Engineering Commons^™

A Geochemical Evaluation Method For Geological Sweet Spots Of Marine-Continental Transitional Shale Gas: A Case Study Of The Shan$^3_2 $ Sub-Member, Eastern Margin Of The Ordos Basin, Zhu Xingcheng, Li Yong, Lu Jungang, He Qingbo, Li Shuxin, Xiao Zhenglu, Li Xiang, Jiang Qijun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background China boasts abundant marine-continental transitional shale gas resources. However, marine-continental transitional shales in the country exhibit complex geological conditions characterized by rapid lateral facies transition, vertical superimposition of multiple lithologies, and small single-layer thickness. These characteristics pose a challenge to shale gas sweet spot prediction. Therefore, establishing a sweet spot grading and evaluation system tailored to these shales is of great significance for guiding decision-making in hydrocarbon exploration and supporting large-scale production. Methods Based on core observations, this study systematically evaluated the geochemical characteristics of marine-continental transitional shales in the 3rd submember of the 2nd member of the Permian …

Sources And Occurrence Patterns Of Hydrocarbons In The Surrounding Rocks Of Coal Seams: A Case Study Of The Jurassic Yan'an Formation In The Xinzhuang Mine Field, Longdong Area, Zhang Peng, Chen Dongdong, Zhao Junfeng, Zheng Kaige, Wang Chunxin, Zhou Xingtian

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective and Methods This study aims to ascertain abnormal hydrocarbon outflows from the surrounding rocks of coal seams in the Jurassic Yan'an Formation within the Xinzhuang mine field in the Longdong area, southwestern Ordos Basin. Based on the fundamental principles of petroleum geology, sedimentology, and coal geology, this study systematically analyzed the sources, occurrence patterns, and primary controlling factors of hydrocarbons in the surrounding rocks of coal seams using methods including core observation, sample analysis, and statistical mapping. Results and Conclusions In the Xinzhuang mine field, hydrocarbon outflows are primarily identified in the floor of the No. 8 coal seam …

Investigating Seepage In Rough Porous Media Fractures Using Fractional Brownian Motion Simulation, Liu Weitao, Kong Debin, Mao Qingfu, Zhao Jiyuan, Gu Yulong, Zhang Xiao

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Natural rock fractures are often partially filled with permeable materials such as silt and minerals under long-term geological and hydraulic actions, forming complex structures containing unfilled voids. The seepage characteristics of such fractures significantly influence petroleum extraction, mine water prevention, and the stability of underground engineering projects. Methods To reveal the underlying seepage mechanisms, this study generated rough profiles of unfilled voids with different fractal dimensions based on Fractional Brownian Motion. A theoretical expression for the overall permeability of partially filled fractures was derived, and a coupled free flow–porous medium flow numerical model was established. This framework was used …

Key Technologies And Engineering Practices For Green Drainage Of The Jurassic Burnt Rock-Hosted Water In The Shenfu Mining Area, Ji Zhongkui, Mou Lin, Wang Hai, Zhu Kaipeng, Zhao Kaixing, Chen Pan, Xue Xiaoyuan, Han Qiang, He Bo, Wang Fuming

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective In the northern part of Shaanxi Province, coal mining has led to a pronounced contradiction between coal mining and water conservation, along with a serious threat to China’s ecological redline. These challenges necessitate transforming the mine water drainage pattern in coal mines. Green mine water drainage represents a key approach to achieving coordinated coal-water production in areas containing burnt rocks. Methods Focusing on the conservation-oriented utilization of the Jurassic burnt rock-hosted water in a coal mine within the Shenfu mining area, this study explored a solution to coordinated coal-water production in areas affected by burnt rock-hosted water from the …

Mine Water Storage In Deep Strata: Temperature Responses And The Quantitative Identification Of Primary Permeable Intervals, Xue Jiankun, Wang Shuangming, Zhang Pingsong, Wang Xiaodong, Han Le, Wang Zhizhou, Wang Yutong, Wang Zhibo

