Modelling and 3D printing of a random porous media using iterative function system fractals
Nhan Thanh Nguyen Kenny Cao A , Chan Mayol A , Alireza Salmachi A * and Agatha Labrinidis AA University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.
The APPEA Journal 63 47-55 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ22144
Submitted: 8 December 2022 Accepted: 10 January 2023 Published: 11 May 2023
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of APPEA.
Abstract
3D-printed porous media are useful in conducting research in many fields. Fabricated core samples can be utilised in core flooding experiments to investigate fluid flow (natural gas, CO2 and hydrogen) within an engineered porous media. This work aimed to create digital cores using randomly generated porous media and fabricate the cores using 3D-printing technology. A code is developed that utilises an iterative function system to generate individual maps with random points across their surfaces. A predetermined number of individual maps are generated and stacked on top of each other in a 3D space. The maps are transferred to an Autodesk Inventor environment in the form of coordinates in space. The 3D model of the digital core is constructed in the Inventor and exported as a 3D-printed file. The digital cores are 3D printed using different materials and technologies to identify the best approach. The results show that the digital core constructed using six individual maps, with each map having 10 000 random points, can be successfully fabricated using resin as the printing material. A post-printing micro-CT scan imaging of the fabricated core clearly shows 3D-printed pores (both isolated and connected pores) throughout the core sample. This confirms that 3D-printed pores have adequate quality and that connectivity has been attained throughout the sample.
Keywords: 3D model, 3D printing, additive manufacturing, digital core, fractal network, iterative function system, micro-CT scan imaging, porous media, rapid prototyping.
Nhan Thanh Nguyen Kenny Cao (Kenny) has completed his final year at the University of Adelaide in Petroleum and Mining Engineering and has been previously awarded the Australiasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AUSIMM) ‘AAA’ Award for Superior Academic Achievement and the Playford Trust/AUSIMM scholarship. He has had previous internships and vacation experiences at both Prominent Hill and Carrapateena sites, working with both Byrnecut and OZ Minerals. While working at both sites, he has undertaken roles in different departments, such as Mine Projects, Production Engineering, Mine Planning and Underground Operations. While working in the Mine Projects department, he had the opportunity to explore and lead a small project that involved dust control in the underground environment with the use of additives for haul roads. With the experiences gained, he hopes he can further explore and develop his skills and knowledge to one day specialise in Production Engineering and open new avenues to more efficient mine production. |
Chan Monyteng Ring Mayol (Chan Mayol) is a penultimate-year student at the University of Adelaide, taking Petroleum and Mechanical Engineering and anticipating completion in 2023. His professional industry experience includes vacation work with Oz Minerals at Prominent Hill in 2021/2022 as an undergraduate Backfill Engineer. He mainly worked in the backfill department focusing on paste rheology, specifically designing and analysing paste flow within underground pipe networks. Outside of work and studies, he has volunteered at Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics events, such as SCIENCE ALIVE 2019/2022, and has previously been involved in leadership activities as a formed Secretary in the 2021/2022 Committee for the University of Adelaide Society of Petroleum Engineers Student Chapter (SPE Student Chapter). His achievements include a scholarship from SPE South Australia. |
Dr Alireza Salmachi is a Senior Lecturer in the Australian School of Petroleum and Energy Resources, University of Adelaide. He was awarded his PhD in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Adelaide in 2013. His current research foci include the integrated surface facility modelling and underground storage of hydrogen in geological formations, wellbore decommissioning and integrity, CO2 |
Dr Agatha Labrinidis is the Facility Manager at the Adelaide Microscopy (Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences node) at the University of Adelaide. She was awarded her PhD in 2005 in Novel Treatments of Osteosarcoma and has extensive experience in the area of live-animal imaging, including micro-CT scanning, bioluminescent/fluorescent imaging and small animal ultrasound. In addition to teaching these techniques, she also teaches light microscopy, live-cell imaging and high-content imaging to students and researchers. |
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