High Pressure Resistance Research Articles

Metagenomic characterization of a novel non-ammonia-oxidizing Thaumarchaeota from hadal sediment

BackgroundThe hadal sediment, found at an ocean depth of more than 6000 m, is geographically isolated and under extremely high hydrostatic pressure, resulting in a unique ecosystem. Thaumarchaeota are ubiquitous marine microorganisms predominantly present in hadal environments. While there have been several studies on Thaumarchaeota there, most of them have primarily focused on ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). However, systematic metagenomic research specifically targeting heterotrophic non-AOA Thaumarchaeota is lacking.ResultsIn this study, we explored the metagenomes of Challenger Deep hadal sediment, focusing on the Thaumarchaeota. Functional analysis of sequence reads revealed the potential contribution of Thaumarchaeota to recalcitrant dissolved organic matter degradation. Metagenome assembly binned one new group of hadal sediment-specific and ubiquitously distributed non-AOA Thaumarchaeota, named Group-3.unk. Pathway reconstruction of this new type of Thaumarchaeota also supports heterotrophic characteristics of Group-3.unk, along with ABC transporters for the uptake of amino acids and carbohydrates and catabolic utilization of these substrates. This new clade of Thaumarchaeota also contains aerobic oxidation of carbon monoxide-related genes. Complete glyoxylate cycle is a distinctive feature of this clade in supplying intermediates of anabolic pathways. The pan-genomic and metabolic analyses of metagenome-assembled genomes belonging to Group-3.unk Thaumarchaeota have highlighted distinctions, including the dihydroxy phthalate decarboxylase gene associated with the degradation of aromatic compounds and the absence of genes related to the synthesis of some types of vitamins compared to AOA. Notably, Group-3.unk shares a common feature with deep ocean AOA, characterized by their high hydrostatic pressure resistance, potentially associated with the presence of V-type ATP and di-myo-inositol phosphate syntheses-related genes. The enrichment of organic matter in hadal sediments might be attributed to the high recruitment of sequence reads of the Group-3.unk clade of heterotrophic Thaumarchaeota in the trench sediment. Evolutionary and genetic dynamic analyses suggest that Group-3 non-AOA consists of mesophilic Thaumarchaeota organisms. These results indicate a potential role in the transition from non-AOA to AOA Thaumarchaeota and from thermophilic to mesophilic Thaumarchaeota, shedding light on recent evolutionary pathways.ConclusionsOne novel clade of heterotrophic non-AOA Thaumarchaeota was identified through metagenome analysis of sediments from Challenger Deep. Our study provides insight into the ecology and genomic characteristics of the new sub-group of heterotrophic non-AOA Thaumarchaeota, thereby extending the knowledge of the evolution of Thaumarchaeota.5ZgcybfKsG2Wo48uk2DkGDVideo

The Excellent Mechanical Performance of Polymer-Coated Ceramsite Particles for Efficient Fracturing: An Explanation from a Surface, Tribological Perspective.

Hydraulic fracturing using micro-particles is an effective technology in the petroleum industry since the particles facilitate crack propagation of the shale layer, creating pathways for oil and gas. A new kind of polymer-coated ceramsite particles (PCP) was generated. The friction and wear properties of the particles under different loads and speeds were also studied. The tribological relationship between the newly fabricated polymer-coated ceramsite particles and the fracturing fluid was studied through tribological experiments under the condition of fracturing fluid lubrication. The results show that, in contrast, the wear of the new-generation particles is relatively stable, indicating that it has good adjustable friction properties. In addition, under the lubrication condition of fracturing fluid, the new-generation particles have better hydrophobicity, high-pressure resistance, and low reflux rate, which have an important value as a practical engineering application for improving shale gas production efficiency and production.

