BM CORE HEAT
During muscular exercise, core temperature increases rapidly. This is followed by a slower rate of increase as heat loss mechanisms gradually balance metabolic heat production, achieving a steady-state core temperature.
If the core’s CMB temperature is low enough, Fe may crystallize at its base, snowing iron downward (Fig. 5). This would stratify the core into compositionally distinct layers, quelling dynamo activity and ending Mars’ magnetic era.
The concept
A heater core is a component of a car radiator that converts hot engine coolant into cabin heat using a heat exchanger between the cooling system and cabin air. It consists of a winding tube surrounded by fins to increase surface area, which in turn increases the rate of heat transfer to the cabin. This technology was developed by a Russian company called “Avtomatik” (AVTO, or Automatik), and it is currently used in many passenger vehicles throughout the world.
The AVTO technology is based on a simple concept, and it does fat freezing not produce any toxic gases or pollutants. It also requires very little maintenance, and its operating costs are lower than those of other systems with the same capacity. The BM CORE HEAT project will allow the development of a commercial prototype that will be tested on a vehicle in the region of Bacalhau, Brazil, and will provide significant benefits to the environment and economy of the country.
The most obvious difference between the model SS97a and SR11DW is the near-constant V P in the shallow mantle of SR11DW, which leads to straight-line ray paths and a less-curved slope for the P travel time curve. Another difference is the relative sizes of the cores: SS97a has a smaller core diameter than SR11DW, and this translates into a larger core-reflected arrival for short-range ScP and SKS observations.
The technology
The technology behind BM CORE HEAT leverages the power of the BMW B58 engine to deliver high performance with responsible mining. It’s designed to harvest waste heat from the cylinder head and crankcase – reducing cooling costs and environmental impact by using recycled oil from the engine instead of fresh lubricant. It also features an efficient water cooling system to minimize energy loss and enable low-speed operation.
Stratification can arise when the core’s bulk sulfur content exceeds about 15 wt%, but it requires an unusual combination of temperature and composition. If the core’s composition is too close to pure iron, crystallization of Fe 3-x S 2 at these temperatures will merely deflect the liquid’s sulfur contents back to the adiabat (decreasing the bulk core density).
However, if the core’s bulk S content is below about 15 wt%, an effective sulfur-rich layer will form above the liquid. This enables the formation of an inner core and reduces the required maximum temperature to about 1700 K.
At this lower temperature, a more extensive stratification will occur. This will enrich the remaining core liquid in Fe, resulting in a phenomenon similar to ground fog on Earth. This will re-enhance the dynamo’s sensitivity to magnetic fields at short range and give rise to visible PcP, ScS, and SKS arrivals. It will also alter the shape of the core’s travel time curves and ray geometry, and cause the minor arcs SKKS to re-emerge.
The project
The project aims to develop a new source of gas for Brazil, enabling the country to meet its domestic demand and contribute to the country’s economic development. BM CORE HEAT will be Equinor’s second FPSO in the Campos Basin, with a capacity to process 16 million cubic meters of natural gas per day, and export it.
The technology behind the BM-C-33 is the same as in other FPSOs, which use gas turbines to produce energy, but with an additional power recovery system. This allows the FPSO to recycle some of its power from the vaporised hydrocarbons, which is then fed back into the gas turbine cycle and used for production.
As a result, it can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced during operation by up to 6 kilos for every barrel fat-freezing treatment of oil equivalent it produces. This translates into significant environmental and social benefits for the communities where the FPSO is operating.
The BM-C-33 will operate in the Pao de Acucar, Gavea and Seat pre-salt discoveries in the Campos Basin, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, with an expected start-up in 2028. The FPSO will be equipped with gas and steam turbines, producing and storing both the conventional natural gas and the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) that it will sell. It will also generate renewable electricity, significantly reducing its carbon intensity.
