Numerical modeling of oil shale fragmentation experiments
The economic development of modified in situ oil shale retorting will benefit from the ability to design a blasting scheme that creates a rubble bed of uniform permeability. Preparing such a design depends upon successfully predicting how a given explosive charge and firing sequence will fracture the oil shale. Numerical models are used to predict the extent of damage caused by a particular explosive charge. Recent single-blastwell cratering tests provided experimental measurements of the extent of damage induced by an explosion. Measuring rock damage involved crater excavation, rubble screening, crater elevation surveys, and posttest extraction of cores. These measurements were compared to the damage calculated by the numerical model. Core analyses showed that the damage varied greatly from layer to layer. The numerical results also show this effect, indicating that rock damage is highly dependent on oil shale grade. The computer simulation also calculated particle velocities and dynamic stress amplitudes in the rock; predicted values agree with experimental measurements. Calculated rock fragmentation compared favorably with fragmentation measured by crater excavation and by core analysis. Because coring provides direct inspection of rock fragmentation, the use of posttest coring in future experiments is recommended.
- Research Organization:
- In Situ Technologies Div., Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM 87185-5800
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 5050418
- Journal Information:
- In Situ; (United States), Vol. 10:3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
MODIFIED IN-SITU PROCESSES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
OIL SHALES
EXPLOSIVE FRACTURING
FRAGMENTATION
AMPLITUDES
BLAST EFFECTS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CRATERING EXPLOSIONS
DAMAGE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
EXPLOSIVES
FRACTURE MECHANICS
IN-SITU RETORTING
PERMEABILITY
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
ROCK MECHANICS
STRESS INTENSITY FACTORS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMMINUTION
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPLOSIONS
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURING
FUELS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
MATERIALS
MECHANICS
PROCESSING
RETORTING
SIMULATION
040300* - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- Drilling
Fracturing & Mining
040401 - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- In Situ Methods
True & Modified