Capabilities
We have some fantastic equipment across our labs.
Specialising in high pressure and low temperatures to mimic the offshore environment, we have a range of apparatus for characterising the challenges in subsea operations. We’ve detailed some of our equipment below.
High Pressure Stirred Automated Lag Time Apparatus
Conventional approaches for estimating the risk of plug formation are based simplistically on a single sub-cooling threshold of 3.6 K below the hydrate equilibrium boundary. This heuristic is derived from only five experimental tests even though it is a primary variable in determining the amount of hydrate inhibition infrastructure required in each subsea project. Hydrate…
More InfoHigh Pressure Autoclaves (x3)
We maintain a set of three High Pressure Visual Autoclaves within the Centre, which are intermediate scale instruments for characterising the behaviour of hydrocarbon fluids under shear. The pair of 1″ ID and single 2″ ID apparatus record changes in pressure and temperature within a sapphire cell which allows for a direct observation of hydrate formation at similar conditions to those found in subsea flowlines.
More InfoMicro-DSC
Differential Scanning Calorimetry is a versatile technique used to measure a number of thermo-physical properties, derived from the direct measurement of heat flow between a sample cell and reference cell inside a calorimetry block.
More InfoHigh Pressure Rheometer
This Hybrid Rheometer can be used to determine the rheological properties of materials by analysing their stress / strain relationship.
More InfoInterfacial Tension Apparatus
Interfacial tensiometry (IFT) is used to measure the interfacial tension between two phases; the IFT works by measuring the curvature of a droplet of one phase immersed in another phase.
More InfoMicro-Mechanical Force Apparatus
When transporting natural gas or carbon dioxide in a pipeline solids called hydrates can form and aggregate, leading to blockages.
More InfoRenishaw inVia confocal Raman microscope
Raman spectroscopy is a powerful analytical technique that can be used to understand the makeup of a material by analysing how light interacts with it.
More InfoAcoustic Levitation Facility
In gas dominant pipelines, water droplets entrained in a gas phase lead to the formation of hydrate particles which can result in plug formation. The Fluid Science & Resources group is in possession of a high pressure acoustic levitator. This apparatus is used to study hydrate formation in the absence of contact with a solid…
More InfoHytra Flow Loop
In collaboration with CSIRO we operate a single-pass 1-inch diameter and 130 ft long gas-dominant flow loop (Hytra). It is designed to study the hydrate formation/deposition and transport characteristics in horizontal oil and gas pipelines. It is owned by CSIRO and jointly operated by CSIRO and UWA.
More InfoHyJump Flowloop / Jumper
To simulate the flow geometry and study the risk of hydrate blockage in subsea equipment, we have developed the world’s first industrial-scale laboratory jumper of complex geometry with three low points and two high points (2-inch diameter & 115 ft length). It is owned by CSIRO and co-operated in partnership with UWA.
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