- New
- Research Article
- 10.3390/pr14091364
- Apr 24, 2026
- Processes
- Giedrius Girskas + 2 more
This study investigates the influence of waste-based materials, namely drinking water treatment sludge (DWTS) and expanded glass production waste (EGPW), on the properties of fine-grained concrete when used as partial Portland cement replacements. Fine-grained concrete mixtures containing different proportions of DWTS and EGPW were evaluated in terms of hydration behavior, microstructural development, mechanical performance, durability, and dimensional stability. Density, ultrasonic pulse velocity, water absorption, flexural and compressive strengths, drying shrinkage, and porosity parameters were determined, while frost resistance was assessed and predicted based on porosity characteristics. Hydration kinetics were analyzed using X-ray diffraction and semi-adiabatic calorimetry. The results showed that increasing EGPW content enhanced cement hydration processes and promoted matrix densification through pozzolanic reactions, resulting in reduced water absorption and improved mechanical properties. In contrast, DWTS exhibited an inhibiting effect on hydration due to its inert nature and high Fe2O3 content, acting primarily as a micro-filler; however, when combined with EGPW at moderate dosages, DWTS contributed positively to flexural strength and slightly reduced drying shrinkage. The combined use of DWTS and EGPW enabled the formation of a balanced pore structure and improved the durability of fine-grained concrete. Among the tested mixtures, ED-3 (7.5% EGPW + 5% DWTS) provided the most favorable balance between hydration activation and binder reduction, while the highest frost resistance was achieved by the ED-4 mixture, reaching approximately 603 predicted freeze–thaw cycles. Overall, the results indicate that properly optimized combinations of EGPW and DWTS can significantly enhance the performance and durability of fine-grained concrete while controlling drying shrinkage.
- New
- Research Article
- 10.3390/pr14091360
- Apr 24, 2026
- Processes
- Qiang Li + 6 more
As global energy demand continues to grow, the inherent safety requirements for natural gas long-distance pipelines are becoming increasingly stringent. Therefore, accurately analyzing the trends in pipeline defects using multi-round internal inspection data is of great significance for enhancing pipeline inherent safety levels and reducing the risk of pipeline medium leakage. However, existing pipeline in-line inspection data alignment methods for long-distance multi-round pipeline data alignment suffer from cumbersome alignment procedures and low computational efficiency. This paper proposes an adaptive threshold dynamic time warping defect alignment method (Adaptive Dynamic Threshold-Dynamic Time Warping, ADTH-DTW) for rapidly matching multi-round in-line inspection data. A new multi-round in-line inspection data alignment framework based on valve-weld-defect is established. By integrating the DTW algorithm into each alignment stage, unnecessary manual effort is avoided, significantly improving data alignment efficiency. First, the ADTH method is used to clean redundant weld seam data in the in-line inspection data. By dynamically generating expected values and combining an intelligent point selection strategy, the method accurately identifies and removes interfering data. Additionally, valve chamber data is used to correct the overall mileage, providing a data foundation for subsequent defect alignment. Second, the dynamic time warping algorithm is used to align weld seam data and establish a data mapping table. Finally, relative displacement methods are employed to achieve defect matching. The validation results from three rounds of in-vehicle inspection data tested on-site indicate that the ADTH-DTW algorithm achieves an average 23.08% improvement in alignment accuracy compared to methods such as DTW, KL divergence, JS divergence, and linear interpolation, with computational efficiency nearly tripled. This effectively addresses the issue of incompatible computational efficiency and accuracy in existing data alignment algorithms, thereby enhancing the intrinsic safety level of natural gas long-distance pipelines.
