Search Results (137)

In recent years, screen pipe scaling and blockage have occurred in dozens of wells in the Fuling Shale Gas Field, seriously affecting the normal production of gas wells. Investigations show that similar problems exist in the Weirong Shale Gas Field of Sinopec Southwest Branch, and the Changning and Weiyuan Shale Gas Fields of PetroChina. Although well production has been restored through pipe inspection operations, key issues specific to shale gas wells remain unresolved, including the scaling mechanism under gas–liquid two-phase flow regimes unique to horizontal shale gas wells, the scale deposition law at screen pipes caused by complex flow direction changes, and the targeted prevention technologies for high-hardness BaSO₄ scale in high-salinity produced water. By jointly conducting research on the scaling mechanism and prevention technology of shale gas wellbores with Southwest Petroleum University, the Fuling Shale Gas Field has identified the reasons why the amount of BaSO₄ scaling increases with the decrease in pressure and temperature, while it increases with the increase in gas–water ratio. It has clarified the influencing characteristics of factors such as pressure, temperature, gas–water ratio and pipe wall roughness. The amount of scaling on the tubing wall of shale gas wells in this area is very small, and blockage mainly occurs at and near the screen pipe. Due to the complex flow direction change in gas and water in the screen pipe, the precipitated tiny scale particles separate, settle and accumulate, forming variable-diameter steps that continue to grow. Two agents have been developed: the LPPAS scale inhibitor and the barium-strontium-sulfate-chelating plug-removing agent, with a scale inhibition rate as high as over 90% and a scale dissolution rate over 70%, respectively, laying a foundation for the efficient and stable production of shale gas wells. Full article

In this study, X70 line pipe steels were subjected to different hot rolling treatments under three conditions with varying roughing (R) and finishing (F) reductions while maintaining the same total reduction to investigate the effect on drop weight tear test (DWTT) toughness and hydrogen-induced damage as assessed through electrochemical charging. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images were used to analyze microstructure phases and their volume fractions, while Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) provided quantitative microscopy, and X-ray analysis examined crystallographic texture. Although all steels exhibited similar microstructure phases, the effective grain size and morphology varied slightly across the thickness. As these variations were minor, the focus shifted to other microstructural features such as textural characteristics. Overall, the steel with the medium R/F reduction demonstrated improved DWTT performance and greater hydrogen cracking and blistering resistance. This was attributed to stronger Transformed Brass (TBr) and Transformed Copper (TC) components, weaker Rotated-Cube (RC) texture, and lower Kernel Average Misorientation (KAM) values. Across the three steels in this work, this study demonstrates that increased fraction of blocky austenite/martensite as secondary phases, high geometrically necessary dislocation (GND) density, and RC texture negatively affect both DWTT and hydrogen damage resistance, whereas gamma (γ)-fiber and {332}<113> textures have positive effects. Improving these metallurgical factors can therefore boost toughness and reduce hydrogen-induced damage in line-pipe steels. Full article

As oil and gas field development enters mid and late stages, steel pipeline corrosion becomes more severe, driving the adoption of non-metallic pipes. This study tested non-metallic composite pipe HDPE inner-layer materials in simulated produced water at 60 °C and 70 °C, analyzing surface structure, mechanical properties, and chemical composition via systematic analytical methods. The findings indicate that the surface roughness Ra of the sample remains stable following immersion, with no voids observed; the tensile strength of the material decreases by 8.94% and 15.36% at temperatures of 60 °C and 70 °C. Infrared research indicated that the material’s structure remained stable at both temperatures, with no occurrence of oxidation or chain scission. The environmentally corrected lifetime (24.3 years) provides a practical framework for operators in analogous Sichuan Basin conditions, bridging the gap between idealized laboratory predictions and field performance. Full article

To accurately simulate the progression of pipeline corrosion, this paper proposes a three-dimensional corrosion modeling method for curved random surfaces based on spatial frequency composition. It applies this method to the inner surface of layered pipelines to emulate both the morphological characteristics and the evolution of internal corrosion. Combined with ultrasonic guided wave technology, the approach enables quantitative assessment of internal corrosion in layered pipelines. First, trigonometric series expansion and nonlinear polynomial superposition are used to characterize the roughness and curvature of the corroded surface, respectively, establishing a mathematical model capable of accurately representing complex corrosion morphologies. Next, a COMSOL–ABAQUS co-modeling approach is employed to build a finite element model of a three-layer composite pipeline consisting of a steel pipe, an insulating layer, and an anti-corrosion layer, with curved random-surface corrosion on the inner surface of the steel pipe. Finally, a wavelet packet decomposition algorithm is applied to extract features from the guided wave echo signals, creating a damage index matrix to correlate the corrosion area with the damage index quantitatively. The results show that the damage index increases steadily with the corrosion area, confirming the effectiveness of the proposed method. This study provides an alternative technical approach for high-fidelity modeling and precise assessment of pipeline corrosion detection. Full article

