of calcium rich groundwater and the addition of terrigenous materials. The coal depositional environment and coal-forming plant are considered to have played a role in inducing the special fractures. This provides a scientific reference for the study of CBM for coal with this fractured structure, such as the Late Permian coal from the western border of Guizhou Province, SW China.

The permeability of coal is one of the most important basic parameters in the simulation of gas transport in coalbeds and in the evaluation of the commercial feasibility of coalbed gas reservoirs. However, the permeability of coal and its variation as gas is produced are still not well understood. Unlike that in conventional gas reservoirs, the gas permeability of a coalbed is influenced during gas production, not only by the simultaneous changes in effective stress and gas slippage, but also by the matrix shrinkage associated with gas desorption. The objective of this work was to investigate experimentally the matrix shrinkage and gas slippage effects on the permeability of coal. Since these effects occur simultaneously during gas production, a theory to separate these effects was first developed. This dissertation presents a technique to conduct laboratory experiments to estimate their individual contribution, along with the results obtained for quantitative relationships of the gas slippage and matrix shrinkage effects with gas pressure. The results show that the total permeability of the coal sample increased dramatically due to gas slippage and matrix shrinkage effects with decrease in pressure. When the gas pressure is above 250 psi, the effect of matrix shrinkage dominates. As gas pressure falls below 250 psi, both the gas slippage and matrix shrinkage effects play important role in influencing the permeability. Finally, the change in permeability of coal sample resulting from gas slippage was found to be proportional to the reciprocal of the gas pressure. The change in permeability due to matrix shrinkage was found to be linearly proportional to the volumetric strain associated with desorption. Since the latter is linearly proportional to the amount of gas desorbed, the change in permeability is a linear function of the amount of desorbing gas.

The variation in the cleat permeability of coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs is attributed primarily to two cardinal processes, with opposing effects. Increase in effective stresses with reduction in pore pressure tends to decrease the cleat permeability, whereas the sorption-induced coal matrix shrinkage actuates reduction in the effective stresses which increases the reservoir permeability. The net effect of the two processes determines the pressure-dependent-permeability and, hence, the overall trend of CBM production with depletion. Several analytical models have been developed and used to predict the dynamic behavior of CBM reservoir permeability during production through pressure depletion, all based on combining the two effects. The purpose of this study was to introduce modifications to two most commonly used permeability models, namely the Palmer and Mansoori, and Shi and Durucan, for permeability variation and evaluate their performance when projecting gas production. The basis for the modification is the linear relationship between the volume of sorbed gas and the associated matrix shrinkage. Hence, the impact of matrix shrinkage is incorporated as a function of the amount of gas produced, or that remaining in coal, at any time during production. Since the exact production from a reservoir is known throughout its life, this significantly simplifies the process of permeability modeling. Furthermore, the modification is also expected to streamline the process of modeling by classifying the shrinkage parameters for coals of different regions, but with similar characteristics. A good analogy is the San Juan basin, where sorption characteristics of coal are so well understood and defined that operators no longer carry out laboratory sorption work. The goal is to achieve the same for incorporation of the matrix shrinkage behavior. Another modification is to incorporate the matrix, or grain, compressibility effect of coal as a correction factor in the Shi and Durucan model so as to assess the permeability variation based on the true shrinkage of coal matrix with reservoir drawdown. Finally, application of the modified models may be carried out for scenarios where the gas content of coal varies with time, either due to injection of a second gas to enhance the recovery of methane, or gas enhancing techniques, such as, bio-stimulation of coal. The original models are currently unable to handle this, particularly when the gas content of the reservoir increases. The research is aimed at simplifying and, in fact, improving the performance of the theoretical models in predicting the variation of coal reservoir permeability.

