Scaling the impacts of pore-scale characteristics on unstable supercritical CO2-water drainage using a complete capillary number

Geological carbon storage in deep aquifers involves displacement of resident brine by supercritical CO2 (scCO2), which is an unstable drainage process caused by the invasion of less viscous scCO2. The unstable drainage is greatly complicated by aquifer heterogeneity and anisotropy and regarded as one of the key factors accounting for the uncertainty in storage capacity estimates. The impacts of pore-scale characteristics on the unstable drainage remain poorly understood. In this study, scCO2 drainage experiments were conducted at 40 °C and 9 MPa using a homogeneous elliptical micromodel with low or high anisotropy, a homogeneous/isotropic hexagonal micromodel, and a heterogeneous sandstone-analog micromodel. Each initially water-saturated micromodel was invaded by scCO2 at different rates with logCa (the capillary number)ranging from −7.6 to −4.4, and scCO2/water images were obtained. The measured CO2 saturations in these centimeter-scale micromodels vary considerably from 0.08 to 0.93 depending on the pore-scale characteristics and capillary number. It was also observed that scCO2 drainage follows the classic flow-regime transition from capillary fingering through crossover to viscous fingering for either of the low-anisotropy elliptical and heterogeneous micromodels, but with disparate crossover zones. The crossover zones of scCO2 saturation were then unified with the minimum scCO2 saturation occurring at logCa*=-4.0 using the complete capillary number (Ca*)that considers pore characteristics. For the hexagonal and the high-anisotropy elliptical micromodels, a monotonic increase in scCO2 saturation with increasing Ca* (without crossover)was observed. It appears that the complete capillary number is more appropriate than the classic capillary number when characterizing flow regimes and CO2 saturation in different pore networks

Coupled supercritical CO2 dissolution and water flow in pore-scale micromodels

Dissolution trapping is one of the most important mechanisms for geological carbon storage (GCS). Recent laboratory and field experiments have shown non-equilibrium dissolution of supercritical CO2 (scCO2) and coupled scCO2 dissolution and water flow, i.e., scCO2 dissolution at local pores/pore throats creating new water-flow paths, which in turn enhance dissolution by increased advection and interfacial area. However, the impacts of pore-scale characteristics on these coupled processes have not been investigated. In this study, imbibition and dissolution experiments were conducted under 40 °C and 9 MPa using a homogeneous/isotropic hexagonal micromodel, two homogeneous elliptical micromodels with low or high anisotropy, and a heterogeneous sandstone-analog micromodel. The four micromodels, initially saturated with deionized (DI)-water, were drained by injecting scCO2 to establish a stable scCO2 saturation. DI water was then injected at different rates with logCa (the capillary number) ranging from −6.56 to −4.34. Results show that bypass of scCO2 by displacing water is the dominant mechanism contributing to the residual CO2 trapping, triggered by heterogeneity in pore characteristics or pore-scale scCO2-water distribution. Bypass can be enhanced by pore heterogeneity or reduced by increasing transverse permeability, resulting in relatively low (<2% of CO2 solubility) or high (9–13% of CO2 solubility) dissolved CO2 concentration in displacing water. The overall dissolution of residual scCO2 increases with decreasing Ca, and approaches to their solubility at low Ca value with sufficient residence time. This main trend is similar to a capillary desaturation curve that represents the relationship between the residual saturation and Ca. Spatially, dissolution initiates along the boundary of bypassed scCO2 cluster(s) in a non-equilibrium manner, and the coupling of water flow and dissolution occurs which fragments the bypassed scCO2 clusters and enhance scCO2 dissolution

A Proposal of Standardised Data Model for Cloud Manufacturing Collaborative Networks