Empirical formula of buckle propagation pressure for sandwich pipes with polymer core material

The sandwich pipe, with its high hydraulic pressure resistance and thermal insulation properties, presents itself as a potential choice for deepwater oil and gas exploration. This study developed a 3D finite element numerical model using ABAQUS software to simulate the collapse propagation of sandwich pipes under the high external hydraulic pressure. A parametric analysis was undertaken using a numerical model, which had been calibrated by experimental tests. The study aimed to assess the contributions of material properties, such as yield strength and Young's modulus, as well as geometric dimension, to the collapse propagation behavior of the sandwich pipe. Moreover, a simplified empirical formula was formulated to research the propagation pressure of polymer sandwich pipes. The research also investigated the contribution of the interaction property between the core layer and inner/outer steel layer on the propagation pressure. An interfacial factor was incorporated into the present simplified empirical formula. The empirical formula was validated using experimental results and data from various sources, including real interlayer interactions observed during tests. The results indicate that this formula offers an accurate prediction of the propagation pressure for polymer sandwich pipes.

Study on heat transfer characteristics of supercritical co2 printed circuit heat exchangers with different shape channels

Printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) is a microchannel heat exchanger. Because of its high efficiency, high pressure and high temperature resistance, it has been widely used in photovoltaic power generation, nuclear energy and other fields. In particular, the research on the cross section shape of heat exchanger channel has been widely concerned by researchers. In this paper, the PCHE performance of semi-circular, square and trapezoidal channels with the same inlet and outlet area is compared under the pressure of 8MPa. The heat transfer performance of the mass flow rate in the range of 500-2000 kg /(m2) under three cross section shapes was investigated. The results show that the heat transfer effect of fluid in the trapezoidal channel is obviously better than the other two channels. This is mainly because the heat exchange contact area of cold and hot fluids in the trapezoidal channel is large, resulting in an increase in heat exchange between cold and hot fluids. When the inlet velocity is the same, the Reynolds number of the fluid in the trapezoidal channel is larger. The outlet temperature of the cold fluid in the trapezoidal channel is 7.9% higher than that in the semi-circular channel and 4.1% higher than that in the rectangular channel. The outlet temperature of the hot fluid in the trapezoidal channel is 6.28% lower than that in the semi-circular interface channel and 3.4% lower than that in the square channel. The trapezoidal channel has better PCHE heat transfer effect and better heat transfer performance.

Signature of Superconductivity in Pressurized La4Ni3O10

The discovery of high-temperature superconductivity near 80 K in bilayer nickelate La3Ni2O7 under high pressures has renewed the exploration of superconducting nickelate in bulk materials. The extension of superconductivity in other nickelates in a broader family is also essential. Here, we report the experimental observation of superconducting signature in trilayer nickelate La4Ni3O10 under high pressures. By using a modified sol-gel method and post-annealing treatment under high oxygen pressure, we successfully obtained polycrystalline La4Ni3O10 samples with different transport behaviors at ambient pressure. Then we performed high-pressure electrical resistance measurements on these samples in a diamond-anvil-cell apparatus. Surprisingly, the signature of possible superconducting transition with a maximum transition temperature (T c) of about 20 K under high pressures is observed, as evidenced by a clear drop of resistance and the suppression of resistance drops under magnetic fields. Although the resistance drop is sample-dependent and relatively small, it appears in all of our measured samples. We argue that the observed superconducting signal is most likely to originate from the main phase of La4Ni3O10. Our findings will motivate the exploration of superconductivity in a broader family of nickelates and shed light on the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of high-T c superconductivity in nickelates.

Superconductivity in the High-Entropy Ceramics Ti0.2 Zr0.2 Nb0.2 Mo0.2 Ta0.2 Cx with Possible Nontrivial Band Topology.

Topological superconductors have drawn significant interest from the scientific community due to the accompanying Majorana fermions. Here, the discovery of electronic structure and superconductivity (SC) in high-entropy ceramics Ti0.2 Zr0.2 Nb0.2 Mo0.2 Ta0.2 Cx (x=1 and 0.8) combined with experiments and first-principles calculations is reported. The Ti0.2 Zr0.2 Nb0.2 Mo0.2 Ta0.2 Cx high-entropy ceramics show bulk type-II SC with Tc ≈ 4.00 K (x=1) and 2.65 K (x=0.8), respectively. The specific heat jump (∆C/γTc ) is equal to 1.45 (x=1) and 1.52 (x=0.8), close to the expected value of 1.43 for the BCS superconductor in the weak coupling limit. The high-pressure resistance measurements show a robust SC against high physical pressure in Ti0.2 Zr0.2 Nb0.2 Mo0.2 Ta0.2 C, with a slight Tc variation of 0.3K within 82.5 GPa. Furthermore, the first-principles calculations indicate that the Dirac-like point exists in the electronic band structures of Ti0.2 Zr0.2 Nb0.2 Mo0.2 Ta0.2 C, which is potentially a topological superconductor. The Dirac-like point is mainly contributed by the d orbitals of transition metals M and the p orbitals of C. The high-entropy ceramics provide an excellent platform for the fabrication of novel quantum devices, and the study may spark significant future physics investigations in this intriguing material.

