CT Triaxial Test Apparatus for Hydrate Sediment Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing CT triaxial test apparatuses for hydrate-bearing sediment face issues with stability during X-ray scanning, poor temperature control, and inadequate X-ray penetration, leading to suboptimal CT imaging and potential hydrate decomposition, which affects the accuracy of mechanical property measurements.
Innovation Solution
A redesigned CT triaxial test apparatus featuring a pressure chamber with a layered structure of aluminum alloy and engineering plastic, a water bath jacket for heat insulation, and an axial loading mechanism to reduce the center of gravity, enhancing stability and temperature control while improving X-ray penetration and imaging quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the loading device is located on the upper part of the main machine, then the structure is compact, but the center of gravity is higher causing instability during rotation and ghosting in CT images
Solution Approach 1:
The loading device is inverted from the conventional upper-positioned configuration to a lower-positioned configuration. The loading piston and loading device are arranged at the lower part of the pressure chamber, reversing the traditional layout to lower the center of gravity and improve rotational stability during CT scanning.
2Temperature
If the pressure chamber is made of pure aluminum or aluminum alloy, then heat conduction is good for temperature control, but X-ray penetration performance is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure chamber is constructed as a composite structure combining aluminum alloy and acrylic transparent materials. The aluminum alloy components (pressure chamber body, loading piston, loading device) provide excellent heat conduction for temperature control, while the acrylic transparent material sections allow superior X-ray penetration for high-quality CT imaging, resolving the contradiction between thermal performance and radiological transparency.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the pressure chamber wall is made of engineering plastic, then X-ray penetration is improved, but heat conduction and strength are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure chamber employs a composite design where aluminum alloy components (providing high strength and heat conduction) are combined with acrylic transparent material components (providing X-ray penetration). This composite approach allows the structure to simultaneously achieve the required mechanical strength, thermal management capability, and radiological transparency that single materials cannot provide.
4Ease of manufacture
If the pressure chamber is integrally designed, then manufacturing is simplified, but functional optimization of individual parts is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure chamber is segmented into multiple functional components including the pressure chamber body, loading piston, loading device, and end caps, each optimized for its specific function. The aluminum alloy and acrylic transparent materials are selectively applied to different segments based on their functional requirements, allowing functional optimization while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through modular assembly.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus achieves improved stability during scanning, enhanced temperature control accuracy, and superior X-ray penetration, resulting in optimal CT imaging and reliable mechanical data for hydrate reservoir deformation mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
the water bath jacket 1 is made of material with good heat insulation performance, so coolant heat loss is reduced
Implementation Method 2
The pressure chamber of the apparatus is made of pure aluminum, aluminum alloy or other low-density material which has good heat-conduction performance
Implementation Method 3
poor X-ray penetration performance... it is unable to achieve organic integration with X-ray CT and other visual devices
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a CT triaxial test apparatus for hydrate-bearing sediment, and belongs to the technical field of fundamental physical property measurement of geotechnical engineering. In the apparatus, aiming at the defects of the invention “a visual test apparatus for mechanical characteristics of natural gas hydrate-bearing sediment”, the CT triaxial test apparatus for hydrate-bearing sediment is redesigned and optimized, on the premise of obtaining static and dynamic mechanical characteristics and creep characteristics of a hydrate reservoir, the stability of the triaxial apparatus during rotation due to scanning, the temperature control accuracy of a hydrate-bearing sample, and the X-ray penetration performance of the pressure chamber of the triaxial apparatus are improved, an optimal CT imaging effect is obtained, and powerful hardware support is provided to ascertain the reservoir deformation mechanism during hydrate decomposition.