Aleks D. Atrens

Rheology and microstructure of aqueous suspensions of nanocrystalline cellulose rods

HYPOTHESISnNanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) is a negatively charged rod-like colloid obtained from the hydrolysis of plant material. It is thus expected that NCC suspensions display a rich set of phase behaviour with salt and pH because of its anisotropic shape and electrical double layer that gives rise to liquid crystallinity and self-assembly respectively. It should thus be possible to tune the rheological properties of NCC suspensions for a wide variety of end-use applications.nnnEXPERIMENTSnRheology and structural analysis techniques are used to characterise surface-sulphated NCC suspensions as a function of pH, salinity (NaCl) and NCC concentration. Structural techniques include atomic force microscopy, Zeta potential, dynamic light scattering, and scanning electron microscopy.nnnFINDINGSnA phase diagram is developed based on the structure-rheology measurements showing various states of NCC that form as a function of salt and NCC concentration, which go well beyond those previously reported. This extended range of conditions reveals regions where the suspension is a viscous fluid and viscoelastic soft solid, as well as regions of instability that is suggested to arise when there is sufficient salt to reduce the electrical double layer (as explained qualitatively using DLVO theory) but insufficient NCC to form a load bearing network.

Numerical Investigation into the Impact of CO2-Water-Rock Interactions on CO2 Injectivity at the Shenhua CCS Demonstration Project, China

A 100,000u2009t/year demonstration project for carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage in the deep saline formations of the Ordos Basin, China, has been successfully completed. Field observations suggested that the injectivity increased nearly tenfold after CO2 injection commenced without substantial pressure build-up. In order to evaluate whether this unique phenomenon could be attributed to geochemical changes, reactive transport modeling was conducted to investigate CO2-water-rock interactions and changes in porosity and permeability induced by CO2 injection. The results indicated that using porosity-permeability relationships that include tortuosity, grain size, and percolation porosity, other than typical Kozeny-Carman porosity-permeability relationship, it is possible to explain the considerable injectivity increase as a consequence of mineral dissolution. These models might be justified in terms of selective dissolution along flow paths and by dissolution or migration of plugging fines. In terms of geochemical changes, dolomite dissolution is the largest source of porosity increase. Formation physical properties such as temperature, pressure, and brine salinity were found to have modest effects on mineral dissolution and precipitation. Results from this study could have practical implications for a successful CO2 injection and enhanced oil/gas/geothermal production in low-permeability formations, potentially providing a new basis for screening of storage sites and reservoirs.

Liquid, gel and soft glass phase transitions and rheology of nanocrystalline cellulose suspensions as a function of concentration and salinity

The colloidal size and rod morphology of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) lead to suspensions with useful phase and gelation behaviours as well as complex rheologies. However, these have not been comprehensively evaluated previously. Here we report the detailed phase behaviour of sulphonated NCC aqueous suspensions as a function of concentration and salinity. Four phases - liquid, viscoelastic, repulsive glass and attractive glass/gel - are identified in terms of their distinct rheological behaviours. The liquid-solid transitions (LSTs) are determined rheologically, and these are supported by a simplified model based on the DLVO theory that indicates the importance of charge in determining the phase behaviour. Rheology is also used to investigate the solid-solid transition from a repulsive glass to an attractive gel with increasing salt at high NCC concentrations. A time-dependent aging phenomenon is observed in suspensions with a composition just below the LSTs, and the implications of this on the dynamics occurring during gelation processes are discussed. This work can be directly applied to the development of structure-function relationships and the expanding utilisation of NCC suspensions, whilst also providing a basis for the study of charged colloidal rods more generally and evaluation of theoretical models.

Reactive transport modeling of long-term CO2 sequestration mechanisms at the Shenhua CCS demonstration project, China

Carbon dioxide injection into deep saline aquifers results in a variety of strongly coupled physical and chemical processes. In this study, reactive transport simulations using a 2-D radial model were performed to investigate the fate of the injected CO2, the effect of CO2-water-rock interactions on mineral alteration, and the long-term CO2 sequestration mechanisms of the Liujiagou Formation sandstone at the Shenhua CCS (carbon capture and storage) pilot site of China. Carbon dioxide was injected at a constant rate of 0.1 Mt/year for 30 years, and the fluid flow and geochemical transport simulation was run for a period of 10 000 years by the TOUGHREACT code according to the underground conditions of the Liujiagou Formation. The results show that different trapping phases of CO2 vary with time. Sensitivity analyses indicate that plagioclase composition and chlorite presence are the most significant determinants of stable carbonate minerals and CO2 mineral trapping capacity. For arkosic arenite in the Liujiagou Formation, CO2 can be immobilized by precipitation of ankerite, magnesite, siderite, dawsonite, and calcite for different mineral compositions, with Ca2+, Mg2+, Fe2+ and Na+ provided by dissolution of calcite, albite (or oligoclase) and chlorite. This study can provide useful insights into the geochemistry of CO2 storage in other arkosic arenite (feldspar rich sandstone) formations at other pilots or target sites.

CFD Convective Flow Simulation of the Varying Properties of CO2-H2O Mixtures in Geothermal Systems

Numerical simulation of a geothermal reservoir, modelled as a bottom-heated square box, filled with water-CO2 mixture is presented in this work. Furthermore, results for two limiting cases of a reservoir filled with either pure water or CO2 are presented. Effects of different parameters including CO2 concentration as well as reservoir pressure and temperature on the overall performance of the system are investigated. It has been noted that, with a fixed reservoir pressure and temperature, any increase in CO2 concentration leads to better performance, that is, stronger convection and higher heat transfer rates. With a fixed CO2 concentration, however, the reservoir pressure and temperature can significantly affect the overall heat transfer and flow rate from the reservoir. Details of such variations are documented and discussed in the present paper.