Cavitation erosion is a predominant failure mode of austenitic stainless steels in corrosive fluid environments, severely limiting their durability in nuclear piping and hydraulic components. In this study, five 316LN steels with 0.008–0.34 wt.% nitrogen content were fabricated, and both short-term (2 h) and long-term (24 h) cavitation tests were performed to elucidate the effect and mechanism of nitrogen. Increasing nitrogen markedly enhanced cavitation resistance: after 24 h, the cumulative mass loss decreased by 36%, 52%, 60%, and 71% for 09N, 17N, 22N, and 34N relative to 00N, accompanied by lower surface roughness, shallower pit depth, and a prolonged incubation stage. SEM revealed a progressive damage process from twin/high-angle grain boundaries to intragranular deformation bands and finally to spalling at slip intersections, whereas high-N steels exhibited only slight local detachment. TEM demonstrated that nitrogen transformed dislocations from random networks into dense slip bands and planar arrays with stacking faults, raising hardness from ~140 HV to ~260 HV. EBSD further confirmed strain-induced martensite transformation under severe deformation, providing additional strengthening. These results reveal that nitrogen improves cavitation resistance by tailoring dislocation structures and enhancing strength–plasticity compatibility, offering guidance for the design of high-performance austenitic stainless steels in cavitation environments. Full article

When the Colebrook equation is used in its original implicit form, the unknown pipe flow friction factor can only be obtained through time-consuming and computationally demanding iterative calculations. The empirical Colebrook equation relates the unknown Darcy friction factor to a known Reynolds number and a known relative roughness of a pipe’s inner surface. It is widely used in engineering. To simplify computations, a variety of explicit approximations have been developed, the accuracy of which must be carefully evaluated. For this purpose, this Data Descriptor gives a sufficient number of pipe flow friction factor values that are computed using a highly accurate iterative algorithm to solve the implicit Colebrook equation. These values serve as reference data, spanning the range relevant to engineering applications, and provide benchmarks for evaluating the accuracy of the approximations. The sampling points within the datasets are distributed in a way that minimizes gaps in the data. In this study, a Python Version v1 script was used to generate quasi-random samples, including Halton, Hammersley, Sobol, and deterministic lattice-based Korobov samples, which produce smaller gaps than purely random samples generated for comparison purposes. Using these sequences, a total of 2²⁰ = 1,048,576 data points were generated, and the corresponding datasets are provided in in the zenodo repositoryWhen a smaller subset of points is needed, the required number of initial points from these sequences can be used directly. Full article

The deposition of particulate matter on rough pipe surfaces is critical in fields such as energy, chemical engineering, and air pollution control. This study employs a combined approach utilizing the Renormalized Group (RNG) k-ɛ model and the discrete phase model (DPM). The particle deposition characteristics in circular bent pipe channels with different dimple positions were investigated. To improve simulation fidelity, a model for particle-wall rebound was developed using user-defined function (UDF). The results indicate that the dimple structure influences the deposition location of particles. Particle deposition is minimal on the lower surface and leeward side of the dimple structure. For operating conditions where St ≤ 0.27, θ = 15° yields the optimal effect on enhancing the particle deposition rate, achieving a maximum increase of 18.2%. For conditions where St ≥ 0.461, the optimal angle is θ = 30°, resulting in a maximum deposition rate increase of 14.126%. The deposition rate of dimple structures varies depending on their installation location. In this study, the deposition rate was lowest at θ = 65°. The dimple structure can serve as a sacrificial element, providing protection for the rest of the bent pipe. In the future, channels incorporating this structure can be applied to removal or air purification equipment. Full article

This study investigates the combined effects of oxygen content in the purging gas and pre-weld surface finish on the discoloration and corrosion resistance of AISI 316L pipe joints, with relevance to pipe welding where internal cleaning is constrained. The hybrid GTAW–FCAW process was used. Welds were produced at two oxygen levels (500 and 5000 ppm) and two finishes (40- vs. 60-grit). Discoloration and oxide morphology were examined by SEM/EDS, and corrosion behavior was evaluated without oxide removal using cyclic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results reveal that higher oxygen levels in the purging gas produced more porous, less protective oxide layers, along with intensified oxidation around surface defects such as micro-holes. Surface roughness was also found to influence corrosion behavior: rougher surfaces exhibited higher resistance to pit initiation, whereas smoother surfaces were more susceptible to initiation but offered greater resistance to pit propagation. The corresponding governing mechanisms were identified and discussed in terms of how surface preparation affects crystallographic texture, heterogeneities and recrystallization. Taken together, the results link oxide morphology and near-surface microstructure to electrochemical response and offer practical guidance for pipe welding when internal cleaning is constrained, balancing purging control with surface preparation to preserve corrosion performance. The findings further highlight the critical roles of both purging-gas composition and surface preparation in the corrosion performance of stainless steel welded pipes. Full article

