Effects of Heat Transfer on Water-Steam Flow Through a Porous Medium

Abstract

Numerous authors have reported theoretical studies of water-steam flow in a geothermal.reservoirCfor example. Toronyl et al.{19771, Thomas et al.(19781. Faust et al.{19791. Zyvoloski et al.(19801. Pruess et al.{1983J and Yusa et al.!19861.J However, It has not been clear experimentally and theoretically how heat transfer plays a role in water-steam flow through a porous medium. We have already reported comparisons of some experimental data with a simple model of water-steam flow through a porous mediumlNiibori et al.119871.1 The calculations. however, disagreed with the experimental data in the region of steam ratio greater than O.S. In this paper. these data are compared with calculations given by a new mathematical model.including a function between over-aIr heat transfer coefficient and water saturation in steady state. Also. effects of heat transfer on water-steam flow are explained in detail.