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NASA NTRS1987

Preparation of polystyrene microspheres for laser velocimetry in wind tunnels

Laser Velocimetry (L/V) had made great strides in replacing intrusive devices for wind tunnel flow measurements. The weakness of the L/V has not been the L/V itself, but proper size seeding particles having known drag characteristics. For many Langley Wind Tunnel applications commercial polystyrene latex microspheres suspended in ethanol, injected through a fluid nozzle provides excellent seeding but was not used due to the high cost. This paper provides the instructions, procedures, and formulations for producing polystyrene latex monodisperse microspheres of 0.6, 1.0, 1.7, 2.0, and 2.7 micron diameters. These are presently being used at Langley Research Center as L/V seeding particles.

Nichols, Cecil E., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Reassessing the Evidence for the Earliest Traces of Life

The isotopic composition of graphite is commonly used as a biomarker in the oldest (>3.5 Gyr ago) highly metamorphosed terrestrial rocks. Earlier studies on isotopic characteristics of graphite occurring in rocks of the approximately 3.8-Gyr-old Isua supracrustal belt (ISB) in southern West Greenland have suggested the presence of a vast microbial ecosystem in the early Archean. This interpretation, however, has to be approached with extreme care. Here we show that graphite occurs abundantly in secondary carbonate veins in the ISB that are formed at depth in the crust by injection of hot fluids reacting with older crustal rocks (metasomatism). During these reactions, graphite forms from the disproportionation of Fe(II)-bearing carbonates at high temperature. These metasomatic rocks, which clearly lack biological relevance, were earlier thought to be of sedimentary origin and their graphite association provided the basis for inferences about early life. The new observations thus call for a reassessment of previously presented evidence for ancient traces of life in the highly metamorphosed Early Archaean rock record.

vanZullen, Mark A.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Imaging a Free-Geometry Magma Reservoir Using FEM-Based Linear Inverse Modeling of InSAR Data: Application to Rabaul Caldera, Papua New Guinea

We test an innovative inversion scheme using Green’s functions from an array of pressure sources embedded in finite-element method (FEM) models to image, without assuming an a-priori geometry, the composite and complex shape of a volcano deformation source. We invert interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data to estimate the pressurization and shape of the magma reservoir of Rabaul caldera, Papua New Guinea. The results image the extended shallow magmatic system responsible for a broad and long-term subsidence of the caldera between 2007 February and 2010 December. Elastic FEM solutions are integrated into the regularized linear inversion of InSAR data of volcano surface displacements in order to obtain a 3-D image of the source of deformation. The Green’s function matrix is constructed from a library of forward line-of-sight displacement solutions for a grid of cubic elementary deformation sources. Each source is sequentially generated by removing the corresponding cubic elements from a common meshed domain and simulating the injection of a fluid mass flux into the cavity, which results in a pressurization and volumetric change of the fluidfilled cavity. The use of a single mesh for the generation of all FEM models avoids the computationally expensive process of non-linear inversion and remeshing a variable geometry domain. Without assuming an a-priori source geometry other than the configuration of the 3-D grid that generates the library of Green’s functions, the geodetic data dictate the geometry of the magma reservoir as a 3-D distribution of pressure (or flux of magma) within the source array. The inversion of InSAR data of Rabaul caldera shows a distribution of interconnected sources forming an amorphous, shallow magmatic system elongated under two opposite sides of the caldera. The marginal areas at the sides of the imaged magmatic system are the possible feeding reservoirs of the ongoing Tavurvur volcano eruption of andesitic products on the east side and of the past Vulcan volcano eruptions of more evolved materials on the west side. The interconnection and spatial distributions of sources correspond to the petrography of the volcanic products described in the literature and to the dynamics of the single and twin eruptions that characterize the caldera. The ability to image the complex geometry of deformation sources in both space and time can improve our ability to monitor active volcanoes, widen our understanding of the dynamics of active volcanic systems and improve the predictions of eruptions.