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Storage in deep strata represents an effective approach to treating high-salinity mine water in mining areas of western China. For this technology, the use of directional wells can significantly enhance water injection efficiency, while selecting primary permeable intervals with high injectivity as drilling targets is key to its successful implementation. However, the accurate identification of these intervals in deep strata remains challenging. Methods By analyzing the wellbore temperature variations in the injection well during water injection, a qualitative model was developed to evaluate primary permeable intervals based on wellbore temperature curves. Following the principles of momentum and energy conservation, …

Field Tests On The Capillary Barrier Effect Of Covers For Comprehensive Utilization Of Solid Waste In Waste Dumps, Duan Xu, Chen Chuangchuang, Qiu Xun, Wang Bo, Shi Luyu, Yan Hanyang, Zou Yu, Qu Jin, Hu Zhaojiang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background In the arid and semi-arid regions of northwestern China, the open-pit waste dumps of mining areas suffer from severe water erosion and the limited water-holding capacities of shallow cover soils. This restricts the ecological restoration of abandoned mine lands. Capillary barrier covers can enhance the water-holding capacities of water storage layers due to the differential hydraulic properties at the interface between fine- and coarse-grained layers. However, both the feasibility of constructing layered covers by mixing solid waste slags from waste dumps with clay and the water regulation performance of the covers are yet to be verified in the field. …

An Experimental Study On The Compressive Shear Failure Characteristics Of Mining-Induced Fractured Rock Blocks In The Absence Of Lateral Confinement And Under Unilateral Confinement, Wang Wenxue, Zhang Shicheng, Li Linyang, Zhang Ruochen, Liang Yankun, Chang Jian, Pan Xuwei, Zhao Guizhang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Rock bridges exert a controlling influence on the deformation, fracture field evolution, and structural stability of mining-induced fractured rock masses. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate their deformation and failure characteristics, as well as the underlying controlling mechanisms, under different confinement conditions. Such investigations will provide theoretical support for the safe mining of underground coal seams and the prevention and control of mining-induced disasters. Methods Mechanical models of fractured rock blocks containing rock bridges were established. Specimens with different fracture dip angles, rock bridge widths, and material strengths were prepared using rock-like materials. Furthermore, an independently developed compressive shear …

An Integrated Automated Parameter Optimization Method Based On Fdem And Isight For Rock Mass Engineering: A Case Study Of Pillar Stability Design, Zhu Defu, Gao Bolong, Xu Jiabo, Wang Deyu, Gao Peng, Li Yalin, Hu Wenshuo

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Conventional rock mass engineering design largely relies on empirical equations or numerical simulation schemes selected from a limited number of comparable cases, making it difficult to effectively balance multiple constraints such as safety, economic viability, and resource recovery. The finite-discrete element method (FDEM) based on the intrinsic cohesive zone model (ICZM) can effectively simulate the evolution of quasi-brittle materials from continuous to discontinuous behavior, rendering it particularly suitable for engineering issues involving highly discontinuous rock masses. Therefore, FDEM has become an important numerical analysis method in rock mass engineering. However, there remains an urgent need for a high-precision, integrated, …

An Image Recognition And Multi-Parameter Quantitative Characterization System For Fractures In Roadway Rocks, Xiong Yu, Jiang Lichun, Kong Dezhong, Li Jinzhu

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Conventional measurement methods for rock fractures suffer from low efficiency and high subjectivity. On the other hand, simple image recognition techniques struggle to achieve high-precision multi-parameter integrated analysis of rock fractures in complex roadway environments. To address these challenges, this study aims to develop an image recognition and multi-parameter quantitative characterization system for rock fractures. Methods At the core of the system is the formulation of a combined image preprocessing strategy. Specifically, fracture segmentation is conducted based on adaptive threshold binarization, isolated noise points are removed using morphological opening, and median filtering is introduced to perform the refined polishing …

Selection And Verification Of Optimal Key Parameters Of Ultra-Wideband Radars For Life Detection In Coal-Rock Shielding Environments In Coal Mines, Huang Yuan, Zheng Xuezhao, Wen Hu, Jin Feiyang, Xu Chengyu, Liu Yin, Ding Wen

