Experimental Study on Displacement of Water by Sub-Zero N-Hexanol in a Straight Channel

Chengyu Huang, Wenhua Wang, Yunze Xu and Weizhong Li
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Chengyu Huang: Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Wenhua Wang: School of Naval Architecture, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Yunze Xu: School of Naval Architecture, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Weizhong Li: Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 20, 1-21

Abstract: Series of displacement tests of water by cold n-hexanol (below 0 °C) in a straight tube were conducted to investigate the freezing-accompanied displacement process, which occurs during the cryogenic fracturing process. The interrelationship between water freezing and displacement flow was studied. It was found that the displacement flow could significantly affect the water distribution in the flow channel. Along with the displacement proceeding, the n-hexanol overtook the water in the flow direction gradually, and the water in the center of the channel was driven to the edge area. Moreover, the initially integrated water phase split into several parts during the displacement process. Once the water freezing occurred, two typical ice blockage patterns, i.e., complete ice blockage and incomplete ice blockage, were observed. In incomplete ice blockage pattern, the channel cross-section was partly occupied by the ice phase, which mainly affected the rate of subsequent fluid flow. In complete ice blockage pattern, the channel cross-section was fully occupied by the ice phase, which cut off the fluid flow in the original direction. Based on the test results, the influences of the initial water temperature, initial water column length and flow rate of n-hexanol on the formation of different ice blockage patterns are discussed. The decrease of the initial water temperature and the increase of the initial water column length are preferred to induce the occurrence of complete ice blockage. However, changing n-hexanol flow rate could lead to the occurrence of both incomplete ice blockage and complete ice blockage, which depends on the actual situations.

Keywords: immiscible displacement; water freezing; ice blockage; cryogenic fracturing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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