Inverse theory↗

NASA NTRS2017

Imaging the Complex Geometry of a Magma Reservoir Using Fem-Based Linear Inverse Modeling of InSAR Data: Application to Rabaul Caldera, Papua New Guinea

We test an innovative inversion scheme using Green’s functions from an array of pressure sources embedded in finite-element method (FEM) models to image, without assuming an a-priori geometry, the composite and complex shape of a volcano deformation source. We invert interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data to estimate the pressurization and shape of the magma reservoir of Rabaul caldera, Papua New Guinea. The results image the extended shallow magmatic system responsible for a broad and long-term subsidence of the caldera between 2007 February and 2010 December. Elastic FEM solutions are integrated into the regularized linear inversion of InSAR data of volcano surface displacements in order to obtain a 3-D image of the source of deformation. The Green’s function matrix is constructed from a library of forward line-of-sight displacement solutions for a grid of cubic elementary deformation sources. Each source is sequentially generated by removing the corresponding cubic elements from a common meshed domain and simulating the injection of a fluid mass flux into the cavity, which results in a pressurization and volumetric change of the fluid-filled cavity. The use of a single mesh for the generation of all FEM models avoids the computationally expensive process of non-linear inversion and remeshing a variable geometry domain. Without assuming an a-priori source geometry other than the configuration of the 3-D grid that generates the library of Green’s functions, the geodetic data dictate the geometry of the magma reservoir as a 3-D distribution of pressure (or flux of magma) within the source array. The inversion of InSAR data of Rabaul caldera shows a distribution of interconnected sources forming an amorphous, shallow magmatic system elongated under two opposite sides of the caldera. The marginal areas at the sides of the imaged magmatic system are the possible feeding reservoirs of the ongoing Tavurvur volcano eruption of andesitic products on the east side and of the past Vulcan volcano eruptions of more evolved materials on the west side. The interconnection and spatial distributions of sources correspond to the petrography of the volcanic products described in the literature and to the dynamics of the single and twin eruptions that characterize the caldera. The ability to image the complex geometry of deformation sources in both space and time can improve our ability to monitor active volcanoes, widen our understanding of the dynamics of active volcanic systems and improve the predictions of eruptions.

Inverse theory↗

DOE OSTI2020

High-Temperature Stability of Aqueous Foams as Potential Waterless Hydrofracking Fluid for Geothermal Reservoir Stimulation

Hydraulic fracturing is the process of fracturing rock formations with high-pressure water-based fluids. In Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) hydraulic fracturing is carried out by injecting high-pressure fluids into the Hot Dry Rocks (HDR) under carefully controlled conditions. The fluid used for fracturing is an important component for EGS, not only concerning the technical approch but also environmental impact. Recent research has been carried out to develop waterless fracturing technologies for EGS, including foam-based hydrofracking, where foams are mixtures of gas and liquid fluids. Foam fracturing fluids have potential benefits over water-based fluids because of less water consumption, less damage in water sensitive formations, and less liquid to recover and handle after fracturing process. One challenge for implementing foam fracturing in EGS is to achieve stable foams at high temperatures, as the foam stability tends to decay with increase in temperature.This research is focused on investigating the stability of foams at high temperatures. Preliminary results show that 1) N2 foams are more stable compared to CO2 foams, 2) foams containing only surfactants were not stable at high temperatures, and 3) addition of different stabilizing agents increased the thermal stability of all the foams. It was observed that different stabilizing agents interacted differently with anionic, nonionic, and cationic surfactants. It was further shown that the crosslinking agent with a base solution of pH 6 and graphene oxide dispersion was the most effective stabilizing agent for anionic surfactant AOS, while bentonite clay effectively enhanced thermal stability for another anionic surfactant SDS. SiO2 nanoparticles showed limited improvement in thermal stability at high temperatures compared to other stabilizing agents.