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective and Methods Ultra-wideband (UWB) radars can transmit electromagnetic waves that penetrate coal and rock media, thereby addressing the challenge of detecting and localizing personnel trapped in shielding environments during mine collapse. However, key parameters for UWB radar detection are difficult to determine due to complex mine environments, diverse media, and unclear dispersion characteristics. To deal with this issue, this study determined the frequency-dependent dielectric properties of various coal and rock media, as well as human tissues, through experiments and fitting. In combination with actual rescue scenarios, this study established the electromagnetic equivalent model of shielding environments in coal mines. …

A Method Of Reflected In-Seam Wave Imaging Based On The Structural Similarity Index Of Adjacent Gathers, Wang Ji, Wei Zhongli, Ye Hongxing, Wu Guoqing, Liu Shuo, Niu Huan, Su Xiaoyun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Reflected in-seam wave detection represents a major method for exploring geological anomalies in underground coal mines. This method is well suited to detecting concealed structures (e.g., faults and collapse columns) within coal seams in the tunneling direction of roadways or along their side walls. In recent years, to meet the safety requirements of green mine construction, explosive sources have been substituted with mechanical hammer impacts in increasing reflected in-seam wave detection. However, compared to conventional explosive sources, hammer impacts exhibit significantly lower instantaneous energy intensity and consistency. These limitations lead to reduced quality of reflected in-seam wave imaging, thus …

A Seismic Prediction Technology For Coalbed Methane Sweet Spots And Its Engineering Application In The Ordos Basin, Zhang Mengbo, Li Fei, Zhang Dong, Peng Jiankang, Cui Xiaojie, Ni Na, Long Shengfang, Tao Yu, Zhu Jun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Deep coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs tend to exhibit significant tuning effects of thin interbeds, leading to challenging localization of actual coal seam boundaries, limited identification accuracy of micro-amplitude structures in the coal seam roof, and poor stability of the seismic responses of the reservoirs' gas-bearing properties. To address these challenges, this study investigated the No. 8 coal seam of the Benxi Formation in the Mizhi area, Ordos Basin. Accordingly, a method with the prediction of gas-bearing properties as the primary controlling factor was developed for the seismic prediction and comprehensive evaluation of CBM sweet spots. Methods First, the actual …

Factors Influencing The Build-Up Rate Of Small-Diameter Rotary Steerable Systems In Underground Coal Mines, Yang Dongdong, Li Quanxin, Zhang Youzhen, Chen Long, Chu Zhiwei, Jiang Bici, Wang Bo, Yan Wenchao

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Intelligent drilling represents an important part of intelligent coal mine construction. However, measurement-while-drilling (MWD) directional drilling, the core of underground intelligent drilling operations, currently suffers from several limitations, including the high dogleg severity of wellbore trajectories, low drilling efficiency, and poor hard-rock penetration. Rotary steerable system (RSS) technology has emerged as a key approach to addressing these limitations owing to its high-precision control on drilling trajectories. Methods This study systematically analyzed the factors influencing the build-up rate of small-diameter, push-the-bit RSSs using a modified 3-point circle method and the longitudinal beam bending method. Through theoretical modeling, the coupled impacts …

Machine Learning-Based Diagnosis Of Fracture-Induced Lost Circulation And Intelligent Selection Of Lost Circulation Control Fluids, Sun Huan, Zhu Mingming, Wang Jinshu, Yao Lu, Zhou Fangfang, Tan Xuebin, Sun Yan, Qu Yanping, Chen Ning

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective and Method Drilling operations in the Changqing area face several challenges in lost circulation, including complex types, significantly different characteristics, and difficulty in designing plugging formulations. To address these issues, this study proposes a DSX-Hybrid coupled intelligent decision-making framework, which serves as an integrated scheme to identify lost circulation channels, perform intelligent selection of plugging formulations, and offer recommendations on construction process. In this framework, given the scarcity of labeled log data, the density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) is employed to mine latent geological characteristics of unlabeled data. Then, the self-attention convolutional neural network (SACNN) is …

Probe Cytotoxic And Oxidative Stress Effects Of Nanoplastics On Caco-2 Cells: Insights From Raman Spectroscopy And Machine Learning, Bryan Gustafson, Negar Kosari, Emily Brothersen, Morgan Mosher, Anhong Zhou

