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Coalbed methane (CBM) is an increasingly important unconventional natural gas. Production logging can provide important information about the production status of each layer in a CBM well, which is crucial for developing and adjusting development plans. However, currently, only open-hole logging is done for CBM wells, and there is no mature technology for production testing of wells that produce low amounts of gas. To address this issue, a new method has been proposed in this paper for measuring the production profile of CBM wells. This method is based on the pressure difference method and measures the gas–liquid two-phase flow in a 125 mm vertical rising circular tube. The researchers established a simulation model of the CBM wellbore pressure difference method and obtained four flow patterns: bubble flow, slug flow, churn flow, and annular flow. We studied the relationship between the pressure difference and gas and water flow rates at different positions and spacing between measuring points in the wellbore. A differential pressure flowmeter without a throttling device was developed, and gas–liquid dynamic experiments were carried out through a simulation experiment platform to verify the feasibility of the flowmeter. Two well field tests were conducted in Shanxi CBM fields using differential pressure flowmeters, which accurately and quantitatively measured the stratified gas production of CBM wells. This technology can help improve the productivity and development efficiency of CBM wells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a homogenized multiphase lattice Boltzmann (LB) model is established for parallelly simulating immiscible two-phase flow in both solid-free regions (pore scale) and porous areas (continuum scale). It combines the color-gradient multiphase model with the Darcy–Brinkman–Stokes method by adding a term that includes surface force and drag force of porous matrix to multiple-relaxation-time LB equation in moment space. Moreover, an improved algorithm is proposed to characterize and implement the apparent wettability in the locally homogenized porosity field. Validations and test cases are given to demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of this new model, as well as its applicability for trans-scale fluid simulation of transport and sorption behavior from porous (Darcy flow) area to free (Stokes flow) area. For practicality, the two-phase seepage flow in a composite rock structure with multiscale pores is simulated by this new model, and the effects of viscosity ratio and wettability on the displacement process are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 2023 phase of the international collaborative DECOVALEX modeling project, Task E focused on understanding thermal, hydrological, and mechanical (THM) processes related to predicting brine migration in the excavation damaged zone around a heated excavation in salt. Salt is attractive as a disposal medium for radioactive waste because it is self-healing and is essentially impermeable and non-porous in the far field. Investigation of the short-term, near-field behavior is important for radioactive waste disposal because this early period strongly controls the amount of inflowing brine. Brine leads to corrosion of waste forms and waste packages, and possible dissolution of radionuclides with brine transport being a potential transport vector to the accessible environment.The Task was divided into steps. Step 0 included matching unheated brine inflow data from boreholes at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and matching temperature observations during a Brine Availability Test in Salt (BATS) heater test. Step 1 included validation of models against a thermo-poroelastic analytical solution, and two-phase flow around an excavation. Finally, Step 2 required all the individual components covered in steps 0 and 1 to come together to match observed brine inflow behavior during the same BATS heater test.There were a range of approaches from the teams, from mechanistic to prescriptive. Given the uncertainties in the problem, some teams used one- or two-dimensional models of the processes, while other teams included more geometrical complexity in three-dimensional models. Task E was a learning experience for the teams involved, and feedback from the modeling teams has led to changes in follow-on BATS experiments at WIPP. The primary Task E lessons learned were the impact of hydrologic initialization methods (wetting up vs. drying down), the difference between confined and unconfined thermal expansion, and the large changes in permeability associated with heating and cooling.

Accurate prediction of the entrained liquid droplet fraction in an annular two-phase flow regime plays a crucial role for estimating the dryout type critical heat flux to identify the optimized flow characteristics in the thermal systems across different industries. Existing studies have provided different correlations based on the limited experimental data. However, these correlations are applicable to certain operating conditions. Therefore, the present study aims at applying a deep learning method, specifically an artificial neural network (ANN), to enhance the prediction of the entrained liquid droplet fraction. Experimental data from various works on annular flow, covering a wide spectrum of pressure and flow conditions, are utilized for training the ANN model. Eight input variables, viz, superficial gas velocity (J S G ), superficial liquid velocity (J S L ), gas viscosity (μ G), liquid viscosity (μ L), gas density (ρ G), liquid density (ρ L), pipe diameter (d) and liquid surface tension (σ L V ) are considered as input features. The entrained liquid droplet fraction is the single output feature. The present model employs the Bayesian regularization backpropagation algorithm for training. The present ANN model is compared against the performance of linear regression, decision tree and support vector machine algorithms, and found that the performance of the present Bayesian regularization neural network (BRNN) model is superior within ∼ 7.5 % deviation. Further, the BRNN model is coupled with the film mass flow rate model to obtain the axial variation of the liquid film mass flow rate and good agreement is noticed when compared against the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas–liquid two-phase stratified flow exists in many industrial processes. Although the flow pattern is simple, the interfacial shear prediction of stratified flow is still the focus of the study. The calculation of the shear stress at the gas–liquid interface is closely related to the measurement of the void fraction and pressure drop of the stratified flow. In this study, a new method for the calculation of interfacial shear stress of gas–liquid two-phase stratified flow is proposed. Differential pressure measurement and planar laser-induced fluorescence technology are combined to obtain important parameters for stratified flow under low-speed flow conditions (Ql = 0.10–0.25 m3/h, Qg = 0.35–1.00 m3/h). The interfacial shear stress is successfully calculated using macroparameters. The uncertainty associated with the calculated parameters using the proposed method is 2.67%, and this study verifies the accuracy of the linear relationship. The method provides a new way to obtain the interfacial shear stress of gas–liquid stratified flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasound technology has been recognized as the mainstream approach for the identification of gas-liquid two-phase flow patterns, which holds great value in engineering domain. However, commercial rigid probes are bulky, limiting their adaptability to curved surfaces. Here, we propose a strategy for autonomous identification of flow patterns based on flexible ultrasound array and machine learning. The array features high-performance 1–3 piezoelectric composite material, stretchable serpentine wires, soft Eco-flex layers and a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) adhesive layer. The resulting ultrasound array exhibits excellent electromechanical characteristics and offers a large stretchability for an intimate