Thakore, Virensinh↗

DOE OSTI2011

Novel Self-Thickening Chemicals for Improved Conformance Control

The objective of this project is to identify single chemical agents that exhibit a desirable rheological property whereby if such a chemical is dissolved in salt water it increases the solution viscosity significantly with time. We term that behavior as 'self-thickening' and have nicknamed this as 'T85 technology'. As detailed in the original project proposal, such single chemical products can be applied to advantage as agents for selectively slowing or blocking high flow water channels in subsurface oil reservoirs. The net effect is a decrease in water and an increase in oil flow and production. The initial testing has focused on five different synthetic co-polymers that have two or more chemical groups. These chemicals were dissolved at a concentration of 2500 ppm into different salt solutions (sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and calcium chloride) that encompass a range of dissolved salt concentrations. For the sodium chloride and potassium chloride solutions the salt concentration ranged from 1-5 wt%. The calcium chloride dihydrate sample concentrations ranged from 0.1-1 wt%. One set of samples being aged at 25 C and a second set at 50 C. Viscosity measurements versus aging time show two of these agents may exhibit apparent self-thickening behavior under certain salinity and temperature conditions. Generally the effect is greater in lower salinity NaCl brines and at 25 C. Preliminary flow experiments confirm that the aged fluids exhibit increased effective viscosity while flowing through a porous medium (sand pack). These flow tests include the case of the chemical fluid being aged on the bench before injection into a sand pack, and also a second series of sand packs where fresh chemical fluid is injected and allowed to age in-situ. Thus, the results of the static ageing tests together with the flow tests are a technical validation of the T85 concept.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2023

Correlating Impacts of Injected Fuels on Carbon Emissions in Blast Furnace with Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling

A major challenge for steelmaking is the reduction of CO 2 emissions. In this regard, the blast furnace (BF) is critical due to the high associated CO 2 levels. This investigation assesses the impact of tuyere‐injected fuels on BF CO 2 emissions. Specifically, computational fluid dynamics results obtained previously at Purdue University Northwest are analyzed to obtain CO 2 emissions when natural gas (NG), syngas, hydrogen, or hydrogen/NG are injected. CO 2 emissions are compared with those produced when 95 kg of NG/thm is injected. Among these scenarios, the largest CO 2 reduction occurs when 102 kg of syngas/thm (COG feedstock #1) is injected at 973 K, reducing CO 2 by 190.6 kg thm −1 . The largest CO 2 reduction obtained with NG occurs when 130 kg thm −1 is injected at 600 K, reducing emissions by 65 kg thm −1 . H 2 injection also reduces CO 2 , but requires careful adjusting to reach stable operation. For instance, injecting 35 kg of H 2 /thm reduces CO 2 by 52 kg thm −1 . Increasing gaseous injection rates can significantly reduce CO 2 emissions, with fuel preheating providing an addendum, but high injection rates can lead to unstable operation. Furthermore, results show a correlation between CO 2 emissions and average temperature of shaft region for multiple fuels and injection conditions.

Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering↗

DOE OSTI2014

Subtask – CO 2 storage and enhanced bakken recovery research program

Small improvements in productivity could increase technically recoverable oil in the Bakken Petroleum System by billions of barrels. The use of CO 2 for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in tight oil reservoirs is a relatively new concept. The large-scale injection of CO 2 into the Bakken would also result in the geological storage of significant amounts of CO 2 . The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) has conducted laboratory and modeling activities to examine the potential for CO 2 storage and EOR in the Bakken. Specific activities included the characterization and subsequent modeling of North Dakota study areas as well as dynamic predictive simulations of possible CO 2 injection schemes to predict the potential CO 2 storage and EOR in those areas. Laboratory studies to evaluate the ability of CO 2 to remove hydrocarbons from Bakken rocks and determine minimum miscibility pressures for Bakken oil samples were conducted. Data from a CO 2 injection test conducted in the Elm Coulee area of Montana in 2009 were evaluated with an eye toward the possible application of knowledge gained to future injection tests in other areas. A first-order estimation of potential CO 2 storage capacity in the Bakken Formation in North Dakota was also conducted. Key findings of the program are as follows. The results of the research activities suggest that CO 2 may be effective in enhancing the productivity of oil from the Bakken and that the Bakken may hold the ability to geologically store between 120 Mt and 3.2 Gt of CO 2 . However, there are no clear-cut answers regarding the most effective approach for using CO 2 to improve oil productivity or the storage capacity of the Bakken. The results underscore the notion that an unconventional resource will likely require unconventional methods of both assessment and implementation when it comes to the injection of CO 2 . In particular, a better understanding of the fundamental mechanisms controlling the interactions between CO 2 , oil, and other reservoir fluids in these unique formations is necessary to develop accurate assessments of potential CO 2 storage and EOR in the Bakken. In addition, existing modeling and simulation software packages do not adequately address or incorporate the unique properties of these tight, unconventional reservoirs in terms of their impact on CO 2 behavior. These knowledge gaps can be filled by conducting scaled-up laboratory activities integrated with improved modeling and simulation techniques, the results of which will provide a robust foundation for pilot-scale field injection tests. Finally, field-based data on injection, fluid production, and long-term monitoring from pilot-scale CO 2 injection tests in the Bakken are necessary to verify and validate the findings of the laboratory- and modeling-based research efforts. This subtask was funded through the EERC–U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Program on Research and Development for Fossil Energy-Related Resources Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26-08NT43291. Nonfederal funding was provided by the North Dakota Industrial Commission, Marathon Oil Corporation, Continental Resources Inc., and TAQA North, Ltd.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2014

Subtask1.10 – CO 2 storage and enhanced bakken recovery research program

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

Development and Field Testing Novel Natural Gas Surface Process Equipment for Replacement of Water as Primary Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid (Final Report)

Southwest Research Institute® (SwRI ® ), Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB), and Chevron Corporation ® (Chevron) developed a novel, optimized, and lightweight process for natural gas (NG) to replace water as a low-cost fracturing medium with a low environmental impact. Hydraulic fracturing is used to increase oil and NG production by injecting high-pressure fluid, primarily water, into a rock formation, which fractures the rock and releases trapped oil and NG. This method was developed to increase yield and make feasible production areas that would not otherwise be viable for large-scale oil and NG extraction using traditional drilling technologies. Since the fracturing fluid is composed of approximately 90% water, one of the principal drawbacks to hydraulic fracturing is its excessive water use and associated large environmental footprint. According to recent data collected at fracture sites within the United States, fracturing applications in North America can consume as much as 9 million gallons of water per well. During the fracturing process, some of the fracturing fluid is permanently lost and the portion that is recovered is contaminated by both fracturing chemicals and dissolved solids from the formation. The recovered water or flow-back represents a significant environmental challenge, as it must be treated before it can be reintroduced into the natural water system. Although there is some recycling for future fracturing, the majority of the flow-back water is hauled from the well site to a treatment facility or to an injection well for permanent underground disposal. To mitigate these issues, an optimized, lightweight and modular surface process using NG to replace a majority of the water was developed as a cost-effective and environmentally clean fracturing fluid. Using NG will result in significantly less consumption since the gas that is injected as a fracturing fluid will be mixed with the formation gas and extracted as if it were from the formation itself. This process will minimize the collection, waste, and treatment of large amounts of water and will reduce the environmental impact of transporting and storing the fracturing fluid. There are two major steps involved in utilizing NG as the primary fracturing medium: (1) increasing the supply pressure of NG to wellhead pressures suitable for fracturing and (2) mixing the required chemicals and proppant needed for the fracturing process at these elevated pressures. The second step (NG-proppant mixing at elevated pressures) still requires demonstration; but very similar processes have been demonstrated in the field with other gases such as nitrogen (N 2 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). However, the first step (a compact, on-site unit for generating high-pressure NG at costs feasible for fracturing) has not been developed and is currently not commercially available. Due to the inherent compressibility of NG, more energy is required to compress the gas than what is required to pump water (or other incompressible liquids) to the very high pressure required for downhole injection. This project aimed to develop a novel, hybrid method to overcome this challenge. The project accomplishments and findings are discussed in this report. Ultimately, the research and development efforts described herein demonstrate that fracturing with NG foam is a feasible alternative to using water.

