Effect of Natural Convection Patterns on Optimal Location and Size of a Heat Sink in a Geothermal Reservoir

Abstract

Geothermal energy resources such as geopressured geothermal brine (GGB) reservoirs and hot saline aquifers (HSA) can be potential clean energy resources provided the heat extraction from the subsurface is done in an economic and environmental friendly manner. In the proposed study, we are simulating the heat transfer processes around a downhole heat exchanger placed in a long lateral wellbore in a confined geothermal reservoir. Natural convection patterns in saturated porous media that are induced due to the heat extraction process influence the overall amount of heat extracted. Verification and validation studies are presented to evaluate the predictive capability of a thermal reservoir simulator. Several parametric studies (15 cases) are presented to quantify the role of the natural convection on the optimal location and the length of the downhole heat exchanger (DHE).