interfacial contact to curved surface without the need of ultrasound coupling agents. We demonstrated that the flexible ultrasound array combined with machine learning can accurately identify gas-liquid two-phase flow patterns, in a circular pipeline. This work presents an effective tool for recognizing gas-liquid two-phase flow patterns, offering engineering opportunities in petroleum extraction and natural gas transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the mixing homogeneity of heterogeneous powder in real time plays an essential role in ensuring the forming quality of functionally graded materials (FGM) produced by laser-directed energy deposition (L-DED). In order to achieve a high performance of material composition and proportion control as forming FGM parts, this paper investigates the mixing mechanism of several typical powders including 316L and NiCrCoAlY used for the L-DED process driven by compressed gas. An innovative pneumatic powder mixer is designed and optimized by the CFD-DEM simulation method to analyze the mixing characteristics of heterogeneous particles. To improve the real-time mixing homogeneity of different mixing ratios in the conveying process, mixing experiments based on differences in powder properties were conducted by the additive-subtractive composite machining center, and a coefficient of variation method was proposed to describe the mixing homogeneity of non-uniform powders. The results of micro-morphology and EDS indicate that the mixing quality of the two-phase flow is significantly enhanced with the four 45° compression inlets and 2 m/s inlet velocity structure. The results show that the numerical analysis method proposed in this paper can effectively describe the mixing law of heterogeneous particles, and the compressed air intake velocity should not exceed the initial two-phase flow velocity. The horizontal and vertical components generated by the compressed air intake at 45° are more conducive to the formation of favorable perturbations to the two-phase flow, and the number of four and eight compressed air intakes that act uniformly on the flow field is more appropriate. After a certain period of time, the two-phase flow with low error of mixed powder quality can be produced continuously. The mixed powder quality is obviously improved after the disturbance of compressed air intake. The mixing uniformity of powder with low spherical particle proportion can be effectively improved by increasing the preset mixing proportion of non-spherical particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diamond wire sawing plays an important role in semiconductor processing. Considering that the cavitation effect can improve the machining quality, a new technology of ultrasonic cavitation–assisted diamond wire sawing (UCAWS) is proposed in this paper. To study the formation process of cavitation in UCAWS and its influence on processing, a simulation and experimental study of cavitation in UCAWS is conducted. The pressure distribution model and cavitation model of two-phase mixed flow around wire sawing in UCAWS are constructed by combining the ideal bubble dynamic theory. The effect of vapor volume fraction (VVF) on cavitation intensity is calculated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The simulation results show that transient cavitation and steady-state cavitation exist simultaneously around wire sawing and with the increase of ultrasonic amplitude, the cavitation effect is enhanced. UCAWS experiments are conducted on monocrystalline silicon to study the changes in sawing force and workpiece surface roughness. The experimental results show that the sawing force of the UCAWS decreases by 6.65% on average compared to ultrasonic vibration–assisted diamond wire sawing (UAWS), the surface roughness value is reduced by 6.3% on average, and the surface morphology is improved. Therefore, UCAWS processing technology can be applied in manufacturing to improve the surface quality of the workpiece further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the error estimates of the Crank-Nicolson-Leapfrog (CNLF) time-stepping scheme for the two-phase Cahn-Hilliard-Navier-Stokes (CHNS) incompressible flow equations based on scalar auxiliary variable (SAV) are strictly proved. Due to the complexity of the multiple variables and the strong coupling of the equations, it is not easy to prove rigorous error estimates. Under the corresponding regularity assumption and the superconvergence of the negative norm estimates of the two quasi-projections, we prove that the error estimates for phase-field ϕ in the H 1 -semi-norm and velocity u in the H 1 -norm are able to achieve second-order convergence rates in time and the O (h r + 1) (r ≥ 1) in space. The nonlocal variables Q and r also achieve the same convergence rate. In addition, the pressure p in the L 2 -norm can only reach first-order convergence rate in time and the O (h r) (r ≥ 1) in space. At the same time, several numerical examples are given to illustrate the accuracy and effectiveness of the numerical scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a diesel hydrogenation unit in Middle East, INPLANT software is for hydraulic calculations of the two-phase flow pipeline in the reaction system. The effects of pipeline diameter, gas-liquid ratio and fluid load on the transition of two-phase flow patterns in horizontal pipelines are analyzed. The results show that the unsteady slug flow can be transformed into stable annular flow by increasing the gas-liquid ratio of the fluid; changing the pipe diameter and fluid load cannot transform the two-phase flow pattern of the pipeline studied in this paper from slug flow to annular flow; however, when the liquid phase velocity is reduced to a sufficiently low, the flow pattern can be transformed into wavy flow. The calculation results are used to guide the operation adjustment of the unit, improving the gas-liquid ratio of the fluid can eliminate the pressure fluctuations of the reaction system. It shows that the flow pattern transformation trend simulated by the software is close to the actual production, and the accuracy is high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the heat transport phenomena of two-phase nanofluid within a permeable circular segment with an interaction of Arrhenius activation energy and, examines the interaction of convective boundary conditions affecting the flow characteristics. The pre-exponential factor of the Arrhenius equation deals with the collision between molecules, and it has significant applications for getting the rate of a chemical reaction and is used to estimate material properties with changes in temperature and energy. To a greater extent, the external uniform heat source encourages thermal properties on account of the behavior of Brownian and thermophoresis parameters. The transformation of the standard nondimensional form of the governing equations is obtained for the assumption of appropriate similarity variables and stream function. The set of these transformed equations is tackled numerically with the shooting technique. The characteristics of physical parameters on the flow phenomena are presented graphically and the validation with earlier research displays a strong correlation for the specific case. The special attraction of the present investigation is the regression analysis for the simulated results of heat and solutal transfer rates using Response Surface Methodology considering various characterizing parameters like heat source, thermal radiation, curvature, activation energy, thermal and solutal Biot numbers within certain range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates an oil/water two-phase system to assess the potential efficacy of a novel passive mixer in enhancing the liquid-liquid interfacial area within a micro-channel contactor. In this system, two fluids are introduced into a microchannel with a diameter of 800 μm and a length of 20 cm, which is equipped with a stainless-steel helical wire measuring 250 μm in diameter. Throughout the experiments, both fluids are supplied at equal flow rates, and the dominant forces, including attachment and detachment forces, are examined. The results reveal a critical