Biological Engineering Student Research

Nanoplastics and microplastics have become an increasing ecological and health concern due to their widespread presence in the environment and food chain. In this study, Caco-2 cells were used as an in vitro model of the human intestinal epithelium to investigate the cytotoxic effects of polystyrene nanoparticles and microparticles of varying sizes, concentrations, and surface modification. Oxidative stress and apoptosis were evaluated following particle exposure. Raman spectroscopy, combined with machine learning analysis, was employed to detect and characterize biochemical alterations in the cells. Several peak ratios were selected to cluster data depending on size. A correlation between apoptosis and both …

831sat: A Cubesat Subsystem Platform For Space Systems Development Education, Dominic S. Fucile, George Lordos, James Dingley, Kerri Cahoy, Paul Fucile

Small Satellite Conference

The CubeSat standard has become one of the most popular frameworks for co-curricular and extracurricular student satellite projects, yet its integration into formal curricula for space systems engineering remains limited.

Accessibility concerns:

• Students encountering satellite design for the first time face a learning curve when working with flight-representative hardware.
• Time constraints of undergraduate semesters limit the technical depth covered in a single course.
• Existing educational platforms often lack subsystem flexibility and fidelity needed to deliver an authentic systems engineering experience.

Presented is the 831Sat, a custom single board platform that provides core satellite subsystems:

• Central Processing Unit
• Electrical Power System …

Experimental Investigation Of "Structured Radio Wave" Propagation Using A Deployable Parabolic Reflector With A Uniform Circular Array, Makoto Ito, Tsukasa Funane, Yosuke Tanabe, Miki Yonehara, Hisatoshi Kimura, Keigo Nakamura, Yasuyuki Miyazaki, Satoshi Ikari, Shinichi Nakasuka, Ayako Torisaka, Koichi Watanabe

Small Satellite Conference

Poster presented at the 2026 Small Satellite Conference

Advanced Avionics: Low Swap Hpsc Box For Space Autonomy, Behnam Azimi, Sun Hur-Diaz, Hossein Mohammadkhan, Michael Romeo, Sean Semper, Alan Cudmore

Small Satellite Conference

Objective: To provide a next-generation avionics system built on NASA's High Performance Spaceflight Computing (HPSC) processor technology.

Autonomous Onboard Navigation And Mission Planning In A Lunar Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit, Carl De Vries, Robert Pritchett, Sun Hur-Diaz, Nathan Esantsi, Liam Greenlee, Ben Leser, Mike Romeo

Small Satellite Conference

autoNGC is a core Flight System (CFS) application suite that performs real-time, onboard autonomous navigation, guidance and control (autoNGC)

Schott Options For Efficient Design-To-Cost Zerodur® Optical Assemblies With Established Supply Chain Reliability, Florian Gollier, Jesse Bonfeld, Dustin Ruth, Janina Krieg, Thomas Westerhoff, Tony Hull, Jacqueline Caraballo

Small Satellite Conference

Poster presented at the 2026 Small Satellite Conference

4dof Steam Propulsion System For 1u Cubesats And Larger, David Hinkley, Jonathan Cheng, Susan Ossareh, Jeff Asher, Logan Fernandez, Brenda Valdez, Bhargav Nagarajan, Aryan Jafari, Stephen Samples

Small Satellite Conference

Aerospace developed a warm gas water vapor propulsion system for the OCSD-A mission in 2015 and redesigned it for the AeroCube-10 mission in 2019. Those were single nozzle systems. The 2019 mission performed reliably so this design is an evolution to 5 thrusters. Also new is that the main tank is additively manufactured aluminum so that tubing can be embedded and thermal management is easier.

Gigabit Ethernet Satellite Bus For Smallsat Applications: Standardizing Cots-Based High-Speed On-Board Data Communication, Lucas Felderhoff, Mathias Reibe

Small Satellite Conference

The satellite architectures of modern missions underline the increasing need to simplify and standardize on-board data buses. This requirement becomes more critical as missions demand higher data rates and greater flexibility.

