Simulação computacional da interação fluido-estrutura em bombas de cavidades progressivas

The pumping through progressing cavities system has been more and more employed in the petroleum industry. This occurs because of its capacity of elevation of highly viscous oils or fluids with great concentration of sand or other solid particles. A Progressing Cavity Pump (PCP) consists, basically, of a rotor - a metallic device similar to an eccentric screw, and a stator - a steel tube internally covered by a double helix, which may be rigid or deformable/elastomeric. In general, it is submitted to a combination of well pressure with the pressure generated by the pumping process itself. In elastomeric PCPs, this combined effort compresses the stator and generates, or enlarges, the clearance existing between the rotor and the stator, thus reducing the closing effect between their cavities. Such opening of the sealing region produces what is known as fluid slip or slippage, reducing the efficiency of the PCP pumping system. Therefore, this research aims to develop a transient three-dimensional computational model that, based on single-lobe PCP kinematics, is able to simulate the fluid-structure interaction that occurs in the interior of metallic and elastomeric PCPs. The main goal is to evaluate the dynamic characteristics of PCP s efficiency based on detailed and instantaneous information of velocity, pressure and deformation fields in their interior. To reach these goals (development and use of the model), it was also necessary the development of a methodology for generation of dynamic, mobile and deformable, computational meshes representing fluid and structural regions of a PCP. This additional intermediary step has been characterized as the biggest challenge for the elaboration and running of the computational model due to the complex kinematic and critical geometry of this type of pump (different helix angles between rotor and stator as well as large length scale aspect ratios). The processes of dynamic generation of meshes and of simultaneous evaluation of the deformations suffered by the elastomer are fulfilled through subroutines written in Fortan 90 language that dynamically interact with the CFX/ANSYS fluid dynamic software. Since a structural elastic linear model is employed to evaluate elastomer deformations, it is not necessary to use any CAE package for structural analysis. However, an initial proposal for dynamic simulation using hyperelastic models through ANSYS software is also presented in this research. Validation of the results produced with the present methodology (mesh generation, flow simulation in metallic PCPs and simulation of fluid-structure interaction in elastomeric PCPs) is obtained through comparison with experimental results reported by the literature. It is expected that the development and application of such a computational model may provide better details of the dynamics of the flow within metallic and elastomeric PCPs, so that better control systems may be implemented in the artificial elevation area by PCP

Estudo das propriedades físico-químicas do biodiesel e suas influências na deterioração dos elastômeros aplicados no sistema de injeção dos motores diesel

The biodiesel use has become important due to its renewable character and to reduce environmental impacts during the fuel burning. Theses benefit will be valid if the fuel shows good performance, chemistry stability and compatibility with engines. Biodiesel is a good fuel to diesel engines due to its lubricity. Then, the aimed of this study was to verify the physicalchemistry properties of biodiesel and their correlations with possible elastomers damage after biodiesel be used as fuel in an injection system. The methodology was divided in three steps: biodiesels synthesis by transesterification of three vegetable oil (soybean, palm and sunflower) and their physical-chemistry characterization (viscosity, oxidative stability, flash point, acidity, humidity and density); pressurized test of compatibility between elastomers (NBR and VITON) and biodiesel, and the last one, analyze of biodiesels lubricity by tribological test ball-plan( HFRR). Also, the effect of mixture of biodiesel and diesel in different concentrations was evaluated. The results showed that VITON showed better compatibility with all biodiesel blends in relation to NBR, however when VITON had contact with sunflower biodiesel and its blends the swelling degree suffer higher influences due to biodiesel humidity. For others biodiesels and theirs blends, this elastomer kept its mechanical properties constant. The better tribological performance was observed for blends with high biodiesel concentration, lower friction coefficient was obtained when palm biodiesel was used. The main mechanisms observed during the HFRR tests were abrasive and oxidative wear