Weber number of 3.8 × 10−³, at which the first detachment occurs. A comparison between microchannels with and without the passive micromixer demonstrates that greater slug breakup occurs in the system incorporating the helical wire micromixer. This innovative configuration results in a significant reduction in slug/droplet size compared to a microchannel without a barrier, decreasing from approximately 600 μm to 390 μm at a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min. Additionally, a flow map is presented, illustrating three distinct flow regimes: flow contains long slug, Slug-droplet flow, and droplet flow regimes, with the droplet flow regime covering the largest area. The findings indicate that the implementation of this innovative passive mixer substantially increases the interfacial area, providing significant advantages for mass transfer applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both straight and curved carbon fibers are widely used in various commercial gas diffusion layer (GDL) fabrications. The effect of the different carbon fiber curvatures on two-phase flow dynamics within the cathode GDLs of proton exchange membrane fuel cells remains unclear. In this study, we investigate liquid transport in three types of GDLs with varying fiber curvatures using the two-phase volume of fluid simulations in OpenFOAM. For the first time, a rod periodic surface model is combined with a layer-by-layer fiber stacking strategy, to stochastically reconstruct GDL structures while incorporating crucial parameters from physical (experimental) GDLs. A grid independence study and model validation are conducted. Following pore network analysis of pore size distribution and connectivity, we study the time-varying GDL total and local water saturation and capillary pressure. Despite maintaining similar layer and bulk porosity, increased fiber curvature enhances pore connectivity but raises water saturation and capillary pressure, increasing the risk of flooding. Additionally, droplets in gas channels with straight-fiber GDLs are larger and have slower movement than those in curved-fiber GDLs. Fiber curvature inversely affects drainage capacity in GDLs and connected channels. With comparable water saturation and capillary pressure, curved-fiber GDLs exhibit lower discrepancies, suggesting improved uniformity in water distribution. [Display omitted] • Curved and straight fiber GDLs are reconstructed with similar bulk and layer porosity. • Increasing fiber curvature enhances pore connectivity and pore quantity. • GDL water saturation and capillary pressure increase with an increased fiber curvature. • Increasing the amount of small pores results in stronger water spreading within GDLs. • Detached droplets in GCs have smaller sizes and longer liquid bridge when using curved-fiber GDLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the potential of the generative adversarial neural network (cGAN) image reconstruction in industrial electrical capacitance tomography. The image reconstruction quality was examined using image patterns typical for a two-phase flow. The training dataset was prepared by generating images of random test objects and simulating the corresponding capacitance measurements. Numerical simulations were performed using the ECTsim toolkit for MATLAB. A cylindrical sixteen-electrode ECT sensor was used in the experiments. Real measurements were obtained using the EVT4 data acquisition system. The reconstructed images were evaluated using selected image quality metrics. The results obtained using cGAN are better than those obtained using the Landweber iteration and simplified Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm. The suggested method offers a promising solution for a fast reconstruction algorithm suitable for real-time monitoring and the control of a two-phase flow using ECT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the splitting morphology of low-viscous fingers in the microchannels that are associated with flat T-shaped, curved T-shaped, and Y-shaped junctions. The numerical simulations are based on the finite volume approach and the volume of the fluid model. In this study, microchannels are filled with silicon oil. Perfluorodecalin is used to displace silicon oil from the microchannels. Due to viscosity differences, the low-viscous finger (LVF)-shaped instability evolves at the interface of fluids. A single LVF propagates in the parent channel, and at the junction, it splits into two identical LVFs. It is noted that the splitting morphology of LVF depends upon the shape of the junction and its wettability. Therefore, there are three different junctions, i.e. flat T-shaped, curved T-shaped, and Y-shaped, with three different wettability conditions (θ) , i.e. hydrophilic (6 0 ∘ ), hydrophobic (1 2 0 ∘ ), and superhydrophobic (1 5 0 ∘ ) are used for numerical investigation. It is found that a LVF splits symmetrically at all three different junctions but tips of LVFs are found to be convex in superhydrophobic conditions. The LVFs-shaped are curved in the limbs of curved T-shaped microchannel and straight in the limbs of flat T-shaped and Y-shaped microchannels. The findings of this paper may be used in lung biomechanics, respiratory diseases, biochemical testing, and many more. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water-sediment flow patterns can greatly contribute to the operational efficiency and safety of the pumping station. Among them, the vortex flow patterns have frequently caused sediment deposition in the forebay of forward pumping stations in a sediment-laden river. The forebay of the pumping station is also characterized by a complex two-phase flow structure with water and sediment. It is still lacking in the impact of pump start-up combinations on the flow pattern and suspended sediment movement. In this study, the mixture multiphase flow and the Realizable k-ε turbulence model were utilized from an engineering perspective. Grid evaluation criteria were selected as the hydraulic loss of water sediment flowing through the forebay and the operational efficiency of the pump. The inlet of the diversion channel was set as a mixed velocity inflow boundary, while the pump outlet was designated as a free outflow boundary. Solid boundaries were treated using the wall function. The free boundary of the water surface was handled with the assumption of a free-sliding rigid cover. A mathematical model was then established for the forebay of the pump station. The flow and sediment movement were simulated under different start-up combinations. The characteristics and formation mechanisms of each vortex region were analyzed to predict the sediment deposition in the forebay. An optimal start-up combination was proposed to alter the flow field structure. The hydrodynamic dredging was achieved for the large sediment deposits within the forebay. The velocity and sediment deposition within the forebay were measured using the Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers velocity profiler. These measurements were also used to validate the numerical simulation. The results show that a "plane sudden expansion vortex" was formed in the water-sediment two-phase flow from the diversion channel to the inlet of the forebay, due to the separation of the boundary layer. The vortex depth was about 90% of the water depth. A "near bottom three-dimensional vortex" in the intake pond was formed, influenced by the sudden increase of local water depth and the plane vortex. The vortex depth was about 93% of the water depth. The suspended sediment migrated to both sides of the forebay wall under the action of the vortex, where the "fanshape" sediment deposition was observed. The total sediment deposition accounted for about 60% of the total volume of the forebay. At the same time, the sediment content at the bottom of the intake pond was 8 to 9 times higher than that of the diversion canal. While the sediment content in the middle area was basically the same as that of the diversion canal. A total of five start-up combinations were proposed, including imported full open type, imported half-open type, intermediate focusing type start-up pump, two side decentralized type start-up pump, and fully open type pump. The comprehensive comparison showed that the flow pattern was significantly improved in the forebay after 91 days of operation of the pump station. Specifically, the flow velocity uniformity at the pump port of intermediate focusing type case 5 increased by 5.84%, whereas, the drift angle, the area of high sediment concentration area, and the sediment deposition decreased by 3.35%, 75%, and 58.60%, respectively. The findings can provide theoretical support to mitigate the harmful effects of vortex areas and sediment deposition in the forebay, thereby optimizing the operation of the pumping station. In addition, future research should consider optimizing and improving many more factors, including the separated forebay, in order to further optimize the sediment deposition and operation efficiency in the forebay of the pump station. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the necessity of measuring the air content in oil in two-phase flows in the context of general industry, a review of the most popular methods of measuring the air content in oil was carried out. This review includes an assessment of their advantages and disadvantages and of whether they meet criteria such as the degree of filling, the size and number of bubbles, verification, the absence of additional pressure drops, simplicity, and repeatability. In the review, the following methods were examined: the classic trapping method, a modified trapping method, a trapping method using hydrostatic pressure loss, the pressure loss due to frictional flow resistance, the pressure loss with a rapid increase in diameter, the pressure drop in a Venturi tube, the pressure drop in an orifice, a method using the Coriolis effect, the electrical resistance method, the electrical conductivity method, the electromagnetic method, the electrical capacitance method, the thermal anemometry method, the liquid–solid contact electrification method, the photographic method, holography, light scattering, sound dispersion, the ultrasonic transit-time method, X-ray radiation, gamma radiation, neutron radiation, and fiber-optic methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After transporting oil with a mobile pipeline, it is necessary to empty the oil within the pipeline. A common method is to inject water into the inlet to push the oil out. However, due to the effects of buoyancy and surface tension, the oil within the pipeline tends to accumulate at the elevated section, forming a stagnant oil layer, which will limit the evacuation efficiency. Based on the multiphase flow theory, a hydrodynamic model of oil–water flow was utilized to describe the pressure distribution and the thickness of the stagnant oil layer within the pipeline. A numerical model for oil-carrying water flow in a downward-inclined mobile pipeline was established, and the model was solved under given initial and boundary conditions to obtain the characteristics of the oil-carrying water flow within the pipeline. The calculation results indicate that the initial water phase velocity has a promoting effect on the oil-carrying capacity of water flow. The pipe diameter is negatively correlated with the capacity. The initial thickness of the oil is not directly related to the capacity but can increase the oil phase front velocity, which can enable the oil phase to be emptied more quickly. When the initial water phase velocity is lower than the critical water phase velocity, an increase in the inclination angle will weaken the capacity of water flow to carry oil. Conversely, when the velocity of the initial water phase is higher than the critical water phase velocity, an increase in the inclination angle will enhance the capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local continuity is established for locally bounded, weak solutions to a doubly non-linear parabolic equation that models the temperature of a material undergoing a multi-phase transition. The enthalpy, as a maximal monotone graph of the temperature, is allowed to possess several jumps and/or infinite derivatives at the transition temperatures. The effect of the p-Laplacian-type diffusion is also considered. As an application, we demonstrate a continuity result for the saturation in the flow of two immiscible fluids through a porous medium, when irreducible saturation is present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emitter clogging adversely affects the performance of drip-irrigation systems. Many studies overlook the primary reason for emitter clogging by substances that precipitate within the emitter inlet. This study used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to analyse the process of sedimentation in the inlet of emitters. Subsequently, the inlet structure was optimised based on the simulation results, production demand, and produced dripline. Anti-clogging physical tests were conducted in the laboratory and verified. Simulation results revealed that compared to the maximum discharge at the inlet of the domestic (CM) and Netafim (NF) emitters, that of the optimised (OS) emitter was increased by 60.0% and 13.2%, respectively; the maximum turbulent kinetic energy was increased by 88.9% and 13.3%, respectively; and the escape rate of solid particles in the dripline was increased by 3.2 and 5.9%, respectively. The results of an eighth-stage laboratory experiment with particle size ranges from 0.045 to 0.25 mm showed that the solid concentration was 1400 mg l−1 for the CM-type emitter and 200 mg l−1 for the OS-type emitter. However, the relative discharge of the OS-type emitter increased by 17.5%. At the end of the anti-clogging test, the relative discharge of the OS-type emitter was 0.12% more than that of the NF-type emitter. The water flowing through the OS-type emitter had a lower sediment content and higher relative discharge than of both comparison emitters. Therefore, optimising the emitter inlet can be an effective physical method for reducing the entry of solid particles into the emitter channel, which can greatly promote the sustainable development of drip irrigation. • Emitter inlet optimised based on CFD simulation, demand, and produced dripline. • Flow rate, turbulent kinetic energy, and sand escape rate in the dripline increased. • Water flow through optimised emitter had low sediment content and high discharge. • Approach can assist the sustainable development of agriculture and land use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to predict phase distributions within complex pore structures during two-phase capillary-dominated drainage, we select subsamples from computerized tomography (CT) images of rocks and simulated porous media, and develop a pore morphology-based simulator (PMS) to create a diverse dataset of phase distributions. With pixel size, interfacial tension, contact angle, and pressure as input parameters, convolutional neural network (CNN), recurrent neural network (RNN) and vision transformer (ViT) are transformed, trained and evaluated to select the optimal model for predicting phase distribution. It is found that commonly used CNN and RNN have deficiencies in capturing phase connectivity. Subsequently, we develop a higher-dimensional vision transformer (HD-ViT) that drains pores solely based on their size, regardless of their spatial location, with phase connectivity enforced as a post-processing step. This approach enables inference for images of varying sizes and resolutions with inlet-outlet setup at any coordinate directions. We demonstrate that HD-ViT maintains its effectiveness, accuracy and speed advantage on larger sandstone and carbonate images, compared with the microfluidic-based displacement experiment. In the end, we train and validate a 3D version of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cage-typed sleeve control valve (CSCV) is the key basic equipment in direct coal liquefaction projects. The working condition of CSCV has the characteristics of high-pressure difference, high velocity, and high solid content. There is a general issue of liquid–solid two-phase erosion wear in CSCV, which can easily lead to the failure of the internal structure in the valve cage. Therefore, it is necessary to study erosion wear characteristics