[EN] The growing amount of data to be handled by collaborative networks raises the need of introducing innovative solutions to fulfil the lack of affordable tools, especially for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, to manage and exchange data. The European H2020 Project Cloud Collaborative Manufacturing Networks develops and offers a structured data model, called Standardised Tables, as an organised framework to jointly work with existing databases to manage big data collected from different industries belonging to the CNs. The information of the Standardised Tables will be mainly used with optimisation and collaboration purposes. The paper describes an application of the Standardised Tables in one of the pilots of the aforementioned project, the automotive industry pilot, for solving the collaborative problem of a Materials Requirement Plan.The research leading to these results is in the frame of the “Cloud Collaborative Manufacturing Networks” (C2NET) project, which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 636909.Andres, B.; Sanchis, R.; Poler, R.; Saari, L. (2017). A Proposal of Standardised Data Model for Cloud Manufacturing Collaborative Networks. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. 560:77-85. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65151-4_7S7785560Andres, B., Poler, R.: Models, guidelines and tools for the integration of collaborative processes in non-hierarchical manufacturing networks: a review. Int. J. Comput. Integr. Manuf. 2(29), 166–201 (2016)Zikopoulos, P., Eaton, C.: Understanding Big Data: Analytics for Enterprise Class Hadoop and Streaming Data. McGraw-Hill Osborne Media, New York (2011)Zhou, B., Wang, S., Xi, L.: Data model design for manufacturing execution system. J. Manuf. Technol. Manag. 16(8), 909–935 (2005)Steven, W.: Getting the MES model – methods for system analysis. ISA Trans. 35(2), 95–103 (1996)Reda, A.: Extracting the extended entity-relationship model from a legacy relational database. Inf. Syst. 28(6), 597–618 (2003)Teorey, T.J., Yang, D., Fry, J.P.: A logical design methodology for relational database using the extended entity-relationship model. ACM Comput. Surv. 18(2), 197–222 (1986)Victor, M., Arie, S.: Representing extended entity-relationship structures in relational databases: a modular approach. ACM Trans. Database Syst. 17(3), 423–464 (1992)CORDIS Europa, Factories of the Future, H2020-EU.2.1.5.1. - Technologies for Factories of the Future (2014)H2020 Project C2NET (2015). http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/193440_en.htmlAndres, B., Sanchis, R., Poler, R.: A cloud platform to support collaboration in supply networks. Int. J. Prod. Manag. Eng. 4(1), 5–13 (2016)APICS, “SCOR Framework,” Supply Chain Operations Reference model (SCOR) (2017)Orbegozo, A., Andres, B., Mula, J., Lauras, M., Monteiro, C., Malheiro, M.: An overview of optimization models for integrated replenishment and producction planning decisions. In: Building Bridges Between Researchers and Practitioners. Book of Abstracts of the International Joint Conference CIO-ICIEOM-IISE-AIM (IJC2016), p. 68 (2016)Andres, B., Poler, R., Saari, L., Arana, J., Benaches, J.V., Salazar, J.: Optimization models to support decision-making in collaborative networks: a review. In: Building Bridges Between Researchers and Practitioners. Book of Abstracts of the International Joint Conference CIO-ICIEOM-IISE-AIM (IJC2016), p. 70 (2016)Andres, B., Sanchis, R., Lamothe, J., Saari, L., Hauser, F.: Combined models for production and distribution planning in a supply chain. In: Building Bridges Between Researchers and Practitioners. Book of Abstracts of the International Joint Conference CIO-ICIEOM-IISE-AIM (IJC2016), p. 71 (2016

Raman scattering and X-ray diffraction study of neutron irradiated GaN epilayers

Neutron irradiation induced defects and their effects on the carrier concentration of GaN epilayers are investigated with Raman scattering and X-ray diffraction techniques. Relative to the as-grown sample, the neutronirradiated samples exhibit a clear variation in the position and lineshape of the A 1(LO)-mode Raman peak as well as in the fullwidth at half-maximum height (FWHM) of the XRD rocking curves. Careful curve fitting and adequate calculations give the carrier concentrations of the irradiated GaN. It is found that the defects induced by neutron irradiation act as carrier trap centres which capture the electron carriers so that the carrier concentration of the irradiated GaN is reduced. © 2005 IEEE.published_or_final_versio

Control of microwave signals using circuit nano-electromechanics

Waveguide resonators are crucial elements in sensitive astrophysical detectors [1] and circuit quantum electrodynamics (cQED) [2]. Coupled to artificial atoms in the form of superconducting qubits [3, 4], they now provide a technologically promising and scalable platform for quantum information processing tasks [2, 5-8]. Coupling these circuits, in situ, to other quantum systems, such as molecules [9, 10], spin ensembles [11, 12], quantum dots [13] or mechanical oscillators [14, 15] has been explored to realize hybrid systems with extended functionality. Here, we couple a superconducting coplanar waveguide resonator to a nano-coshmechanical oscillator, and demonstrate all-microwave field controlled slowing, advancing and switching of microwave signals. This is enabled by utilizing electromechanically induced transparency [16-18], an effect analogous to electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in atomic physics [19]. The exquisite temporal control gained over this phenomenon provides a route towards realizing advanced protocols for storage of both classical and quantum microwave signals [20-22], extending the toolbox of control techniques of the microwave field.Comment: 9 figure

Rabies screen reveals GPe control of cocaine-triggered plasticity.