The classical assumption of self-similarity in flow velocities and turbulence statistics has been successfully validated for fully developed flows in open channels, pipes, and boundary layers. However, its application in developing boundary-layer flows in channels with steep slopes and large roughness elements has not yet been thoroughly scrutinized. This study investigates whether turbulence statistics exhibit self-similar behavior when properly scaled in steep-stepped spillways. Specifically, it explores the influence of roughness height ($k_s$)—representing the cavity size of a steep-stepped spillway—on turbulence statistics in the non-aerated skimming flow region. Numerical simulations, extensively validated against experimental data, were conducted for a stepped spillway with a fixed slope angle of 51.34°, using five roughness heights ($k_s$ = 6.25, 3.12, 1.56, 0.78 and 0.39 cm), corresponding to step height-to-length ratios of 10:8, 5:4, 2.5:2, 1.25:1 and 0.625:0.5, respectively. The results show that the dimensionless profiles of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) at the step edges collapse onto a single curve when rescaled by a factor of ${\left(\delta /k_s\right)}^n$ with $n~0.4$. Likewise, the dissipation rate of TKE follows a similar collapse with $n~0.3$. For the turbulent eddy viscosity, an exponent of $n~0.5$ was adopted based on dimensional analysis, although the values for the smoothest configuration deviate from the curve. Full article

Horizontal annular flow channels are widely applied in various fields, including thermal engineering, drilling engineering, and food engineering. Investigating their internal flow patterns is crucial for optimizing pipeline design, selecting appropriate equipment, and understanding the sedimentation and migration modes of multiphase flows within annular geometries. In practical engineering applications, the operational conditions of annular flow channels during gas drilling are the most complex, involving parameters such as eccentricity, rotation, surface roughness, and multiphase flow interactions. This study focuses on the flow characteristics of horizontal annular channels under real-world engineering conditions, examining variations in operational parameters. The pressure drop in annular pipelines is influenced by factors such as flow velocity, eccentricity, and rotational speed, exhibiting complex variation patterns. However, previous studies have not fully considered the impact of rough wellbore walls and the interactions among various factors. Employing experimental methods, this research analyzes the pressure drop characteristics within annular geometries. The results reveal that surface roughness significantly affects pressure drop, with the inner pipe’s roughness having a greater impact when the outer pipe surface is rough compared to when it is smooth. An increase in eccentricity substantially reduces pressure drop, with both positive and negative eccentricities demonstrating symmetric pressure drop patterns. Moreover, a significant positive correlation exists between the total rough area of the annular channel and pressure drop. Furthermore, this study establishes a predictive model through dimensional analysis. Unlike existing models, this new model incorporates the influences of both roughness and eccentricity, achieving a prediction accuracy of over 99%. This research confirms the critical role of roughness in annular flow systems and provides practical implications for selecting more reliable pump power equipment in engineering fields. Full article

In order to meet the demand for enhanced heat transfer capabilities in practical application areas such as high heat flux density and high stability, the film evaporation heat dissipation method has been widely applied in fields such as microelectronic device cooling, heat pipe technology, solar steam generation, and seawater desalination. In the current study, film evaporation experiments are conducted on droplets of propylene glycol and ethanol using a film evaporation observation platform. The morphological changes and temperature of the droplets are investigated by varying the overheating degree, material, roughness, and wettability of the heating plate. The results indicate that the droplet thickness undergoes three stages of change with variations in overheating degree, and the droplet thickness decreases overall with increasing roughness. The thickness of ethanol droplets is higher than that of propylene glycol droplets in the low overheating degree range but lower in the high overheating degree range. Ethanol droplets are more sensitive to overheating degree than propylene glycol droplets. As the droplets enter the film evaporation state, the surface temperature of the droplets gradually approaches the wall temperature and the rate of change slows down. This trend shows a certain similarity to the change in droplet thickness. Increasing the surface roughness slightly raises the overall temperature, while altering the wettability has minimal impact on the temperature variation. Full article