Investigation of Gas-liquid Separation Experiment of Electric Pump Drainage and Gas Extraction Unit in High Gas-liquid Ratio Gas Wells

Given the prominent problem of water in the Tarim basin of China with high formation temperature and large water production, a preferred scheme of electric pump drainage and gas extraction unit for gas fields with a high gas-liquid ratio is proposed by the mechanical principle and structural design method. Then, the corresponding electric pumps were developed, and the drainage and gas extraction scheme of a permanent magnet electric pump unit with gas-liquid separation in the way of an inverted deflector is designed. Through indoor experiments simulating the downhole gas-liquid ratio environment, the gas-liquid separation ability and adaptability of the design scheme under different good conditions are verified. The results obtained demonstrate that the cable connection process can meet the requirements of high-pressure resistance (≥25 MPa), and the gas-liquid separation effect is very good in vertical wells by adopting the inverted deflector scheme. The separation effect exceeded 90% under different working conditions (production from 30 to 150 m3/day and inhalation gas-liquid ratio from 50% to 95% and even higher) in the experiment with high gas content. The results will promote the gas recovery rate of high gas-liquid ratio gas fields and improve extraction efficiency.

Research on shell-side heat and mass transfer with multi-component in LNG spiral-wound heat exchanger under sloshing conditions

The spiral-wound heat exchanger (SWHE) is the primary low-temperature heat exchanger for large-scale LNG plants due to its high-pressure resistance, compact structure, and high heat exchange efficiency. This paper studied the shell-side heat and mass transfer characteristics of vapor-liquid two-phase mixed refrigerants in an SWHE by combining a multi-component model in FLUENT software with a customized multicomponent mass transfer model. Besides, the mathematical model under the sloshing condition was obtained through mathematical derivation, and the corresponding UDF code was loaded into FLUENT as the momentum source term. The results under the sloshing conditions were compared with the relevant parameters under the steady-state condition. The shell-side heat and mass transfer characteristics of the SWHE were investigated by adjusting the component ratio and other working conditions. It was found that the sloshing conditions enhance the heat transfer performance and sometimes have insignificant effects. The sloshing condition is beneficial to reduce the flow resistance. The comprehensive performance of multi-component refrigerants has been improved and the improvement is more significant under sloshing conditions, considering both the heat transfer and pressure drop. These results will provide theoretical support for the research and design of multi-component heat and mass transfer enhancement of LNG SWHE under ocean sloshing conditions.

Research on the Suitability of High-Density Leakage Plugging in Offshore High Temperature and High Pressure Wells

A large number of fractured formations are developed in the high-temperature and high-pressure formations of the Yingqiong Basin in the South China Sea. During drilling, the risk of lost circulation is ex-tremely high, which will cause complex downhole accidents and seri-ously affect the drilling speed.In order to realize safe and efficient plugging of HPHT Wells, the following studies are carried out in this paper: Firstly, the characteristics of leakage, types of leakage and plug-ging and prevention mechanism of HPHT formation in Yingqiong Ba-sin are clarified based on core and indoor rock mechanics experiments. Secondly, a simulated plugging evaluation device with high tempera-ture resistance of 180 °C and high pressure resistance of 20Mpa was in-vented and applied to accurately evaluate the reservoir leakage behav-ior in Yingqiong Basin. Finally, a series of anti-high temperature plug-ging agents adapted to different loss types are systematically selected for the first time for different formation fracture types and the plugging effect is evaluated. In this study, through mechanism research, device research and development, accurate evaluation, the shaft wall pressure equivalent increased to 0.1g/cm3 without leakage. It provides technical support for the subsequent ultra-high temperature and high pressure stratum with weak leakage and narrow pressure window.