02 PETROLEUM↗

NASA NTRS1993

Hybrid propulsion based on fluid-controlled solid gas generators

The use of fuel-rich solid (gas generator-type) propellants for hybrid propulsion affords some design and utilization efficiency advantages. Both forward and aft liquid injection control concepts are evaluated from the operational standpoints of ballistics, throttling, stability and extinguishment. Steady-state and non-steady ballistics analyses are employed for this evaluation. Stability of solid motor operation is enhanced by fluid injection with adequate injector pressure drop. Efficient throttling and reliable extinguishment are attained through a combination of solid propellant combustion tailoring, grain design, control valves and sensors. Initial results from a laboratory-scale slab combustor, combining a gas generator propellant with gaseous oxygen injection, are also presented.

Cohen, Norman S.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Humate Amendment Injection Viability Testing – Supplementary Batch Mixture and Soil Column Studies

Groundwater in the Lost Lake Aquifer Zone (LLAZ) in the Southern Sector of the M-Area Hazardous Waste management Facility (HWMF) is contaminated with chlorinated ethenes, including trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE). Treatment of contaminated groundwater with humic acid is being evaluated as a potential corrective action for these volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the LLAZ in Southern Sector (SRNS, 2019). Pilot scale injections of Huma-K brand humic acid for groundwater treatment were previously performed in M-Area between 2017 and 2020 (Amidon, 2023). Groundwater was extracted from the Lost Lake Aquifer Zone (LLAZ), then a solution of humate was mixed with recovered groundwater and subsequently re-injected into the same aquifer unit. Operations of the historical humate pilot testing were discontinued in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions, low injection rates, and recirculation fluid spillage. No further field scale or laboratory research to investigate humate amended groundwater injection was performed at the SRS until 2024. At the request of Area Completion Projects (ACP), the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) performed supplementary testing to help determine the viability of further injection of humate as a remedial option for VOCs within the LLAZ in the Southern Sector of the M-Area HWMF.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2019

Microbial Metabolism and Community Dynamics in Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids Recovered From Deep Hydrocarbon-Rich Shale

Hydraulic fracturing is a prominent method of natural gas production that uses injected, high-pressure fluids to fracture low permeability, hydrocarbon rich strata such as shale. Upon completion of a well, the fluid returns to the surface (produced water) and contains natural gas, subsurface constituents, and microorganisms (Barbot et al., 2013; Daly et al., 2016). While the microbial community of the produced fluids has been studied in multiple gas wells, the activity of these microorganisms and their relation to biogeochemical activity is not well understood. In this experiment, we supplemented produced fluid with 13 C-labeled carbon sources (glucose, acetate, bicarbonate, methanol, or methane), and 15 N-labeled ammonium chloride in order to isotopically trace microbial activity over multiple day in anoxic incubations. Nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) was used to generate isotopic images of 13 C and 15 N incorporation in individual cells, while isotope ratio monitoring–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (IRM–GC–MS) was used to measure 13 CO 2 , and 13 CH 4 as metabolic byproducts. Glucose, acetate, and methanol were all assimilated by microorganisms under anoxic conditions. 13 CO 2 production was only observed with glucose as a substrate indicating that catabolic activity was limited to this condition. The microbial communities observed at 0, 19, and 32 days of incubation did not vary between different carbon sources, were low in diversity, and composed primarily of the class Clostridia . The primary genera detected in the incubations, Halanaerobium and Fusibacter , are known to be adapted to harsh physical and chemical conditions consistent with those that occur in the hydrofracturing environment. This study provides evidence that microorganisms in produced fluid are revivable in laboratory incubations and retained the ability to metabolize added carbon and nitrogen substrates.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2022