of internal structures in the valve cage. Considering the real conditions of erosion wear in the valve cage, a simplified T-shaped flow path is designed, and the precision of both the liquid–solid two-phase flow model and the erosion prediction model is validated. The flow characteristics and erosion wear characteristics in the T-shaped flow path under different working conditions are studied. Based on the simulation results of different structural parameters and boundary conditions, the erosion wear of the T-shaped flow path is predicted and calculated by the response surface method. Subsequently, the prediction formula for the maximum erosion rate is derived. The formula enables the swift determination of optimal structural parameters for the flow path, aiming to mitigate damage to the valve caused by erosion wear. This work can quickly predict the erosion wear rate of the key areas in the valve cage, which can provide a certain reference value for the life prediction and structural optimization of CSCV, and it can also benefit the safety and maintenance of the coal liquefaction system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate how the curve radius parameter affects the safety of high-speed train operation in a wind–sand environment, researchers used the wind–sand section of the Lanzhou–Urumqi high-speed railway as their research backdrop. The Euler‒Lagrange method was used to discretize the sand particles based on train aerodynamics theory, and the wind–sand flow model of the head–middle– tail three-member formation was established. The accuracy of the model was verified by comparing the data from published papers, and then the train's wind– sand load was calculated and extracted. Subsequently, a dynamic model of a CRH2 train was created, and the dynamic response of the train was estimated by choosing various curve radii and adding wind–sand loads. The results demonstrated that as wind speed increases, the forces acting on the train due to wind rise. Due to the different shapes and positions of the carriages, the wind– sand load on each car differs; the middle car is subjected to greater lift, lateral force, and overturning moment, as well as lower resistance, nodding moment, and head shaking moment, while the head and tail cars move in the opposite direction and, as a whole, are exposed more adverse forces. The study found that when the curve radius increased from 7000 to 9000 m, the derailment coefficient and wheel-rail lateral force are reduced by approximately 29%~32%, along with an approximately 20%~23% decrease in the wheel load reduction rate. When the radius reaches 10000 m, there is a decrease in the derailment coefficient and wheel-rail lateral force of approximately 5%~8%, as well as a reduction in the wheel weight load reduction rate of approximately 3%~6%.It has been concluded that increasing the curve radius can significantly reduce the safety indices in the wind-blown sand environment, thus improving operational safety. However, it should be noted that a radius of 8000~9000 m is appropriate, and the effect of further increase is not obvious. The results of this study can provide certain guidance for the selection of curve radius and the evaluation of the operational safety of high-speed trains in windy–sandy areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this paper is to investigate the evolution of rock fracture slug structures and decongestion strategies for natural gas extraction processes. For this purpose, the level set method was used to simulate the evolution of the slug structure under the effect of different flow ratios, fracture surface wettability, and fracture tortuosity. The results show that an increase in the water-to-gas flow ratio and fracture tortuosity leads to a significant increase in the proportion of slug structures in the fracture, while an increase in the surface contact angle leads to a decrease in the proportion of slug structures in the fracture. Based on the above slug structure evolution law, a quantitative characterization method for the slug structure of two-phase fluids considering the combined effects of the water–gas flow ratio, average wall contact angle, and flow channel tortuosity was developed. Subsequently, we engage in further discussion on the optimization of the extraction and decongestion process in natural gas extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A submersible sewage pump is designed for conveying solid–liquid two-phase media containing sewage, waste, and fiber components, through its small and compact design and its excellent anti-winding and anti-clogging capabilities. In this paper, the computational fluid dynamics–discrete element method (CFD-DEM) coupling model is used to study the influence of different conveying conditions and particle parameters on the wear of the flow components in a submersible sewage pump. At the same time, the energy balance equation is used to explore the influence mechanism of different tip clearance sizes on the internal flow pattern, wear, and energy conversion mechanism of the pump. This study demonstrates that increasing the particle volume fraction decreases the inlet particle velocity and intensifies wear in critical areas. When enlarging the tip clearance thickness from 0.4 mm to 1.0 mm, the leakage vortex formation at the inlet is enhanced, leading to increased wear rates in terms of the blade and volute. Consequently, the total energy loss and turbulent kinetic energy generation increased by 3.57% and 2.25%, respectively, while the local loss coefficient in regard to the impeller channel cross-section increased significantly. The findings in this study offer essential knowledge for enhancing the performance and ensuring the stable operation of pumps under solid–liquid two-phase flow conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production performances of fractured tight gas wells are closely related to several complex and unknown factors, including the formation properties, fracture parameters, gas–water two-phase flow, and other nonlinear flow mechanisms. The rate transient analysis (RTA) results have significant uncertainties, which should be quantified to evaluate the formation and fracturing treatment better. This paper provides an efficient method for uncertainty quantification in the RTA of fractured tight gas wells with multiple unknown factors incorporated. The theoretical model for making forward predictions is based on a trilinear flow model, which incorporates the effects of two-phase flow and other nonlinear flow mechanisms. The normalized rates and material balance times of both water and gas phases are regarded as observations and matched with the theoretical model. The unknowns in the model are calibrated using the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF), which applies an ensemble of multiple realizations to match the observations and updates the unknown parameters step by step. Finally, a comprehensive field case from Northwestern China is implemented to benchmark the proposed method. The results show that the parameters and rate transient responses have wide ranges and significant uncertainties before history matching, while all the realizations in the ensemble can have good matches to the field data after calibration. The posterior distribution of each unknown parameter in the model can be obtained after history matching, which can be used to quantify the uncertainties in the RTA of the fractured tight gas wells. The ranges and uncertainties of the parameters are significantly narrowed down, but the parameters are still with significant uncertainties. The main contribution of the paper is the provision of an efficient integrated workflow to quantify the uncertainties in RTA. It can be readily used in field applications of multi-fractured horizontal wells from tight gas reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep condensate gas reservoirs exhibit highly complex and variable phase behaviors, making it crucial to understand the relationship between fluid phase states and flow patterns. This study conducts a comprehensive analysis of the actual production process of the deep condensate gas well A1 in a certain oilfield in China. Combining