- New
- Research Article
- 10.3390/pr14091365
- Apr 24, 2026
- Processes
- Jiayi Guo + 2 more
The efficient capture of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (Cl-VOCs) represents a significant challenge in environmental protection and sustainable chemical engineering. In this study, a functional deep eutectic solvent (DES) composed of tetrabutylphosphonium bromide ([P4444][Br]) and levulinic acid (LEV) at a 1:2 molar ratio was prepared, and its absorption performance toward two typical Cl-VOCs, namely dichloromethane (DCM) and chloroform (TCM), was evaluated using this DES as a recyclable absorbent. Based on COSMO-SAC model predictions and experimental validation, the [P4444][Br]–LEV (1:2) system was identified as the preferred candidate. Under mild conditions (10 °C, N2 flow rate of 100 mL/min), the saturated absorption capacities of this DES reached 1521.71 mg/g and 1620.30 mg/g for DCM and TCM, respectively. The absorbent exhibited favorable regeneration stability over five consecutive absorption–desorption cycles, retaining over 90% of its initial absorption efficiency. Mechanistic studies, including proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) , DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry), TGA (Thermogravimetric Analysis) and quantum chemical calculations , including electrostatic potential (ESP), independent gradient model (IGM), and reduced density gradient (RDG), demonstrated that the absorption process was dominated by physical interactions such as hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces, with no chemical reactions involved. At the laboratory scale, this DES system showed excellent Cl-VOCs absorption performance, providing a useful reference for the rational design of high-efficiency VOC absorbents.
- New
- Research Article
- 10.3390/pr14091363
- Apr 24, 2026
- Processes
- Jing Li + 10 more
The reservoir quality and gas-bearing properties of the Wufeng Formation–Longmaxi Formation shale vary significantly across different structural units in the Luzhou area of the Sichuan Basin. The mechanisms of shale gas enrichment, tectonic controls, and accumulation models are critical determinants of the potential for three-dimensional (3D) development. Integrating data from core analyses, logging interpretation, focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), and high-resolution core scanning, this study investigates the control exerted by fracture development and tectonic activity on shale gas enrichment and preservation. A conceptual model for shale gas enrichment and accumulation is established, and the potential for 3D development of deep shale gas in the Luzhou block is evaluated. The results indicate that: (1) Reservoir heterogeneity in deep shale gas plays is jointly governed by reservoir space characteristics, diagenesis, structural position, tectonic evolution, and fracture-fluid activity. Organic-rich siliceous shales retain favorable reservoir properties, characterized by an organic matter (OM) pore-dominated pore structure, relatively high porosity and permeability, and good gas-bearing potential due to overpressure preservation. (2) Structural style exerts dominant control over the gas-bearing variability. Synclines are significantly more favorable than anticlines, with free gas migration governing the enrichment pattern. The cores and flanks of synclines form zones of high gas content due to structural integrity, whereas the gas content decreases in anticlinal areas near faults. (3) Shale gas enrichment relies on the synergistic configuration of “high organic carbon content + high-quality pore reservoir space + robust structural preservation conditions.” Well L213 in the syncline core, distant from faults, exhibits good structural integrity and preservation conditions. Free gas from structurally lower positions migrates laterally toward the flanking anticlines, with a portion preserved in the syncline flanks. Concurrently, microfractures enhance reservoir storage and permeability, rendering syncline structures more conducive to shale gas preservation. (4) The high-quality shale succession in the study area is thick and laterally continuous, characterized by “vertical stacked pay zones.” This provides an excellent geological foundation for 3D development. By optimizing the well trajectory design and employing efficient fracturing technologies, such as “intensive fracturing” combined with temporary plugging and diversion, full and balanced utilization of vertically stacked sweet spot reservoirs can be achieved, significantly enhancing the single-well productivity and estimated ultimate recovery (EUR).
- New
- Research Article
- 10.3390/pr14091372
- Apr 24, 2026
- Processes
- Yinwei Li + 5 more
With the implementation of market-oriented electricity trading in an increasing number of countries, accurate electricity price forecasting can not only help participants in the electricity market to make more reasonable decisions but also enable regulators to have a more reliable regulatory basis. Therefore, it is necessary to propose an appropriate electricity price forecasting method. In view of the insufficiency of the traditional models in dealing with nonlinear and non-stationary data, to improve the detection ability of the model for hidden information in data and considering the high randomness of electricity price data, this paper proposes an electricity price forecasting method based on singular spectrum analysis (SSA) to decompose the original sequence and combines it with an extreme learning machine (ELM) optimized by the grey wolf optimizer (GWO). First, SSA is used to decompose the original sequence, and then the ELM is used to predict each subsequence and add them, in which the number of neurons in the hidden layer of each ELM is jointly optimized by the GWO. To verify the effectiveness of the SSA–GWO–ELM model, a total of 2106 days of electricity price data in Victoria, Australia, were selected for modeling. The results show that the prediction accuracy of the model proposed in this paper is significantly higher than that of the other comparison models, and the R2 score is as high as 0.989, which is 0.017 higher than that of the suboptimal SSA–ELM. It can also maintain strong robustness and high prediction accuracy for heterogeneous data on power demand. SSA has the potential for real-time prediction, which can provide reliable data support for electricity market participants and supervisors.
