Rock Sample Property Measurement Without Chemical Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining geologic properties of rock samples require chemical cleaning and drying, which can alter the sample and introduce toxic substances like mercury, and fail to accurately measure grain density and porosity due to retained fluids.
Innovation Solution
A method and system using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to measure fluid volume, gas porosimetry to measure gas space, and Archimedes assembly to measure mass values, allowing for the determination of bulk volume, bulk density, and porosity without chemical cleaning, using inert gases and avoiding mercury.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If chemical cleaning and drying is performed on rock samples, then the sample is prepared for measurement, but the sample is altered and toxic substances like mercury are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the harmful chemical cleaning step from the traditional measurement process. By using NMR to measure fluid volume directly in the untreated sample, the method eliminates the need for chemical cleaning and drying, thereby removing the source of sample alteration and toxic substance introduction while maintaining measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces NMR technology as an intermediary measurement tool that can accurately measure fluid volume in rock samples without requiring chemical preparation. This intermediary method bridges the gap between needing accurate porosity measurements and avoiding chemical contamination, allowing direct measurement on untreated samples.
2Measurement precision
If traditional methods are used to measure porosity, then measurements can be obtained, but retained fluids cause inaccurate grain density and porosity measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses NMR to measure the volume of retained fluid in the rock sample, providing feedback information about the quantity of fluid present. This feedback is then used to correct the porosity and grain density measurements, compensating for the presence of retained fluid and achieving accurate measurements despite the fluid being present in the sample.
3Measurement precision
If chemical cleaning is performed on rock samples, then the sample can be measured, but time is lost and chemical alteration occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the time-consuming chemical cleaning and drying steps from the sample preparation process. By using NMR to directly measure fluid volume in untreated samples, the method removes the preparatory steps that cause time loss and chemical alteration, enabling rapid measurement while preserving sample integrity.
4Measurement precision
If mercury is used in traditional porosity measurement, then porosity can be measured, but toxic substances are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/chemical mercury intrusion method with an NMR-based measurement system. This substitution eliminates the need for toxic mercury while maintaining porosity measurement capability, as NMR can directly measure fluid volume and porosity through nuclear magnetic resonance signals without introducing harmful substances.
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
Accurately determines geologic properties of untreated rock samples, saving time and avoiding chemical alteration, while providing precise measurements of grain density and porosity without toxic substances.
Implementation Method 1
measuring, using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), a volume of a fluid retained within a solid matrix of a processed rock sample
Implementation Method 2
measuring the volume of the gas space of the processed rock sample to determine a volume of the solid matrix with the gas porosimeter using a Boyle's law technique with an inert gas
Implementation Method 3
measuring, with an Archimedes assembly, a first mass value in air of the processed rock sample and a second mass value in a liquid of the processed rock sample
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for determining a geologic property of a rock sample include (i) measuring, using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), a volume of a fluid retained within a solid matrix of a processed rock sample; (ii) measuring, using a gas porosimeter, a volume of gas space of the processed rock sample; (iii) measuring, with an Archimedes assembly, a first mass value in air of the processed rock sample and a second mass value in a liquid of the processed rock sample; and (iv) determining, based at least on the measured volume of the fluid, the measured volume of the gas space, and the measured first and second mass values, at least one of a bulk volume, a bulk density, a grain density, or a porosity of the processed rock sample.