IP Library Granted Patent US 10,275,551
Granted Patent B2
US 10,275,551 · App. 14/339,760 · Granted Apr 30, 2019

Integrated solver for fluid driven fracture and fragmentation

Inventors: Esteban Rougier (Los Alamos, NM); Earl Eugene Knight (Rio Rancho, NM); Antonio Munjiza (London, GB)
Assignee: Triad National Security, LLC
G06F17/5018E21B43/26G06F2217/16
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,275,551
App. No.
14/339,760
Granted
Apr 30, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An integrated solver may be used for both a fluid phase and a solid phase. The integrated solver may use constitutive equations for the fluid phase and the solid phase, and calculate the stress in the fluid and solid using the same integration point. The integrated solver may also calculate other state variables using the same integration point.

Claims (37)

1. A computer-implemented process, comprising:

calculating, by at least one processor, deformation on each element and each phase of a deformable medium with a fluid flow along fractures and through porous solid media, wherein each phase comprises a solid phase and a fluid phase;

calculating, by the at least one processor, a stress on each phase of the deformable medium based on the calculated deformation; and

mapping, by the at least one processor, the calculated stress on each phase of the deformable medium into corresponding nodal force of finite elements to numerically model fluid driven fracture and fragmentation, wherein

each element of the deformable medium comprises a solid element pertaining to bulk solid and bulk fluid, both of which have micromechanical interactions at an integration point level.

2. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 , wherein each element of the deformable medium comprises a surface element, the solid element, or both.

3. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 , wherein the fluid phase comprises a single fluid phase or multiple fluid phases, and the solid phase comprises a single solid phase or multiple solid phases.

4. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 , wherein the calculating of the stress on each phase of the deformable medium comprises determining, by at least one processor, an interaction between the solid and fluid phases at a micro-structure level.

5. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 , further comprising:

calculating, by the at least one processor, the nodal forces using at least one nodal velocity, at least one nodal position, or both.

6. The computer-implemented process of claim 5 , further comprising:

updating, by the at least one processor, the at least one nodal velocity.

7. The computer-implemented process of claim 5 , further comprising:

updating, by the at least one processor, the at least one nodal position.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory comprising a set of instructions, wherein

the set of instructions and the at least one processor are configured to cause the apparatus to

calculate deformation on each element and each phase of the deformable medium with a fluid flow along fractures and through porous solid media, wherein each phase comprises a solid phase and a fluid phase;

calculate stresses on each phase of the deformable medium based on the calculated deformation; and

map the calculated stresses on each phase of the deformable medium into corresponding nodal forces of finite elements to numerically model fluid driven fracture and fragmentation, wherein

each element of the deformable medium comprises a solid element pertaining to bulk solid and bulk fluid, both of which have micromechanical interactions at an integration point level.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein each element of the deformable medium comprises a surface element, the solid element, or both.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein each phase of the deformable medium comprises a fluid phase, solid phase, or both.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the set of instructions and the at least one processor are further configured to cause the apparatus to determine an interaction between the solid phase and fluid phase at a micro-structure level.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the set of instructions and the at least one processor are further configured to cause the apparatus to calculate the nodal forces using at least one nodal velocity, at least one nodal position, or both.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the set of instructions and the at least one processor are configured to cause the apparatus to update the at least one nodal velocity.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the set of instructions and the at least one processor are configured to cause the apparatus to update the at least one nodal position.

15. A computer-implemented process, comprising:

calculating, by at least one processor, stresses in a discretized deformable medium having discretized finite elements of any shape, the stresses are calculated at a solid element level from a plurality of nodal displacements and a plurality of velocities; and

calculating, by the at least one processor, stresses in fluid, the stresses are calculated at the solid element level from the plurality of nodal displacements, the plurality of nodal velocities, amount of fluid inside of pores of the solid, and a micro-mechanical interaction between solid and fluid phases to numerically model fluid driven fracture and fragmentation, wherein

each element of the deformable medium comprises a solid element pertaining to bulk solid and bulk fluid, both of which have micromechanical interactions at an integration point level.

16. The computer-implemented process of claim 15 , wherein the calculating of the stresses in the solid is performed at a solid element level using solid phases.

17. The computer-implemented process of claim 15 , wherein the calculating of the stresses in the fluid is performed at a solid element level using fluid phases.

18. The computer-implemented process of claim 15 , wherein an integration point is used to calculate the stresses in the solid.

19. The computer-implemented process of claim 15 , wherein an integration point is used to calculate the stresses in the fluid.

20. The computer-implemented process of claim 15 , wherein a same integration point is used to calculate stresses in the solid and in the fluid phases.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 12, 2024
From: MUNJIZA, ANTE; TETCOGNITION LTD.
To: TRIAD NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
Reel/Frame 066114/0250 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 1, 2018
From: LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
To: TRIAD NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
Reel/Frame 047396/0489 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Mar 26, 2015
From: LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL SECURITY
To: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 035258/0602 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 24, 2014
From: ROUGIER, ESTEBAN, MR; KNIGHT, EARL EUGENE, MR; MUNJIZA, ANTONIO, MR
To: LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
Reel/Frame 033383/0721 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61859130 · Jul 26, 2013
Related Publication 20150032427A1 · Jan 29, 2015