Identification of neural circuit changes that contribute to behavioural plasticity has routinely been conducted on candidate circuits that were preselected on the basis of previous results. Here we present an unbiased method for identifying experience-triggered circuit-level changes in neuronal ensembles in mice. Using rabies virus monosynaptic tracing, we mapped cocaine-induced global changes in inputs onto neurons in the ventral tegmental area. Cocaine increased rabies-labelled inputs from the globus pallidus externus (GPe), a basal ganglia nucleus not previously known to participate in behavioural plasticity triggered by drugs of abuse. We demonstrated that cocaine increased GPe neuron activity, which accounted for the increase in GPe labelling. Inhibition of GPe activity revealed that it contributes to two forms of cocaine-triggered behavioural plasticity, at least in part by disinhibiting dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area. These results suggest that rabies-based unbiased screening of changes in input populations can identify previously unappreciated circuit elements that critically support behavioural adaptations

Localisation of RNAs into the germ plasm of vitellogenic xenopus oocytes

We have studied the localisation of mRNAs in full-grown Xenopus laevis oocytes by injecting fluorescent RNAs, followed by confocal microscopy of the oocyte cortex. Concentrating on RNA encoding the Xenopus Nanos homologue, nanos1 (formerly Xcat2), we find that it consistently localised into aggregated germ plasm ribonucleoprotein (RNP) particles, independently of cytoskeletal integrity. This implies that a diffusion/entrapment-mediated mechanism is active, as previously reported for previtellogenic oocytes. Sometimes this was accompanied by localisation into scattered particles of the “late”, Vg1/VegT pathway; occasionally only late pathway localisation was seen. The Xpat RNA behaved in an identical fashion and for neither RNA was the localisation changed by any culture conditions tested. The identity of the labelled RNP aggregates as definitive germ plasm was confirmed by their inclusion of abundant mitochondria and co-localisation with the germ plasm protein Hermes. Further, the nanos1/Hermes RNP particles are interspersed with those containing the germ plasm protein Xpat. These aggregates may be followed into the germ plasm of unfertilized eggs, but with a notable reduction in its quantity, both in terms of injected molecules and endogenous structures. Our results conflict with previous reports that there is no RNA localisation in large oocytes, and that during mid-oogenesis even germ plasm RNAs localise exclusively by the late pathway. We find that in mid oogenesis nanos1 RNA also localises to germ plasm but also by the late pathway. Late pathway RNAs, Vg1 and VegT, also may localise into germ plasm. Our results support the view that mechanistically the two modes of localisation are extremely similar, and that in an injection experiment RNAs might utilise either pathway, the distinction in fates being very subtle and subject to variation. We discuss these results in relation to their biological significance and the results of others

Three-dimensional femtosecond laser nanolithography of crystals

Nanostructuring hard optical crystals has so far been exclusively feasible at their surface, as stress induced crack formation and propagation has rendered high precision volume processes ineffective. We show that the inner chemical etching reactivity of a crystal can be enhanced at the nanoscale by more than five orders of magnitude by means of direct laser writing. The process allows to produce cm-scale arbitrary three-dimensional nanostructures with 100 nm feature sizes inside large crystals in absence of brittle fracture. To showcase the unique potential of the technique, we fabricate photonic structures such as sub-wavelength diffraction gratings and nanostructured optical waveguides capable of sustaining sub-wavelength propagating modes inside yttrium aluminum garnet crystals. This technique could enable the transfer of concepts from nanophotonics to the fields of solid state lasers and crystal optics.Comment: Submitted Manuscript and Supplementary Informatio

Developing serious games for cultural heritage: a state-of-the-art review

Although the widespread use of gaming for leisure purposes has been well documented, the use of games to support cultural heritage purposes, such as historical teaching and learning, or for enhancing museum visits, has been less well considered. The state-of-the-art in serious game technology is identical to that of the state-of-the-art in entertainment games technology. As a result, the field of serious heritage games concerns itself with recent advances in computer games, real-time computer graphics, virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence. On the other hand, the main strengths of serious gaming applications may be generalised as being in the areas of communication, visual expression of information, collaboration mechanisms, interactivity and entertainment. In this report, we will focus on the state-of-the-art with respect to the theories, methods and technologies used in serious heritage games. We provide an overview of existing literature of relevance to the domain, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the described methods and point out unsolved problems and challenges. In addition, several case studies illustrating the application of methods and technologies used in cultural heritage are presented