- New
- Research Article
- 10.3390/pr14091361
- Apr 24, 2026
- Processes
- Andrij Milenin
This study investigates the thermal and vibration-attenuation performance of a novel 7-inch FPV drone frame manufactured from cast AZ31 magnesium alloy (MG), compared to 6061-T6 aluminum (AL) and carbon fiber (CF) composite structures under an extreme payload of 2 kg. Using quantitative spectral analysis of Blackbox flight logs, the research demonstrates that the MG frame provides superior system-level vibration damping, particularly under high-stress conditions. Under a 2 kg payload, the MG frame exhibited a 49% reduction in vibration power compared to the AL frame. Spectral data identified primary resonance peaks for the MG frame at 147 Hz (0 kg) and 204 Hz (2 kg), whereas the AL frame showed significantly higher frequency peaks at 179.5 Hz (0 kg) and 239.4 Hz (2 kg). Comparative modal hammer tests further validated these findings, with the magnesium design exhibiting lower impulse energy (0.22 mW/Hz) and faster decay than aluminum (0.24 mW/Hz). Thermal imaging analysis showed better motor cooling for the metallic frames; average motor temperatures on the magnesium frame (51.8 °C) and AL frame (50.3 °C) were significantly lower than on the CF structure (77.5 °C). The findings establish that AZ31 magnesium alloy offers an excellent synergy of lightweight stiffness and damping capacity, making it a viable alternative for heavy-duty FPV platforms requiring high signal integrity.
- New
- Research Article
- 10.3390/pr14091362
- Apr 24, 2026
- Processes
- Mingqiang Gao + 5 more
Lignite particles generate considerable dust during drying due to structural damage, which increases the dust removal costs of the drying system, pollutes the environment, and raises the risk of combustion and explosion, thereby posing a threat to the safety of the drying system. Moisture plays a crucial role in the structural damage of lignite particles during drying. In this study, lignite samples with moisture contents of 60%, 36%, and 18% were prepared and dried in hot air at 200 °C. The transfer behavior of moisture in the pore structure was investigated, and the evolution of the pore structure was observed. The relationship between pore structure evolution and moisture transfer behavior was correlated, and the mechanism of structural damage under the action of moisture during the drying process was proposed. The results demonstrated that the moisture in large pores was transported rapidly in the form of a gas–liquid mixture; the liquid moisture in the pores boiled into water vapor, and the water vapor pressure was the main reason for the destruction of the pore structure. For raw lignite, the total pore volume decreased sharply from 0.92 to 0.37 mL/g within the first 360 s of drying, and the fractal dimension dropped from 2.701 to 2.545, indicating severe pore collapse. However, the moisture in small pores migrated by molecular diffusion, which is nondestructive to the lignite structure.
- New
- Research Article
- 10.3390/pr14091369
- Apr 24, 2026
- Processes
- Chunhong Xiao + 4 more
Deciphering the dynamic fracture evolution of rock masses, particularly the interaction between dynamic stress waves and localised weak interlayers, is essential for optimising dynamic rock excavation in mining engineering. To systematically explore how these structural planes halt propagating cracks and generate a dynamic shielding effect, this study integrated Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar experiments, Digital Image Correlation techniques, and computational modeling. The findings demonstrate that altering the geometric orientation of the soft layer dictates the ultimate failure pattern. While an orthogonal interface (i.e., an interface with 0° inclination perpendicular to the loading direction) allows a tension-driven crack to cleave directly through the entire composite specimen, introducing an inclined obliquity of 15° forces the advancing fracture to deviate and permanently halt inside the soft stratum. Macroscopically, this barrier capability is validated by a rapid decrease in fracture speed, which drops abruptly by 75.5% upon encountering the inclined zone. Microscopic numerical evaluations confirm that this fracture arrest originates from wave mode conversion at the misaligned boundary. The angled interface forces incoming compressional pulses to transform into intense shear stresses, promoting extensive fracture. Substantial energy dissipation within the interlayer fully deprives the primary crack of the tensile stress required for propagation, effectively confining the stress-propagated hard rock within an energy shadow zone and suppressing further fragmentation.