This thesis reveals atypical dynamic reservoir behaviour within Cooper Basin ultra-deep coal seams during gas production that calls for a paradigm shift in gas extraction technology, diametrically opposed to the evolutionary path of current drilling, wellbore completion, and reservoir stimulation practices. An anomalous geomechanical reservoir boundary condition is detected that is, by definition, mostly restricted to ultra-deep coal seams. The discovery has resulted in the formulation of a new coal seam reservoir concept - “Expanding Reservoir Boundary Theory”. Ultra-deep Permian coal seams of the Cooper Basin in central Australia represent a nascent thermogenic source rock reservoir play. Proof-of-concept gas flow occurred in 2007. The vast (100+ Tscf) potential resource is comparable in commercial significance, and technical challenge, to the shale gas plays of North America. As with shale, full-cycle, standalone commercial gas production from Cooper Basin ultra-deep coal seams requires a large, complex, permeable “stimulated reservoir volume” (SRV) domain having high fracture / fabric face surface area for gas desorption. This goal has not yet been achieved after 13 years of trials because, owing to the bipolar combination of coal-like geomechanical properties and shale-like reservoir properties, these poorly cleated, inertinitic coal seams exhibit “hybrid” characteristics. This is problematic for achieving effective reservoir stimulation, and poses the greatest immediate challenge. Stimulation techniques adopted from other play types are incompatible with the highly unfavourable combination of nanoDarcy-scale permeability, “ductility”, and high stress. The Cooper Basin Deep Coal Gas (CBDCG) Play commences 6,000 feet (1,830 metres) below the “commercial permeability depth limit” for most shallow coal seam gas (CSG) reservoirs but this does not reduce gas flow potential. Shale gas industry technologies have, in principle, eliminated the requirement for naturally occurring coal fabric permeability. Optimum reservoir conditions occur at depths beyond 9,000 feet (2,740 metres), driven by very low water saturation, high gas content, gas oversaturation, overpressure, rigid host rock strata, and high deviatoric stress. The limited literature does not yet adequately characterise the physical response of ultra-deep coal seams, and the surrounding host rock strata, to production pressure drawdown. It remains to be established how artificial fracture and coal fabric aperture width change as a consequence of the dynamic, diametric competition between gas desorption-induced coal matrix shrinkage and the omnipresent tendency for reservoir compaction caused by increasing production pressure drawdown-induced effective stress. This technical impasse, inhibiting commercialisation, is addressed by analysing the atypical flowback behaviour of hydraulically fracture stimulated coal seams within a dedicated vertical wellbore at 9,500 feet (2,900 metres). High-resolution, non-classical flowback analysis is performed on the pure dataset of Australia’s first ultra-deep coal gas well. Wellhead and fracture network pressures are recorded continuously for 8 1/2 years, at a 10-minute sample interval, while flowing to atmosphere. Natural flowback behaviour is analogous to that of a mechanical gas plunger artificial lift system. A low but gradually increasing quasi-steady state base gas flow, free of produced formation water, is overprinted by a non-steady state, cyclical pressure signature that is diagnostic of dynamic reservoir behaviour during gas production. A total of 114 high-rate, “geyser-like” gas surge events, gradually increasing in duration from 2 hours to 2 weeks, and in reservoir equivalent volume from 360 to 20,000 rcf (10 to 570 rcm), suggest the gas headspace compartment of a “down-hole void space domain” is steadily increasing in size. The gas surge events result from intermittent release of fracture network gas, hydrostatically compressed by flowback fluid slowly accumulating within the wellbore. A production “history match” for the gas surge event pressure profile is obtained by designing, fabricating, operating, and data logging a computer-controlled hydraulic apparatus within The University of Adelaide’s experimental wellbore, at a depth of 230 feet (70 metres). This physically simulates open-ended flowing manometer-like hydrodynamic behaviour of the wellbore-reservoir system. A postulated geological trigger mechanism for surge initiation is tested and validated; “wellbore hydrostatic back-pressure and reservoir stress-dependent leak-off”. Time-lapse pressure transient analysis (PTA) is performed on three extended wellbore pressure build-up tests, lasting 157, 259, and 295 days respectively. Increasing permeability is recognised within coal fabric surrounding the initial fracture network SRV domain. Time-lapse rate transient analysis (RTA) performed on the first two subsequent wellbore pressure “blow-down to atmosphere” (BDTA) gas flow rate decline profiles indicates that hydraulic fracture flow conductivity increased during the intervening 327-day flowback period. Interpreted dilation of hydraulic fracture apertures is supported by a 60% increase in the initial BDTA gas flow rates, from 7.5 to 12.0 MMscfd (212.4 to 340.0 Mscmd). Cooper Basin ultra-deep coal gas reservoirs behave differently to other deep, thermogenic source rock reservoirs, and require a paradigm shift in reservoir stimulation technology that does not rely exclusively upon hydraulic fracture stimulation and the “brittleness factor”. Pressure arching may fill this role by neutralising the omnipresent tendency for reservoir compaction caused by increasing production pressure drawdown-induced effective stress. The combined, mutually sustaining actions of desorption-induced coal matrix shrinkage and sympathetic pressure arch “stress shield” evolution generate an “expanding reservoir boundary and decreasing confining stress” condition that allows producing ultra-deep coal seams, and adjacent strata indirectly (which may include other reservoir types), to progressively de-stress and “self-fracture” in an overall state of endogenous tensile failure. As with underground coal mine excavations, pressure arching will deflect maximum stress vectors around the dilating “dispersed coal fabric void space” domain of a growing fracture network SRV domain that has developed reduced bulk structural integrity, and reduced bulk compressive strength, compared to the surrounding native coal seam and host rock strata. Size and effectiveness of pressure arching increases with depth. Cooper Basin ultra-deep coal seams, and adjacent “non-coal” reservoirs indirectly, may be effectively stimulated to flow gas on a large scale by harnessing this self-perpetuating, depth-resistant mechanism for creating coal fracture / fabric permeability and surface area for gas desorption. They may be induced to pervasively “shatter”, or “self-fracture”, naturally during gas production, independent of the lack of “brittleness”, analogous to the manner in which shrinkage crack networks slowly form, in a state of intrinsic, endogenous tension, within desiccating clay-rich surface sediment. Full-cycle, standalone commercial gas production is considered likely to occur when “Expanding Reservoir Boundary Theory” is applied, so as to replicate the very large, complex fracture network SRV domain of commercial shale gas reservoirs.
Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, Australian School of Petroleum, 2020

