A Quantitative Model of Vapor Dominated Geothermal Reservoirs as Heat Pipes in Fractured Porous Rock
- Key words
- Reservoir Models; Reservoir Parameters; Parameters; FluidFlow; Enthalpy; Heat Transfer; Natural Fractures; Phase; Pressure; Permeability; Heat Pipe
- Conference
- Geothermal Resources Council Transactions
- Year
- 1985
- Session
- Reservoir modeling; Computer modeling; Vapor dominated reser
- Language
- English
Abstract
We present a numerical model of vapor dominated reservoirs which is based on the well known conceptual model of White, Muffler, and Truesdell. Computer simulations show that upon heat recharge at the base a single phase liquid dominated geothermal reservoir in fractured rock with low matrix permeability will evolve into a two phase reservoir with B.P.D. (boiling point for depth) pressure and temperature profiles. A rather limited discharge event through cracks in the caprock, involving loss of only a few percent of fluids in place, is sufficient to set the system off to evolve a vapor dominated state. The attributes of this state are disused, and some features requiring further clarification are identified.
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