phase behavior analysis and CMG software simulations, the study systematically investigates phase transitions, viscosity, and density changes in the gas and liquid phases under different pressure conditions, with a reservoir temperature of 165°C. The research covers three crucial depletion stages of the reservoir: single-phase flow, two-phase transition, and two-phase flow. The findings indicate that retrograde condensation occurs when the pressure falls below the dew point pressure, reaching maximum condensate liquid production at around 25 MPa. As pressure decreases, gas phase density and viscosity gradually decrease, while liquid phase density and viscosity show an increasing trend. In the initial single-phase flow stage, maintaining a consistent gas-oil ratio is observed when both bottom-hole and reservoir pressures are higher than the dew point pressure. However, a sudden drop in bottom-hole pressure below the dew point triggers the production of condensate oil, significantly reducing subsequent gas and oil production. In the transitional two-phase flow stage, as the bottom-hole pressure further decreases, the reservoir exhibits a complex flow regime with coexisting areas of gas and liquid. In the subsequent two-phase flow stage, when both bottom-hole and reservoir pressures are below the dew point pressure, a significant increase in the gas-oil ratio is observed. The reservoir manifests a two-phase flow regime, devoid of single-phase gas flow areas. For low-pressure conditions in deep condensate gas reservoirs, considerations include gas injection, gas lift, and cyclic gas injection and production in surrounding wells. Additionally, techniques such as hot nitrogen or CO2injection can be employed to mitigate retrograde condensation damage. The implications of this study are crucial for developing targeted development strategies and enhancing the overall development of deep condensate gas reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress sensitivity and dynamic relative permeability are undeniable phenomenon in oil reservoir numerical simulation. In this paper, a complex two-phase flow model was established considering the deformation of porous media and relative permeability dynamic changes during water injection. A sensitivity analysis on this new model is carried out. The results reveal that stress sensitivity is a key factor that cannot be ignored when using reservoir numerical simulation to calculate water saturation. When the stress-sensitivity coefficient is not considered, the average water saturation of the model is 51.59%. When the stress-sensitivity coefficient is 0.12MPa−1, the average water saturation of the model is 48.45%. After considering stress sensitivity, the average water saturation of the model decreases by 6.1%. The water saturation difference between the new model and the traditional model is mainly reflected in the vicinity of the water injection well. Additionally, the influence of the range of changes in reservoir permeability on the calculation of water saturation by the new model cannot be ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) technology has been receiving more attention recently and can play a more expanded role in space missions with low gravity or microgravity. The liquid water generation in the Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL) of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) increases the resistance to oxygen flow toward the catalyst layer. Water flooding inside the GDL can affect the PEMFC performance especially at higher current densities. Therefore, a good understanding of the effect of liquid water amount in the GDL is crucial to water management and, subsequently, to the performance of the fuel cell. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of the microstructure characteristics of the GDL on the water flooding and liquid water distribution inside the GDL. A one-dimensional theoretical model has been developed. Results indicate that the porosity gradient has a significant effect on the liquid water saturation and the performance of the PEM fuel cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: We present a fully‐explicit, iteration‐free, weakly‐compressible method to simulate immiscible incompressible two‐phase flows. To update pressure, we circumvent the computationally expensive Poisson equation and use the general pressure equation which is solved explicitly. In addition, a less diffusive algebraic volume‐of‐fluid approach is used as the interface capturing technique and in order to facilitate improved parallel computing scalability, the technique is discretised temporally using the operator‐split methodology. Our method is fully‐explicit and stable with simple local spatial discretization, and hence, it is easy to implement. Several two‐ and three‐dimensional canonical two‐phase flows are simulated. The qualitative and quantitative results prove that our method is capable of accurately handling problems involving a range of density and viscosity ratios and surface tension effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Light Industry Machinery is the property of Light Industry Machinery Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper, we are devoted to the study of the compressible viscous Baer-Nunziato (BN) system in multi-dimensional spaces with $ d\geq2 $. Compared to previous findings, the (BN) system for compressible two-phase flows is led in two pressure state laws that vary with different phases. This property adds a practical physics background to this model. We will investigate the global existence of strong solutions to the Cauchy problem within the $ L^p $ critical regularity framework. Furthermore, we develop a Lyapunov-type energy argument that provides time-decay estimates of solutions without requiring additional smallness assumptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The velocity profiles and volumetric concentrations were measured using a laser doppler anemometer for a vertically ascending two-phase liquid–liquid droplet flow in a cylindrical tube, where the density difference between the phases is relatively small. This regime simulates the flow of a two-phase gas–liquid mixture in microgravity. The small phase slip velocity was experimentally measured. New methods have been developed for using a laser doppler anemometer to measure the velocity and volumetric concentration of phases in a dispersed two-phase flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we systematically investigate an inverse method for heterogeneous porous media to obtain porosity and permeability fields considering only production well data. The forward modeling of the input data, namely pressure and saturation fields, is based on the motion equations of a coupled Darcy flow system involving two phases of isothermal fluid flow. We discretize these equations using a multiscale finite volume simulation technique in the spatial domain, and the backward Euler method in time domain. In the inversion procedure, we combine a global optimization method, the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method, with a local optimization method, the Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) method. The MCMC was implemented as the Random Walk algorithm, and to generate the samples of the porosity and permeability fields, we employed Karhunen–Loève (KL) expansion of second-order stationary fields with Gaussian covariance. The coefficients of the KL expansion are estimated by minimizing the norm of the residual dependent on these fields. At the end of the MCMC iterations, we refine the KL coefficients associated with the porosity and permeability fields using the LM method. We verify in the numerical experiments that the accuracy of the porosity and permeability fields is improved by the LM refinement step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the problem of water–air two-phase flow, which occurs during water aeration by air injection. We present and analyze a new model incorporating a nonlocal boundary condition, integrating the effect of the air phase through a source term applied to the water phase. This term is described using a kinetic approach based on the Vlasov