In-situ construction of MOF-5 derivatives photoanode for the rapid degradation of antibiotics: Electrochemical deposition and self-growth strategy

Traditional powder-coated photoanodes suffer from poor interfacial-tightness and high complex interfacial mass transfer resistance. In addition, the treatment rate of photoanodes on antibiotics is limited due to the electrode active area and the mutual restriction between the electrode and the height of treated liquid. Ar-ZnO/Ti3+-TiO2-NTs photoanode in this study solved the above problems. Ti3+-TiO2 nanotubes (Ti3+-TiO2-NTs) after electrochemical reduction were used as the conductive substrate. MOF-5 was grown in situ on the substrate by pulsed deposition and microwave hydrothermal self-assembly, which provided both high active sites and effective photosensitivity. Finally, Ar-ZnO/Ti3+-TiO2-NTs photoanode was constructed after reduction atmosphere sculpture. The stable structure of TiO2 hollow nanotubes and the three-dimensional network structure of MOF-5 were beneficial to improve the high-pressure resistance of the structure in the process of photoanode application. Meanwhile, the reduced self-doping of Ti3+ enhanced the substrate conductivity, the pulsed deposition of Zn decreased ion leaching, and the microwave accelerated the self-assembly process of MOF-5. The Ar-ZnO/Ti3+-TiO2-NTs photoanode performed excellent degradability for multiple antibiotics (greater than 90%, 60 min) with the photoelectrocatalytic synergy factor of 21.16, and the performance was maintained after three months. This work enriched photoelectrode development, and provide novel ideas for MOFs to participate in antibiotic removal.

In-situ ultrasonic measurement for hydrate pressure cores sampled by deep sea drilling

Deep sea drilling core detection and analysis is a convenient technology deployed by drilling platforms or geological exploration vessels. This paper develops an in-situ ultrasonic detection unit which can be combined with long distance pressure-holding transfer of hydrate cores, based on the original Pressure-core On-board Transfer and Analysis System (POTAS). The screw-in design of transducers allows for rapid adjustments in measurement distance during hydrate core transfer, while effectively solving the problems of high-pressure resistance. The drilling depth and core diameter are firstly used as parameters for wave velocity calculation. The method simplifies the solution and error analysis of in-situ ultrasonic measurement of hydrate pressure cores under complex drilling operation conditions. The introduction of two engineering-related parameters takes full account of the influence of sedimental burial depths and drilling tool selection on in-situ ultrasonic detection, and provides important support for ultrasonic measurements of hydrate pressure cores.

An overview of the mechanical features of human occupied vehicles

Scientists are using human occupied vehicles to explore underwater environments. There are several mechanical features used in the design of human occupied vehicles. These mechanical features are primarily based on environmental factors such as high external pressure, low temperature, and corrosion resistance. In this paper, human occupied vehicles rated for 6,000 m depth are studied, including Alvin, Jiaolong, MIR-1/MIR-2, Nautile, and Shinkai 6500, as well as vehicles rated at 11,000 m depth, like Deep Sea Challenger, Fendouzhe, and Triton. As a review, this paper examines various mechanical systems in human occupied vehicles, such as the pressure hull, hatch, ballast system, trim system, exo-structure, and syntactic foam. Highlights Features of various human occupied vehicles up to 11,000 m of sea water Comparison of spherical pressure hull, hatch and viewports Various ballast systems adapted in different human occupied vehicle Size and shape of the pressure casings / enclosures Drop weight mechanism used in different human occupied vehicles

Vitamin D improves hepatic alterations in ACE1 and ACE2 expression in experimentally induced metabolic syndrome

