Well Simulation Using Refrigerant 114

Abstract

A simple method for the investigation of thermodynamic (substance) similarity in the two phase domain is introduced based on the assumptions of a simplified model fluid. According to this method, the investigations of the conditions for thermodynamics similarity between substances in the two phase region reveals the important role the latent heat of evaporation plays in the definition of the property scales. These greatly influence the dynamic and geometric similarity of the process under investigation. The introduction of the thermodynamic similarity property scales into the energy conservation equations for a certain process (e.g. flow up a geothermal well) brings forth a "thermodynamic" length scale and kinetic energy scale. Refrigerant 114 has been examined for similarly with water substance according to this method and found to be adequate for geothermal well simulation in the laboratory. Low pressure and temperate and a substantial reduction of mass flow rates and geometric scales are a few of the advantages of using R114 for such experiments.