The level of magnetic grinding technology determines the accuracy and efficiency of magnetic grinding on the inner surface of aircraft engine bend pipes. This article analyzes the optimization methods of magnetic grinding process parameters for the inner surface of aircraft engine bent pipes, such as the multiple regression prediction method, the response surface method, and the grey relational analysis method. It is pointed out that the current optimization methods for magnetic grinding technology on the inner surface of aircraft engine bent pipes do not consider the nonlinear characteristics between various grinding process parameters, resulting in defects such as low precision and efficiency of magnetic particle grinding technology. An optimization approach was proposed to accurately predict the optimal magnetic grinding process parameters for the inner surface of aircraft engine bent pipes, establish a nonlinear mapping relationship that reflects the roughness of the inner surface of the bent pipe and the main process parameters, optimize the BP neural network model based on the genetic algorithm, design magnetic grinding experiments on the inner surface of aircraft engine bend pipes, and explore the magnetic grinding process that is beneficial for improving the accuracy and efficiency of magnetic grinding on the inner surface of aircraft engine bend pipes. It can achieve efficient and accurate prediction of magnetic grinding of the inner surface of aircraft engine bend pipes. It provides a basis for the manufacturing and maintenance of high-precision aircraft engine bend pipes. Full article

With climate change, the frequency and severity of localized heavy rainfalls are increasing. Thus, for urban drainage networks (UDNs), particularly those in aging cities such as Seoul, Republic of Korea, flood risk management challenges are mounting. Conventional design standards typically apply uniform roughness coefficients based on new pipe conditions, neglecting the ongoing performance degradation from physical influences. This study introduces a methodology that systematically incorporates pipe age and size into roughness coefficient scenarios for higher-accuracy 1D–2D rainfall–runoff hydrologic–hydraulic simulations. Eleven roughness scenarios (a baseline and ten aging-based scenarios) are applied across seven UDNs using historical rainfall data. The most representative scenario (S3) is identified using a Euclidean distance metric combining the peak water-level error and root mean square error. For two rainfall events, S3 yields substantial increases in the simulated mean flood volumes (75.02% and 76.45%) compared with the baseline, while spatial analysis reveals significantly expanded inundation areas and increased flood depths. These findings underscore the critical impact of pipe deterioration on hydraulic capacity and demonstrate the importance of incorporating aging infrastructure into flood modeling and UDN design. This approach offers empirical support for updating UDN design standards for more resilient flood management. Full article

Tunnel drainage pipes are prone to blockage due to mineral crystallization and deposition from water, which seriously affects the long-term stable operation of the drainage system and compromises the safety of tunnel structures. To address this issue, it is imperative to develop efficient anti-crystallization technologies to extend the service life of drainage systems. In this study, a series of anti-crystallization performance experiments on tunnel drainage pipes were designed and conducted based on magnetic treatment technology. The inhibitory effects of magnetic fields on crystal formation and deposition were systematically investigated under various conditions, including different magnetic field intensities, magnetic field coverage angles, magnetic field orientations, and water flow velocities. The results indicate that under magnetic influence, the crystal morphology inside the pipes changed from regular cubic structures to irregular forms with rough surfaces and loose structures, showing a transformation trend from calcite to aragonite and vaterite. Compared with conventional PVC pipes, the anti-crystallization effect was most pronounced under the following conditions: magnetic field intensity of 40 Gs, coverage angle of 90°, vertical magnetic field orientation, and higher water flow velocity. The findings of this study provide a novel approach to mitigating crystallization-induced blockages in tunnel drainage systems and contribute to reducing tunnel-related pathologies such as lining cracks, water seepage, and structural deterioration caused by poor drainage. Full article

Submarine gravity flows, e.g., debris flows and turbidity currents, pose a significant threat to offshore pipeline integrity. This risk primarily manifests through the imposition of substantial dynamic loads on pipelines or their large displacement when impacted by such flows. To enhance our understanding of these threats and facilitate the development of more robust pipeline design and protection strategies, this work reviewed the interactions between submarine gravity flows and offshore pipelines. For an individual pipeline, critical focus lies in characterizing the influence of key parameters—including Reynolds number, span height, impact angle, pipe geometry, ambient temperature, and surface roughness—on both the resultant impact forces and the fluid-structure interaction dynamics. Then, investigations into the interactions between gravity flows and multiple pipes are summarized, where the in-line spacing distance between two pipes is a key factor in reducing the impact force. Further, flow-induced vibration responses of a single pipeline and two tandem pipelines under gravity flows are presented. Building upon a thorough review, we conducted overall evaluations. There are few experimental studies and most investigations ideally treat the seabed to be horizontal, which does not always occur in practical engineering. Choosing empirical formulas to evaluate hydrodynamic loads should carefully consider the specific working conditions. An appropriate non-Newtonian fluid model is significantly important to avoid uncertainties. Some practical risk reduction measures such as streamlined structures and reduction in roughness are recommended. Finally, suggestions for future study and practice are proposed, including the requirement for three-dimensional numerical investigations, assessment of fatigue damage by flow-induced vibrations, consideration of flexible pipeline, and more attention to multiple pipelines. Full article