Computed Tomography Scanner Core Holder with Data Acquisition System
The featured equipment is a core holder designed with stainless steel ends, an aluminum liner, and an outer shell constructed from carbon fiber.
Comprising a FKM sleeve with titanium pressure taps, this core holder is engineered to operate at a maximum pressure of 10,000 psi.
It is suitable for use with saline solution (brine) and inert gases, functioning within an ambient temperature range.
The core holder accommodates cores ranging from 1.5 inches to 2 inches in diameter, with lengths of up to 12 inches.
Core Holder Details:
The core holder adopts a Hassler type design, specifically tailored for cores up to 12 inches in length. Its adaptable design allows for the use of shorter length cores through the incorporation of spacers. Transparency to X-rays is achieved through the core holder’s construction, featuring an aluminum liner and a carbon fiber wrap.
Materials Used:
- Wetted Metallic Materials: Titanium, Aluminum, Hastelloy C276
- Elastomer Material: FKM
- Hydraulic Connection: 3x Autoclave W 125 female ports for 1/8″ tube
Titanium Grade 23, known as Ti-6Al-4V ELI, boasts excellent corrosion resistance, high strength, and biocompatibility. Hastelloy C276, a nickel-molybdenum-chromium alloy, ensures corrosion resistance in challenging environments. FKM elastomer, or fluororubber, contributes to the core holder’s resilience with its exceptional chemical and thermal resistance.
Core Placement and End Caps:
The core is securely held between two distribution plugs, featuring a 1/8 inch port for hydraulic connection and another for thermocouple connection.
Pressure measurement is facilitated through a Tee connected to the inlet or outlet pressure port.
The end caps, screwed onto the core holder ends, serve distinct purposes—one receiving 6 measurements from the core sleeve and providing 6 ports for pressure measurement, while the other includes ports for applying confining pressure and pressure measurement.
Core Sleeve Features:
Core sleeves are available in two sizes, catering to 1.5-inch OD and 2-inch OD cores up to 12 inches in length. These FKM sleeves incorporate 6 pressure taps spaced at 2-inch intervals, starting 1 inch from the lower limit of the core. The sleeves are designed to prevent strong X-ray attenuation, utilizing titanium grade 23 pressure taps.
Pressure Measurement and Data Acquisition:
Pressure is measured using precision pressure transducers with a range of 0-5000 psi or 0-10000 psi, boasting an accuracy of 0.01%, temperature-compensated from -25°C to 125°C.
The data acquisition system, such as the NI Compact DAQ, features entries for all pressure sensors and up to 4 thermocouples.
The LabVIEW-based acquisition software displays real-time graphs for injection pressure, outlet pressure/back pressure, overburden pressure, core temperature, pressure readings from all taps, and calculated differential pressure.
All pressure readings are presented in psi with a resolution of 0.1 psi.