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a term used to describe a cluster of pathophysiological, biochemical, and metabolic criteria; including high Blood Pressure (BP), high cholesterol, dyslipidaemia, central obesity and Insulin Resistance (IR). The Renin Angiotensin System (RAS) has a regulatory function in BP, hydroelectrolyte balance, and cardiovascular function. RAS is composed of angiotensinogen (AGT), (Ang I), (Ang II), (ACE1), (ACE2), (AT1R), (AT2R), and (Ang 1–7). Vitamin D had been proved to act as a protective factor against MetS. Therefore, the study is pursued to explore vitamin D supplementation roles on hepatic RAS in MetS experimental model. At first, 36 males Albino rats were separated into 4 groups and induced to MetS under controlled circumstances for 3 months. Then, data were collected from blood samples, whereas RNA extracted from liver were analyzed using biochemical and statistical analysis tests. As a result, the major finding was proving that vitamin D can balance the expression of ACE1 and ACE2. Also, confirming that it can improve MetS components by elevating HDL and insulin levels while reducing the levels of BP, cholesterol, LDL, TG, GLU, ALT, AST, and IR. These outcomes may give a new insight into the RAS pathways associated with MetS.

Signatures of superconductivity near 80 K in a nickelate under high pressure.

Although high-transition-temperature (high-Tc) superconductivity in cuprates has been known for more than three decades, the underlying mechanism remains unknown1-4. Cuprates are the only unconventional superconductors that exhibit bulk superconductivity with Tc above the liquid-nitrogen boiling temperature of 77 K. Here we observe that high-pressure resistance and mutual inductive magnetic susceptibility measurements showed signatures of superconductivity in single crystals of La3Ni2O7 with maximum Tc of 80 K at pressures between 14.0 GPa and 43.5 GPa. The superconducting phase under high pressure has an orthorhombic structure of Fmmm space group with the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] orbitals of Ni cations strongly mixing with oxygen 2p orbitals. Our density functional theory calculations indicate that the superconductivity emerges coincidently with the metallization of the σ-bonding bands under the Fermi level, consisting of the [Formula: see text] orbitals with the apical oxygen ions connecting the Ni-O bilayers. Thus, our discoveries provide not only important clues for the high-Tc superconductivity in this Ruddlesden-Popper double-layered perovskite nickelates but also a previously unknown family of compounds to investigate the high-Tc superconductivity mechanism.

Design Analysis of a Helium Xenon-Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger for a Closed Brayton Cycle Microtransport Reactor

Microtransport with small size and a wide range of applications is very attractive for the utilization of future reactor modularization. A microreactor uses a closed Brayton cycle (CBC) to achieve high conversion efficiencies at low specific mass. The recuperator is one of the key components of CBC system which recovers heat exhausted from the turbine. A printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) is currently the preferred type of recuperator for the closed Brayton cycle due to its high heat transfer efficiency, high compactness, and high pressure and temperature resistance. This work intends to analyze different geometry configurations of a zigzag PCHE to increase its heat transfer efficiency while reducing its weight and size. The effect of geometric structure parameters such as channel diameter, zigzag pitch length, and zigzag angle on the Nusselt number and Fanning friction factor is investigated using a zigzag PCHE unit model. Based on the numerical simulation, the principle of least squares is employed to carry out a nonlinear fitting of the flow and heat transfer criterion correlation equations. Besides, the maximum value of the Nusselt number and minimum value of the Fanning friction factor are optimized as two conflicting objective functions using the nondominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II), with which a set of optimal solutions is obtained. Meanwhile, the shortest normalized distance is used to determine the compromised solution on the Pareto optimal points, and the independent variable’s sensitivity analysis is performed. Finally, a multiobjective optimization analysis is conducted for the PCHE to achieve lightweight and the high heat transfer efficiency design requirements of SIMONS.

Comparison of Anodic and Au-Au Thermocompression Si-Wafer Bonding Methods for High-Pressure Microcooling Devices.

Silicon-based microchannel technology offers unmatched performance in the cooling of silicon pixel detectors in high-energy physics. Although Si-Si direct bonding, used for the fabrication of cooling plates, also meets the stringent requirements of this application (its high-pressure resistance of ~200 bar, in particular), its use is reported to be a challenging and expensive process. In this study, we evaluated two alternative bonding methods, aiming toward a more cost-effective fabrication process: Si-Glass-Si anodic bonding (AB) with a thin-film glass, and Au-Au thermocompression (TC). The bonding strengths of the two methods were evaluated with destructive pressure burst tests (0-690 bar) on test structures, each made of a 1 × 2 cm2 silicon die etched with a tank and an inlet channel and sealed with a plain silicon die using either the AB or TC bonding. The pressure resistance of the structures was measured to be higher for the TC-sealed samples (max. 690 bar) than for the AB samples (max. 530 bar), but less homogeneous. The failure analysis indicated that the AB structure resistance was limited by the adhesion force of the deposited layers. Nevertheless, both the TC and AB methods provided sufficient bond quality to hold the high pressure required for application in high-energy physics pixel detector cooling.