equation. A numerical study is conducted, and numerical experiments are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented model [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes and rigorously analyzes novel high-order bound-preserving oscillation-eliminating discontinuous Galerkin (BP-OEDG) schemes with the Harten–Lax–van Leer (HLL) numerical flux for the Kapila five-equation two-phase flow model. The evolution equation for the volume fraction is formulated as a conservative advection equation with an additional non-conservative source term. Utilizing a technical splitting approach, we design a uniformly high-order discretization for this source term, incorporating an “upwind” discretization of the non-conservative product at cell interfaces based on the HLL wave speeds. This method inherently ensures the symmetry of the volume fractions, which is crucial for establishing the bound-preserving property. The positivity of partial densities and internal energy is rigorously proven using the geometric quasilinearization (GQL) approach, which transforms the nonlinear pressure positivity constraint into equivalent linear constraints. To suppress potential spurious oscillations, we incorporate a scale-invariant and linearity-invariant oscillation elimination (OE) procedure that damps the DG modal coefficients after each Runge–Kutta stage, as proposed in [M. Peng, Z. Sun and K. Wu, OEDG: Oscillation-eliminating discontinuous Galerkin method for hyperbolic conservation laws, Math. Comput. (2024), https://doi.org/10.1090/mcom/3998 ]. This OE procedure, acting as a post-processing filter based on the jumps of the DG solution at cell interfaces, is easy to implement, maintains the Abgrall equilibrium condition around an isolated material interface, and preserves the high-order accuracy of the DG schemes. The effectiveness and robustness of the proposed high-order BP-OEDG schemes are demonstrated through several benchmark numerical experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presented a numerical simulation of heat transfer characteristics in a microchannel evaporator for a transcritical CO2 air conditioning system, and the simulated results have been validated by the experimental data. The evaporator consists of 6 passes with 29 flat tubes. Each flat tube has 10 microchannels having a 1.2 × 0.6 mm cross-section. The two-phase flow was simulated in the range of evaporation temperatures from 5 to 15 °C; the mass flow rates of 24.16, 30, and 34.96 g/s; and inlet vapor qualities of 0.5, 0.61, and 0.75, respectively. The results show that the two-phase flow with the evaporative temperature at the inlet of 5, 10, and 15 °C became superheated at the 3rd, the 4th, and the 5th pass, respectively. At the evaporation temperature of 15 °C, the heat transfer coefficient decreases from 8.1 to 3.6 kW/m2 K as the vapor quality increases from 0.75 to 1. With the mass flow rate of 30 g/s, in the tube length range from 0 to 1.1 m, the heat flux achieved around 1.55 kW/m2. The numerical cooling capacity gets the maximum value of 2.85 kW at the evaporative temperature of 10 °C. The numerical results are in good agreement with those obtained from the experimental results and the other published results, with a deviation of less than 10%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shale oil reservoirs, as an unconventional hydrocarbon resource, have the potential to substitute conventional hydrocarbon resources and alleviate energy shortages, making their exploration and development critically significant. However, due to the low permeability and the development of nanopores in shale reservoirs, shale oil production is challenging and recovery efficiency is low. During the imbibition stage, fracturing fluid displaces the oil in the pores primarily under capillary forces, but the complex pore structure of shale reservoirs makes the imbibition mechanism unclear. This research studies the imbibition flow mechanism in nanopores based on the capillary force model and two-phase flow theory, coupled with numerical simulation methods. The results indicated that within a nanopore diameter range of 10–20 nm, increasing the pore diameter leads to a higher imbibition displacement volume. Increased pressure can enhance the imbibition displacement, but the effect diminishes gradually. Under the water-wet conditions, the imbibition displacement volume increases as the contact angle decreases. When the oil phase viscosity decreases from 10 mPa·s to 1 mPa·s, the imbibition displacement rate can increase by 72%. Moreover, merely increasing the water phase viscosity results in only a 5% increase in the imbibition displacement rate. The results provide new insights into the imbibition flow mechanism in nanopores within shale oil reservoirs and offer a theoretical foundation and technical support for efficient shale oil development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • PMOB is an economical solution to reduce landfill CH 4 emissions. • Both single- and two-phase flow models are used for calculating LUGM. • LUGM doesn't reflect gas flow rate into MOL. • A novel PMOB design is proposed with a trapezoidal MOL-GDL interface. • Trapezoidal MOL-GDL interface enhances total gas flow rate into MOL. Passive methane oxidation biosystems (PMOBs) are developed as an innovative and cost-effective solution to reduce methane (CH 4) emissions from municipal solid waste landfills. A PMOB consists of a methane oxidation layer (MOL) and an underlying gas distribution layer (GDL). The length of unrestricted gas migration (LUGM) has been recently proposed as the design criterion for PMOBs where the LUGM is calculated as the horizontal length along the MOL-GDL interface with the volumetric gas content (θ a) exceeding the threshold volumetric gas content (θ a,occ). This paper examined water and gas migration within three PMOBs with different MOL-GDL interfaces subject to precipitation and evaporation using verified numerical models. The results show that the use of a single-phase flow model underestimates the LUGM values of the PMOB for heavy precipitation events, and a two-phase flow model should be used to calculate both the LUGM and the total gas mass flow rate into the MOL when designing PMOBs. Both zig-zag and trapezoidal MOL-GDL interfaces can redistribute the gas mass flow rate at the MOL-GDL interface, while the trapezoidal MOL-GDL interface slightly outperforms the zig-zag MOL-GDL interface for enhancing the total gas mass flow rate into the MOL when comparing with the planar MOL-GDL interface. The zig-zag and trapezoidal MOL-GDL interfaces allow gas migration in the upper part of each PMOB segment even when the lower part of each PMOB segment was filled with water, and thus have a potential to minimize hotspot formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Machine Tool & Hydraulics is the property of Guangzhou Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (GMERI) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The hydraulic performance of pooled stepped spillways has received less recognition compared to the traditional stepped spillways. Regarding the effectiveness of pooled stepped spillways in managing flow dynamics, previous studies have focused on investigating how different step configurations and varying chute angles can enhance energy dissipation in gravity flow over the chute. However, the potential for optimal performance and the importance of proper design have not been thoroughly explored in the existing literature. This study aims to explore new configurations of pooled stepped spillways and compare them to traditional stepped spillway designs to enhance hydraulic efficiency and maximize energy dissipation. The study examines two types of configurations of stepped spillways—two flat and two pooled configurations, each with ten steps. Using the computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technique, such as Volume of Fluid Method (VOF) and the realizable k-ε turbulence model for two-phase flow analysis with a 26.6° chute slope. Initially, the model was validated with experimental data by comparing various hydraulic parameters. These parameters include water depth, roller length, jump length, ratio of