AbstractThis paper describes a three-dimensional numerical model for predicting the coalbed methane (CBM) production. The model describes single phase gas desorption from coal matrix, diffusion to the fracture and two-phase flow of gas and water in the natural fracture system as well as the permeability changes in coal which result from effective stress changes and matrix shrinkage due to gas desorption. The model was discretized by a finite difference method. The implicit pressure-explicit saturation (IMPES) method was used to solve the two-phase flow equations and gas desorption equation was solved implicitly.The numerical model was validated by the field data from Qinshui basin in China. Based on the model, the impact of various reservoir and Langmuir isothermal adsorption parameters on the gas production was investigated.The results show that the gas production rate of the coalbed methane predicted by this model is in good accordance with the field data. The permeability near the wellbore dramatically decreases as the reservoir pressure drops at the early production period while at the later production period, the permeability near the wellbore increases because of the matrix shrinkage. The permeability changes far away from the wellbore are not so remarkable. In addition, the gas production rate increases with the increased permeability, seam thickness and Langmuir pressure constant while it decreases with the increased porosity and Langmuir volume constant.The numerical model can be used to predict and analyze the production performance of CBM reservoirs and the research results provide theoretical support for CBM production.

Abstract The objective of this paper is to present a new dynamic permeability model to improve modeling of production from coalbed reservoir. Currently, most modeling approaches for coalbed reservoir permeability only consider one single factor. Little research have been done on parameter sensitivity analysis. We improved the description of coalbed reservoir permeability model by considering effective stress, matrix shrinkage and Klinkenberg effect. To amend the P&M model, the dynamic permeability model is given in the form of piecewise function. Next, parameter sensitivity analysis was taken based on this new model, and the following conclusions were drawn: 1) Large Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, critical desorption pressure and Langmuir volume strain value have greater improvement effect on permeability; 2) The greater the initial porosity, the smaller the times permeability increase; 3) Klinkenberg effect has more obvious influence on permeability under the condition of lower pressure. This gives us a message: In the whole development process, we should use the dynamic permeability index to adjust and optimize the production system continuously.

Polymer Matrix Composites (PMCs) have been the subject of many recent studies due to their outstanding characteristics. For the processing of PMCs, a wide range of elevated temperatures is typically applied to the material, leading to the development of internal residual stresses during the final cool-down step. These residual stresses may lead to net shape deformations or internal damage. Also, volumetric shrinkage, and thus additional residual stresses, could be created during crystallization of the semi-crystalline thermoplastic matrix. Furthermore, the thermomechanical properties of semi-crystalline polymers are susceptible to the crystallinity content, which is tightly controlled by the processing parameters (processing temperature, temperature holding time) and material properties (melting and crystallization temperatures). Hence, it is vital to have a precise understanding of crystallization kinetics and its impact on the final component's performance to accurately predict induced residual stresses during the processing of these materials. To enable multi-scale process modeling of thermoplastic composites, molecular-level material properties must be determined for a wide range of crystallinity levels. In this study, the thermomechanical properties and volumetric shrinkage of the thermoplastic Poly Ether Ether Ketone (PEEK) resin are predicted as a function of crystallinity content and temperature using molecular dynamics (MD) modeling. Using crystallization-kinetics models, the thermo-mechanical properties are directly related to processing time and temperature. This research can ultimately predict the residual stress evolution in PEEK composites as a function of processing parameters.