Simulation of a pillow plate thermosiphon reboiler using an equivalent tube bundle geometry

Pillow plate thermosiphon reboilers are innovative heat exchangers due to their compactness, flexible design options as well as high temperature and pressure resistance. Furthermore, thanks to their design they stabilize the recirculation flow and thus extend the operating range. However, due to their special geometry, available simulation tools do not allow for a quantitative rating or sizing. In this study, the geometry of a pillow plate apparatus is converted to an equivalent shell and tube geometry. It is investigated whether experimentally obtained results in a pillow plate thermosiphon reboiler can be reproduced by using that geometric equivalent in two industrial heat exchanger simulation tools. Eight experimental cases with varied operating pressures, submergences, and driving temperature differences are studied and compared to simulation results based on the geometrical equivalent. Both simulation tools provide acceptable results with deviations between +15% and −30% compared to the experimental determined circulation and heat flow. Additionally, they illustrate a special feature of the pillow plate thermosiphon reboiler: the pinch point appears at a shorter axial length than in a typical shell and tube thermosiphon reboiler, providing a larger area for evaporation.

Winding Pattern Planning and Control of a Filament Winding Machine for Gas-Cylinders

Filament winding reinforcement is often applied to fulfill high-pressure resistance and is lightweight for gas cylinder productions. This article analyzes the winding pattern and the corresponding characteristics for filament winding cylinders based on the resulting thickness and strength such that the gas cylinders can be made as light as possible. In order to prevent the sliding between the filament material and the cylinder surface during the winding process, a range of winding angles that do not exceed the maximum static friction at every instant is adopted. The gas cylinder geometric structure formed by a complete round of winding using different winding angles is calculated to find the winding pattern that consumes the least composite filament. The winding pattern can also be determined before production to reduce the cost and time for customized products. By sequential contact points of the winding process, motion planning can be carried out for a four-axis filament winding machine.

Research on Downhole Gas Separation Method Based on a PDMS Separation Membrane

Safe and efficient deep drilling is a fundamental requirement for the development of oil and gas resources. In this regard, the application of membrane separation technology for drilling fluid gas separation and monitoring is highly significant. In this study, several commonly used permeable membrane materials were analyzed, and a PDMS separation membrane was preliminarily selected as a suitable material for downhole gas separation. We designed an experimental setup to investigate the separation performance of PDMS membranes. The effects of the separation pressure difference, operating temperature, and membrane thickness on the performance of PDMS membranes were analyzed, and the microstructure changes in the PDMS membrane under high temperature and pressure were observed using a scanning electron microscopy. The experimental results showed that PDMS membranes with a thickness of 150–200 μm can work stably and maintain good strength and permeability at a separation pressure difference of 1.1 MPa and a temperature of 150 °C. The SEM observations revealed that the PDMS separation membrane had a smooth surface and uniform microstructure after continuous operations for 15 h under the temperature and pressure conditions, without any cracks, demonstrating high temperature and pressure resistance. These research results provide an important reference for the application of PDMS separation membranes in downhole gas separation technology.

Experimental Study on Microbial Attachment Degree of New Polymer Nanomaterials on the Surface of Oil Field Development Platform Equipment

Nanomaterials have surface effects and quantum size effects, which can affect the structure and function of some biological macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acid molecules. Nanomaterials were introduced into the development of Marine antifouling paint to solve the attachment problem of Marine fouling organisms. In this paper, the method of gene cloning was used to identify the early microbial species of oil field development platform equipment fouling. Finally, the antifouling effect of 13 kinds of nanomaterials and their combinations was tested by conventional PCR and real-time quantitative PCR. The experimental simulation shows that titanium nano polymer alloy coatings have obvious technical advantages in adhesion, impact resistance, coating hardness, wear resistance, high temperature resistance, high pressure resistance and chemical corrosion resistance.