critical depth, and sequent depth. The hydraulic performance of both stepped geometric configurations was evaluated through numerical simulations to examine how the geometries of flat and pooled stepped spillways influence flow characteristics, energy dissipation, velocity, pressure distribution, and the Froude number at the downstream. The study analyzed downstream flow characteristics, maximum energy dissipation rates, depth-averaged velocity, static pressure, and pressure contours at the lateral direction under six different flow rates in flat and pooled stepped spillways. The findings indicate that flat-step configurations exhibit lower energy dissipation compared to pooled configurations. The relative energy loss of flow on pooled steps dissipates more energy than on flat steps. Furthermore, it is observed that the pooled configurations performed better for energy dissipation and flow stability compared to the flat configurations. The energy dissipation increased in pooled stepped spillways by 34.68% and 25.81%, respectively. Additionally, the depth-averaged flow velocity and pressure distribution decreased in case 2 and case 4 compared to the flat-step configurations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning operators with deep neural networks is an emerging paradigm for scientific computing. Deep Operator Network (DeepONet) is a modular operator learning framework that allows for flexibility in choosing the kind of neural network to be used in the trunk and/or branch of the DeepONet. This is beneficial as it has been shown many times that different types of problems require different kinds of network architectures for effective learning. In this work, we design an efficient neural operator based on the DeepONet architecture. We introduce U-Net enhanced DeepONet (U-DeepONet) for learning the solution operator of highly complex CO2-water two-phase flow in heterogeneous porous media. The U-DeepONet is more accurate in predicting gas saturation and pressure buildup than the state-of-the-art U-Net based Fourier Neural Operator (U-FNO) and the Fourier-enhanced Multiple-Input Operator (Fourier-MIONet) trained on the same dataset. Moreover, our U-DeepONet is significantly more efficient in training times than both the U-FNO (more than 18 times faster) and the Fourier-MIONet (more than 5 times faster), while consuming less computational resources. We also show that the U-DeepONet is more data efficient and better at generalization than both the U-FNO and the Fourier-MIONet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a focused study on visualizing the flow patterns in a two-phase pulsating heat pipe (PHP) using Fe3O4/water as the working fluid at 3 V/V% concentration. The research also aims to meticulously examine phase change phenomena in the heating section, particularly focusing on bubble formation and expansion processes. A high-speed video camera was utilized to capture dynamic insights into the behavior of the Fe3O4/water mixture. Based on the findings, a straightforward model was developed to explain bubble generation and growth in the mixture, serving as a useful reference for future PHP designs and optimizations. Visual observations also noted the stable nature of the Fe3O4/water nanofluid over a 4-day period, confirming its consistency throughout the experiments. Moreover, the impact of heat load variation on the evaporator section was assessed using controlled heat inputs ranging from 10 to 80 W. Observations on the arrangement of slugs and plugs at a 50% filling ratio revealed interesting self-adjusting flow patterns in response to increasing heat inputs, providing valuable insights into PHP operational dynamics. Notably, the oscillatory flow behavior of Fe3O4/water, the chosen working fluid, exhibited greater activity in comparison to water. This distinctive flow behavior contributed to achieving heightened thermal performance efficiency for the Fe3O4/water system, attributed to its faster attainment of the annular flow condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the existence of weak solutions of the system that describes the two‐phase two‐component fluid flow in porous media. Both two‐phase and possible one‐phase flow regions are taken into account. Our research is based on a global pressure, an artificial variable that allows us to partially decouple the original equations. As a second primary unknown for the system, we choose the gas pseudo‐pressure, a persistent variable which coincides with the gas pressure in the two‐phase regions while it does not have physical meaning in one‐phase flow regions, when only the liquid phase is present. This allows us to introduce an another persistent variable that is an artificial variable in one‐phase flow regions and a physical variable in two‐phase flow regions—the capillary pseudopressure. We rewrite the system's equations in a fully equivalent form in terms of the global pressure and the gas‐pseudo pressure. In order to prove the existence of weak solutions of obtained system, we also use the capillary pseudo‐pressure. By using it, we can decouple obtained equations on the discrete level. This allows us to derive the existence result for weak solutions in more tractable way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionic liquid compressors are suitable for high-pressure hydrogen refuelling stations. The initial liquid piston height is a critical parameter in designing ionic liquid compressors. Sufficient initial liquid column height can effectively prevent hydrogen leakage and exposure of the solid piston. However, there is a lack of basis for selecting the initial ionic liquid column height in the compression cylinder. The gas-liquid interface in the multi-stage compression is investigated by an experimentally verified numerical simulation model. The results show that in the low-pressure stage of the ionic liquid compressor, the initial liquid piston height can equal to the piston stroke, but in the high-pressure stage, the solid piston could be exposed to the hydrogen, so it is necessary to increase the initial liquid piston height. By analyzing the fluctuation characteristics in the cylinder, it is found that there is a minimum initial liquid piston height in each stage to ensure effective sealing. The minimum liquid piston height for the first to the fifth stage is 52 mm, 40 mm, 44 mm, 51 mm, and 54 mm, respectively. • The compression cylinders of a five-stage ionic liquid compressor were designed. • A numerical method was established and verified by experiment data. • The characteristics of the gas-liquid interface were analyzed. • The minimum initial ionic liquid height in each stage was recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wireless sensor nodes (WSNs) play an important role in many fields, including environmental monitoring. However, unattended WSNs face challenges in consuming power continuously even in the absence of useful information, which makes energy supply the bottleneck of WSNs. Here, we realized zero-power infrared switches, which consist of a metasurface and two-phase microfluidic flow. The metasurface can recognize the infrared signal from the target and convert it into heat, which triggers the two-phase microfluidic flow switch. As the target is not present, the switch is turned off. The graphene/MoS2/graphene 2D material heterostructure (thickness <2 nm) demonstrates an exceptionally high thermal resistance of 4.2 K/W due to strong phonon scattering and reduces the heat flow from the metasurface to the supporting substrate, significantly increasing the device sensitivity (the displacement of the two-phase microfluidic flow increases from ~1500 to ~3000 µm). The infrared switch with a pair of symmetric two-phase microfluidic flows can avoid spurious triggering resulting from environmental temperature changes. We realized WSNs with near-zero standby power consumption by integrating the infrared switch, sensors, and wireless communication module. When the target infrared signal appears, the WSNs are woken and show superb visual/auditory sensing performance. This work provides a novel approach for greatly lengthening the lifespan of unattended WSNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]