- New
- Research Article
- 10.3390/pr14091337
- Apr 22, 2026
- Processes
- Zheng Sun + 8 more
Light hydrocarbons in shale oil readily volatilize during conventional coring, surface handling, storage, and laboratory preparation. The resulting evaporative loss causes systematic underestimation of Rock-Eval S1 peak (free hydrocarbons measured by programmed pyrolysis), which can bias oil-bearing evaluation, sweet-spot delineation, and resource assessment. Here we investigate Chang 73 lacustrine shale oil in the Ordos Basin (China) using frozen cores recovered by pressure-retained coring from four wells. Time-series Rock-Eval pyrolysis and thermal desorption–gas chromatography (TD–GC) were used to quantify the magnitude, temporal evolution, and practical equilibrium time of light-hydrocarbon loss and to establish a practical restoration model. S1 decreases with storage time and exhibits a clear two-stage behavior. Shale shows a rapid-loss stage during 0–90 days, followed by a practical equilibrium stage after 90 days (S1 change less than 5%). Sandstone interbeds lose light hydrocarbons faster and more completely, reaching practical equilibrium after 60 days. TD–GC indicates that the lost fraction is dominated by n-alkane components lighter than C13, with gaseous hydrocarbons showing the greatest depletion; medium and heavy fractions decrease modestly. Loss is coupled with progressive desorption from kerogen and clays, leading to enrichment of heavier components in the residual free hydrocarbons and a shift of the modal carbon number toward higher values. At the shale equilibrium time, total organic carbon (TOC) and vitrinite reflectance (Ro) jointly control the restoration factor K. We propose a two-parameter restoration model: K = (0.4024·ln (TOC) + 0.821)·(0.652·Ro + 0.4292). Applying the model to more than 50 conventionally cored wells reveals that the Qingyang–Zhengning area in the southwestern basin is the principal enrichment zone of original free hydrocarbons, followed by the Jiyuan area in the north and the Huachi area in the central basin, whereas the eastern basin is relatively depleted. The workflow provides a robust and transferable approach for correcting S1 and improving shale-oil evaluation in lacustrine systems.
- New
- Research Article
- 10.3390/pr14091335
- Apr 22, 2026
- Processes
- Jiawei Hu + 4 more
Natural gas reservoirs characterized by high heterogeneity and containing bottom-bound water often face the problem of water intrusion, making it difficult to recover the recoverable gas. This paper addresses the issue of enhanced gas recovery in water-flooded reservoirs and, through high-temperature, high-pressure long-core displacement experiments, investigates the displacement effects of different reservoir properties and injection media (dry gas, N2, CO2) under simulated water-flooding conditions. The experiment utilized two sets of sandstone cores—one with moderate permeability (304.8 mD) and one with high permeability (1004.6 mD). Three cores from each set were spliced together to form a 0.9 m long core, simulating the gas injection and displacement process following water infiltration. The results indicate that while water intrusion occurs more rapidly in high-permeability reservoirs, gas injection yields better recovery results than in medium-permeability reservoirs. Among the three injection media, dry gas demonstrated the best displacement efficiency, followed by N2, with CO2 performing the worst. CO2 tends to react with highly mineralized formation water under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions, forming precipitates and causing energy to be absorbed by the water, which reduces displacement efficiency. It is recommended that dry gas injection be used for enhanced recovery in the moderate-permeability reservoirs of the Y gas field, while N2 injection may be considered for the high-permeability reservoirs to balance effectiveness and cost. The research results provide experimental support for subsequent gas injection to enhance gas recovery in this gas field.