The homepage of the Mikoviny Sámuel Doctoral School of Earth Sciences: link

The current research topics available in the Institute of Mining and Energy:

Development of haulage and mining equipment

Supervisor: Dr. Zoltán István Virág, associate professor. Optimizing the technological characteristics of haulage and mining equipment, choosing the optimal operating conditions, and geometric and strength design are essential for maintaining economical productivity. In the case of winning machines, the determination of the geometrical and cutting parameters of the cutting edge and the cutting tooth can be performed with the knowledge of the reliable cutting characteristics of the rocks to be mined. The machinability material properties can be determined by laboratory cutting tests. The design and examination of structures primarily require steel structure design.

Optimum design of steel structures

Supervisor: Dr. Zoltán István Virág, associate professor. Welded steel structures are often the main structural component in various load-carrying structures, e.g. mining equipment, ships, bridges, bunkers, tank roofs, offshore structures, vehicles, etc. They are subject to various loadings, e.g. compression, bending, shear or combined load. The shape of the plates can be square, rectangular, circular, trapezoidal, etc. They can be stiffened in one or two directions with stiffeners of flat, L, trapezoidal or other shapes. The minimum cost or mass design was found in square and rectangular orthogonally stiffened and cellular plates loaded in bending, uniaxially compressed rectangular plates with flat and L-stiffeners, welded steel plates loaded with eccentric compression, biaxially loaded plates welded bridge decks with open- and closed-section stiffeners. Reliability-based discrete optimization used to design stiffened plates and shells and to satisfy fatigue requirements.

Risk-based maintenance of pressure regulator stations

Supervisor: Dr. István Szunyog, associate professor. Pressure regulator stations are extremely important units of gas distribution networks, the continuous operation of it is an indispensable condition. Their regular, planned maintenance entails significant costs, but their unexpected failure can result in loss of consumer service and, in some cases, an emergency. Current practice is to maintain them according to a time-based schedule, taking into account the manufacturer's recommendations. If a risk-based assessment, classification and maintenance procedure can be established based on an appropriate logical principle and practical experience, costs can be reduced, and the number of failures minimized. The aim of the research is to identify and classify risk factors as accurately as possible, and then to produce a database, on which a scientifically based, risk-based maintenance planning methodology can be created with the help of unexplored relationships and with the support of control measurements.

Power-to-gas, Gas-to-power technológiák gázipari infrasrtuktúrába történő illesztésének kutatása

Témavezető: Dr. Szunyog István, egyetemi docens. Az energetikában, beleértve a gázipart is, az egyik kiemelt kutatási terület a különböző típusú energiahordozók energiatárolás céljára történő átalakítási folyamatainak vizsgálata lett. Ennek a területnek az egyik szegmensét képezik az éghető gázok (beleérte a földgázok, biogázok, és egyéb alternatív éghető gázok), mint tárolható energiahordozók, igény szerinti átalakítása villamos energiává, vagy éppen fordítva, a megújuló forrásokkal termelt időjárásfüggő villamos energia tárolható formába történő átalakítása, beleértve a megújuló energiahordozók segítségével előállított hidrogént, vagy metánt is. A kutatás célja annak vizsgálata, hogy a földgázrendszerek milyen minőségi formában és mennyiségben képesek ezen éghető gázok befogadására, tárolására és kiadására, milyen mértékű ténylegesen kihasználható rugalmasságot mutatnak. A fizikai rendszervizsgálatok (szállító, tároló, elosztó és felhasználói rendszerek) és kialakított vizsgálati modellek mellett a kutatás tovább bővíthető a kereskedelmi feltételek vizsgálatára is.

Modeling of Liquid loading in Gas Wells

Supervisor: Dr. Zoltán Turzó, associate professor. Liquid loading is a frequently accruing problem in gas wells. The liquid accumulating in the producing well is decreasing the produced gas rate, and finally can cause the cease of production, too. The models available in the literature are not giving acceptable results to describe the liquid loading process. Using numerical simulation the liquid loading could be properly modeled, and the production conditions to avoid the loading can be determined. The liquid loading is a very complex transient multiphase flow. The goal of the research is to develop and test a new liquid loading simulation model. To perform the research, Petroleum and Natural Gas Institute has all the required simulation software environment to be able to develop the new model, and we have field measured data sets to test the simulation results.

Evaluation of Inflow Performance of Intermittent fluid producing wells

Supervisor: Dr. Zoltán Turzó, associate professor. The well known inflow performance relationships for fluid producing wells were developed supposing steady state flow in the drainage area of the producing well, so these are not suitable for intermittently producing well.  Nowadays, there are more and more intermittently producing well, so it is required to develop new inflow performance equations considering the transient flowing conditions for such wells. Numerical fluid dynamic simulations (CFD) combined with reservoir simulation software could be a suitable tools to develop the new inflow equations. The required laboratory measurements can be performed in the Institute of Mining and Energy.