Swap Optimized, Optical Communications Terminal Concepts For Lunar, Mars, Jupiter And Neptune Solar System Missions, Keith G. Petrillo, Mark Storm

Small Satellite Conference

Trinity: Fibertek's Lunar terminal

• Trinity provides a good basis for providing a low SWaP terminal for deep space communications
• Leveraging Trinity and high-power LiDAR lasers enables communications to 32AU
• Appropriate for deep space small satellites

Recap: A Study Of Downlink Optimization Methods Using Mms As A Template, Connor Firth, Conrad Schiff, Stephen Kreisler, Alexander Barrie

Small Satellite Conference

Motivations: MMS as a paradigm for downlink optimization

• MMS is a multi-agent mission requiring downlink optimization. ReCAP (Remote Coordination, Actuation, and Planning) assigns ground contacts using auctions.
• Five realistic downlink optimization cases are studied, and the amount of data downlinked is tracked to illustrate ReCAP’s ability to optimize for different criteria.
• ReCAP demonstrates value as a real-time, onboard downlink optimization tool.

Development Of The Korea's First Hyperspectral Microsatellite Constellation For Local-Scale Methane Monitoring: Narsha, Geuk-Nam Kim, Jinyoung Shin, Museong Park, Sang Hun Lee, Heewon Park, Taemin Kim, Jooin Lee, Dohyun Kim, Insun Jung, Marcin Badowski, Kiyun Park, Jae-Pil Park, Jaemin Hong, Yu-Ri Lee, Sujong Jeong, Alexandra Jercaianu, Pawel Snopek

Small Satellite Conference

Poster presented at the 2026 Small Satellite Conference

Design And Implementation Of A Semi Automated Uhf Ground Station For Small Satellite Missions: A Case Study From India, Binoop Joseph, Vinayak Manoj, Thomas Francis, Madhav Vinod, Nikhil Jacob, Salih Majeed, Prajin I. R., Meghana Suresh, Salman Al Fariz K., Sijo George, Anish Chandra B. S., Anamika Kamath, Anjay Sudesh, Anurag Reghu, Aravind M. B., Manu Mohan, Ashfaque K. P., Amal Chandran

Small Satellite Conference

Mission success ultimately depends on reliable telecommand and telemetry links between spacecraft and Earth. For small satellites operating under tight power, size and link margin constraints, a technically robust and regulation compliant ground station is a mission critical enabler rather than an afterthought.

This poster presents a case study of a semi automated UHF ground station designed, built and commissioned by HEX20 in Thiruvananthapuram — one of the earliest privately owned and operated satellite ground stations in India — covering the hardware signal chain, the tracking and decoding software stack, integration and calibration, and the regulatory path to operation.

An Operator-In-The-Loop Smallsat Operations Simulation For Classroom Training, Samuil Nikolov, Kaelyn Tindall, Lana Laskey

Small Satellite Conference

Training spacecraft operators through a hybrid environment combining live telemetry, game-engine visualization, subsystem consoles, and real-time anomaly response.

An End-To-End Optical And Ethernet Networking Architecture For Next-Generation Satellite Constellations, Gianluca Giuffrida, Francesco Falaschi

Small Satellite Conference

• Modern satellites generate ever-increasing data volumes, increasingly challenging traditional RF links. IngeniArs combines very high speed optical links, up to 10 Gbps, with an onboard Ethernet routing fabric
• Optical data is packetized and dynamically routed for onboard storage or processing, or relayed across the constellation from satellite to satellite until it reaches an available ground station
• The result is reduced time-to-ground, increased contact opportunities, and more resilient end-to-end data delivery across the space and ground segments, despite intermittent link availability

Feasibility Of Failure-Resilient Swarm Formation Flying And Multi-Beam Coherent Apertures In 10000+ High-Density Satellite Swarms, Sumio Morioka

Small Satellite Conference

Direct-to-Device (D2D) communication links satellites directly to ground terminals without large antennas, supporting future Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) and IoT. Our earlier work [1] showed that a formation of 10,000+ ultra-small satellites, as a coherent phased-array aperture, closes the D2D link budget. This study asks whether the formation can be operated within each satellite’s available power.

Validation Of A Modular Adcs Architecture For Small Satellites, Saish Sridharan

Small Satellite Conference

Poster Presented at the 2026 Small Satellite Conference