Monitoring Carbon Storage Sites with Time-Lapse Gravity Surveys

Monitoring technologies are deployed on carbon storage sites to demonstrate that the injected CO2 is contained within the storage complex during and long after the active life of the project and that the CO2 behavior is conforming to expectations. Detection of gravity variations accompanying mass redistributions in the subsurface caused by fluid movements in reservoirs provides a unique means for monitoring the dynamics of a carbon sequestration site. Time-lapse gravity surveys have a long history of effectively monitoring temporal density changes in the subsurface. However, monitoring of carbon storage sites with time-lapse gravity surveys using surface or borehole measurements remains limited, although it gained more attention during the last decade. With the recent progresses in instrument capabilities, and the increased number of fluid storage sites (e.g., wastewater, CO2, natural gas, etc.), the gravity method (with its unique ability to remotely estimate both the mass of an injected fluid and its location) has a promising future in monitoring. This chapter provides background information regarding the gravity method and discusses its modeling and application to various carbon storage sites.

Carbon Sequestration, time-lapse gravity, monitori↗

DOE OSTI2021

Wyoming CarbonSAFE: Advancing Commercialization of Low-Carbon Energy Technologies in Fossil-Rich Wyoming

Wyoming’s Powder River Basin (PRB) is the most prolific coal producer and exporter in the United States and the State of Wyoming’s largest oil-producing basin. In addition to being a leading energy producer, the PRB is the site of research programs whose aim is to develop and integrate low-carbon technologies into existing fossil fuel energy industries. Much of the PRB’s low-carbon research is focused around Dry Fork Station (DFS), which is the newest coal-fired power station in the western US. Currently, DFS hosts five carbon capture projects, including pilot-scale capture projects that utilize different capture technologies and a full front-end engineering and design (FEED) study, a commercial CO 2 pipeline for nearby CO 2 -enhanced oil recovery industry, and is also co-located with the Wyoming Integrated Test Center, which is a host facility for unconventional carbon utilization research (i.e. flue gas carbon-to-products innovations). DFS is also the host site for the Wyoming CarbonSAFE project. Wyoming CarbonSAFE, funded by the Department of Energy/National Energy Technology Laboratory, is a multi-phased program (currently in Phase II) whose core objective is developing and validating storage sites within a complex capable of storing 50 million metric tonnes of CO 2 over a 30 year project period using carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS). This paper will provide an overview of the project to-date, showing that CarbonSAFE goals are achievable with respect to geologic, environmental, regulatory, CO 2 source and economic conditions, and why the State of Wyoming offers one of the more favorable environments to advance the commercialization studies. In 2019, the project team designed and completed a ~10,000 foot stratigraphic test well just south of DFS. From this well, the team collected over 600 feet of core, fluid samples from target injection zones, and a full petrophysical log suite. In addition, legacy 2D seismic lines were acquired and a 3D seismic survey was acquired in the fall of 2020. The objective of these field activities has been to identify and characterize target storage reservoirs and associated caprock. This complex has several reservoirs that could meet commercial injection goals, and over 4000 feet of associated caprock. Simulations of site performance suggest that stacked injection provides the most effective storage strategy, and would necessitate several sites within the greater complex to meet final project injection goals. Other work within this project includes the development of a business-case around proximal fields with CO 2 -enhanced oil recovery potential and existing tax credits, assessment of regulatory conditions, including pore space ownership and Class VI injection well permitting requirements, implementation of a robust public outreach Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3821220 GHGT-15 McLaughlin 2 program, and surface site characterization activities that have focused on environmental factors. In the PRB and at DFS, the State of Wyoming and other entities have made carbon management a priority of its future energy industry by providing a regulatory and business framework that is favorable to advancing these technologies. These endeavors will become more realistic with the successful implementation of Wyoming CarbonSAFE, and its ability to secure and validate commercial-scale CCUS at the center of Wyoming’s premier low-carbon research efforts.