Abstract Increasing requirements on technical components for high-temperature-applications (e.g., turbine blades) demand for new developments in surface engineering. The selective combination of materials with positive and negative thermal expansion coefficients (NTE) will lead to a reversible activation of the surface depending on surface temperature: The generation of a riblet structure (“shark skin”) in operation condition by thermal expansion of the matrix and shrinkage of the NTE-ceramic and self-cleaning of the surface at cool down as a result of the reversal of the process. Due to its hygroscopicity the chosen NTE-ceramic Y2W3O12 needs to be embedded into a binder matrix. Therefore a feedstock powder consisting of MCrAlY, WO3 and Y2O3 is mechanically alloyed in a high-energy ball mill. The powder is deposited on substrates by thermal spraying (VPS and HVOF) and laser cladding as well. After coating process a lateral- and depth-selective ion implantation of tungsten, yttrium and oxygen will force nucleation in predefined areas. A following heat treatment of the specimens supports the in-situ-formation of Y2W3O12.

A systematic study has been conducted on processing and characterizing of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy polymer (CFRP) composites to enhance their properties through the optimization of graphene nanoplatelet (GNP). GNP having a two dimensional structure is composed of several layers of graphite nanocrystals stacked together. GNP is expected to provide better reinforcing effect in polymer matrix composites as a nanofiller along with greatly improved mechanical and thermal properties due to its planar structure and ultrahigh aspect ratio. GNP is also considered to be the novel nanofiller due to its exceptional functionalities, high mechanical strength, chemical stability, abundance in nature, and cost effectiveness. Moreover, it possesses an extremely high-specific surface area which carries a high level of transferring stress across the interface and provides higher reinforcement than carbon nanotubes (CNT) in polymer composites. Hence, this extensive research has been focused on the reinforcing effect of amino-functionalized GNP on mechanical properties of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites. Amine functionalized GNP was integrated in EPON 828 at different loadings, including 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 wt%, as a reinforcing agent. GNP was infused into Epon 828 resin using a high intensity ultrasonic processor followed by a three roll milling for better dispersion. Epikure 3223 curing agent was then added to the modified resin and mixed using a high-speed mechanical stirrer. The mixture was then placed in a vacuum oven at 40 °C for 10 min to ensure the complete removal of entrapped bubbles and thus reduce the chance of void formation. Finally, both conventional and nanophased carbon fiber reinforced epoxy polymer (CFRP) composites were fabricated by employing a combination of hand lay-up and compression hot press techniques. Carbon woven fabrics were properly stacked into eleven layers while maintaining their parallel orientation. Modified epoxy resin was smeared uniformly on each fabric layer using a brush and a wooden roller. The fabric stack was then wrapped with a bleeder cloth and a nonporous Teflon cloth and placed on the plates of the hot press where pressure and temperature were controlled precisely to ascertain maximum wetting of fibers with matrix and compaction of the layup as well as curing. Temperature was kept at 60 °C for 1 hour to attain enough flow of resin at lower viscosity as compared to room temperature and at the same time not to let it flow out of the layup. Temperature was then increased to 100 °C and maintained for 1 hour to obtain completely cured carbon-epoxy composites. After completion of the curing cycles, the laminate was allowed to cool down slowly to avoid any unwanted shrinkage. The conventional CFRP composite were fabricated in a similar fashion. Mechanical properties were determined through flexure and tensile tests according to ASTM standards. In all cases, 0.4 wt% GNP infused epoxy nanocomposite exhibited the best properties. The 0.4 wt% GNP modified carbon fiber/epoxy composites exhibited 19% improvement in the flexure strength and 15% improvement in the flexure modulus. Tensile test results of CFRP composites showed a maximum improvement in the tensile strength and tensile modulus by about 18% and 19%, respectively, for the 0.4 wt% GNP-infused samples over the control sample. Both flexural and tensile properties were observed to reach the highest at the 0.4 wt% loading due to the better interfacial interaction and effective load transfer between the NH2-GNP and the epoxy resin. Furthermore, morphological analysis ensured better dispersion and improved interfacial adhesion between the matrix and the fiber for GNP reinforced composites.