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Photothermal system for permeation measurements at high pressures
Gas permeability of polymers for methane, hydrogen-sulphide, carbon dioxide – and even for simple common gases like nitrogen or oxygen etc. – is often the key factor in high pressure oilfield applications (especially at elevated temperatures and extreme high pressures).
Information on permeability is necessary for the design of bonded and unbonded flexible pipes and sealing elements. One of the consequences of the gas absorption is that the gas dissolved in the polymer may cause blistering of the material on rapid decompression.
Our research group is developing a novel experimental method for high pressure permeability measurements. The new method utilizes the so called photothermal beam deflection effect and works up to 1000 bar in this case.
Our measuring systems are tested on polymer layers of offshore pipes that are developed to oil platforms at marine environment for the production and transmission of oil and gas.
Photothermal beam deflection is a highly sensitive spectroscopic method, applicable under extreme measurement conditions. It can be used not only under high pressure or high temperature experimental conditions. It can be applied in measuring systems often exposed to conditions requiring non-contact measurements without sampling like highly acidic or poisonous environments also. It can also be used for simultaneous and selective detection of more than one permeated components.
This variant of our diffusion measuring systems can be used at a temperature range from room temperature up to 120 Celsius degree and at pressures up to 1000 bar without pressure differences at the two sides of the measured samples. (Since having significant influence on the measured permeation data, pressure difference plays a very important key role in the measurements.)
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Our manuscript is accepted for Infrared Physics and Technology
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