McLaughlin, Fred↗

NASA NTRS2009

Effectiveness of Needles Vial Adaptors and Blunt Cannulas for Drug Administration in a Microgravity Environment

The need for a new system of injectable medications aboard the International Space Station (ISS) was identified. It is desired that this system fly medications in their original manufacturer's packaging, allowing the system to comply with United States Pharmacopeia (USP) guidelines while minimizing the resupply frequency due to medication expiration. Pre-filled syringes are desired, however, the evolving nature of the healthcare marketplace requires flexibility in the redesign. If medications must be supplied in a vial, a system is required that allows for the safe withdrawal of medication from the vial into a syringe for administration in microgravity. During two reduced gravity flights, the effectiveness of two versions of a blunt cannula and needleless vial adaptors was evaluated to facilitate the withdrawal of liquid medication from a vial into a syringe for injection. Other parameters assessed included the ability to withdraw the required amount of medication and whether this is dependent on vial size, liquid, or the total volume of fluid within the vial. Injectable medications proposed for flight on ISS were used for this evaluation. Due to differing sizes of vials and the fluid properties of the medications, the needleless vial adaptors proved to be too cumbersome to recommend for use on the ISS. The blunt cannula, specifically the plastic version, proved to be more effective at removing medication from the various sizes of vials and are the recommended hardware for ISS. Fluid isolation within the vials and syringes is an important step in preparing medication for injection regardless of the hardware used. Although isolation is a challenge in the relatively short parabolas during flight, it is not an obstacle for sustained microgravity. This presentation will provide an overview of the products tested as well as the challenges identified during the microgravity flights.

Hailey, Melinda↗

DOE OSTI2014

Reducing or stopping the uncontrolled flow of fluid such as oil from a well

The uncontrolled flow of fluid from an oil or gas well may be reduced or stopped by injecting a composition including 2-cyanoacrylate ester monomer into the fluid stream. Injection of the monomer results in a rapid, perhaps instantaneous, polymerization of the monomer within the flow stream of the fluid. This polymerization results in formation of a solid plug that reduces or stops the flow of additional fluid from the well.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2025

Modeling hydraulic fracture opening and closure with proppant transport and settlement

Hydraulic fracturing is a widely used reservoir stimulation technique for improving fluid circulation in rock formations with extremely low permeability, particularly in enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). To better understand the complex processes involved and improve hydraulic stimulation performance, we have developed ELK (ELectrical fracKing), a MOOSE-based 3D finite element application designed to model the behavior of proppant-fluid mixtures in propagating fractures. ELK integrates both the fluid and proppant components, incorporating particle-driven processes such as gravity settling, particle-particle interactions, and strong density and viscosity contracts, in addition to conventional fluid-driven fracture propagation. In this contribution, we extend ELK to model propped fracture closure, which occurs after the injection phase due to a dramatic drop in the effective stress on the fracture plane. During the shut-in, flowback, and production periods, the fracture width decreases, with the closure behavior depending on proppant concentration.. At low concentrations, closure follows a nonlinear joint law linked to the stiffness of asperities in the fracture walls. While at high concentrations, it is controlled by the properties of packed proppant bed. The extended ELK application is validated against several benchmark examples, including the propagation of an inclined frictional crack, fracture opening and sliding in response to fluid injection, and flowback analysis. We believe that ELK’s enhanced capabilities can serve as a valuable tool for the design and optimization of EGS deployment.

15 - GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