Thermal Energy Exploitation From Salt Domes

Abstract

Based on numerical model of the salt dome "Gora", thermal energy exploitation has been simulated. The numerical model is based on available archive materials and scientific literature.
The model has been created using commercially available numerical simulator TOUGH2. The heat exchange process and thermal characteristic of the salt dome in three dimensions under the steady stay conditions have been described. Exploitation has been modeled in the two dimensional space using cylindrical coordinates under non-isothermal conditions. Energy extraction is a leader in a system that assumes brine exploitation from a chamber.
Nine variants for different exploitation parameters have been taken into account. Finally it has been found that thermal power of up to 1 MW and temperature of up to 30?C can be to reached. Taken into account such thermal characteristic of the energy source it is possible to use it directly or by using heat pumps.