IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v250y2022ics0360544222006843.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Study on the influence of randomly distributed fracture aperture in a fracture network on heat production from an enhanced geothermal system (EGS)

Author

Listed:
  • Zhou, Dejian
  • Tatomir, Alexandru
  • Niemi, Auli
  • Tsang, Chin-Fu
  • Sauter, Martin

Abstract

In the attempt to reduce the CO2 emissions to the atmosphere and therefore the dependence on fossil fuels, geothermal energy has started to receive increased scientific interest. With the development of the Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) technology, extensive geothermal energy applications have become feasible. However, enhanced geothermal reservoirs are usually situated several kilometers below the ground, which makes their experimental investigation challenging. Therefore, numerical models capable of simulating thermohydraulic (TH) effects are an essential additional tool for analyzing geothermal reservoir efficiency. To simulate fluid migration and heat propagation within a fractured geothermal reservoir in EGS, discrete fracture models (DFMs) of the TH processes are widely used. However, the variability of aperture size from one fracture to another is typically ignored in these models. In this work, a discrete fracture model considering variable aperture fractures is presented and used to investigate the performance of a geothermal reservoir in EGS. The outlet temperature and energy production rate are used as the evaluation criteria. Statistically generated fracture networks with different apertures were applied. The fractures are represented as lower-dimensional elements. The fracture apertures are randomly distributed within the networks, but constant for one single fracture. The simulation results show that the coefficient of variation of the DFN apertures strongly affects the performance of the geothermal reservoir. The heat production rate and outlet temperature can be divided into three stages based on the value of coefficient of variation of fracture apertures. The higher variability results in the low heat production rate but high outlet temperature. The investigation on fracture density in turn indicates that the average heat production rate is proportional to the fracture density. However, the effect of fracture density is reduced with an increase of coefficient of variation. Furthermore, the comparison between fracture aperture and fracture density shows that, the increase in mean fracture aperture leads to a higher increase in average heat production rate than an increase in fracture density.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhou, Dejian & Tatomir, Alexandru & Niemi, Auli & Tsang, Chin-Fu & Sauter, Martin, 2022. "Study on the influence of randomly distributed fracture aperture in a fracture network on heat production from an enhanced geothermal system (EGS)," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:250:y:2022:i:c:s0360544222006843
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2022.123781
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544222006843
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2022.123781?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sun, Zhi-xue & Zhang, Xu & Xu, Yi & Yao, Jun & Wang, Hao-xuan & Lv, Shuhuan & Sun, Zhi-lei & Huang, Yong & Cai, Ming-yu & Huang, Xiaoxue, 2017. "Numerical simulation of the heat extraction in EGS with thermal-hydraulic-mechanical coupling method based on discrete fractures model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 20-33.
    2. Xu, Chaoshui & Dowd, Peter Alan & Tian, Zhao Feng, 2015. "A simplified coupled hydro-thermal model for enhanced geothermal systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 135-145.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Meng, Nan & Gao, Xiang & Wang, Zeyu & Li, Tailu, 2024. "Numerical investigation and optimization on dynamic power generation performance of enhanced geothermal system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    2. Aryanfar, Yashar & Mohtaram, Soheil & García Alcaraz, Jorge Luis & Sun, HongGuang, 2023. "Energy and exergy assessment and a competitive study of a two-stage ORC for recovering SFGC waste heat and LNG cold energy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    3. Qu, Hai & Xu, Yang & Liu, Ying & Li, Zhelun & Liu, Xu & Zeng, Zhijun & Guo, Ruichang, 2023. "Experimental study of fluid-particle flow characteristics in a rough fracture," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 285(C).
    4. Liao, Jianxing & Hu, Ke & Mehmood, Faisal & Xu, Bin & Teng, Yuhang & Wang, Hong & Hou, Zhengmeng & Xie, Yachen, 2023. "Embedded discrete fracture network method for numerical estimation of long-term performance of CO2-EGS under THM coupled framework," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 285(C).
    5. Xiang Gao & Tailu Li & Yao Zhang & Xiangfei Kong & Nan Meng, 2022. "A Review of Simulation Models of Heat Extraction for a Geothermal Reservoir in an Enhanced Geothermal System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-23, September.
    6. Gao, Xuefeng & Zhang, Yanjun & Cheng, Yuxiang & Yu, Ziwang & Hu, Zhongjun & Huang, Yibin, 2023. "Heat extraction performance of fractured geothermal reservoirs considering aperture variability," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    7. Li, Shijie & Liu, Jie & Huang, Wanying & Zhang, Chenghang, 2024. "Numerical simulation of the thermo-hydro-chemical coupling in enhanced geothermal systems: Impact of SiO2 dissolution/precipitation in matrix and fractures," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).
    8. Wang, Ling & Jiang, Zhenjiao & Li, Chengying, 2023. "Comparative study on effects of macroscopic and microscopic fracture structures on the performance of enhanced geothermal systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 274(C).
    9. Wang, Zhipeng & Ning, Zhengfu & Guo, Wenting & Zhan, Jie & Zhang, Yuanxin, 2024. "Study of fracture monitoring and heat extraction evaluation in geothermal reservoir modified by abandoned well pattern: Numerical models and case studies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 296(C).
    10. Yuan Zhao & Lingfeng Shu & Shunyi Chen & Jun Zhao & Liangliang Guo, 2022. "Optimization Design of Multi-Factor Combination for Power Generation from an Enhanced Geothermal System by Sensitivity Analysis and Orthogonal Test at Qiabuqia Geothermal Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-35, June.
    11. Gao, Xuefeng & Zhang, Yanjun & Cheng, Yuxiang & Huang, Yibin & Deng, Hao & Ma, Yongjie, 2022. "A novel strategy utilizing local fracture networks to enhance CBHE heat extraction performance: A case study of the Songyuan geothermal field in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    12. Cao, Meng & Sharma, Mukul M., 2023. "Effect of fracture geometry, topology and connectivity on energy recovery from enhanced geothermal systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    13. Gao, Xiang & Li, Tailu & Meng, Nan & Gao, Haiyang & Li, Xuelong & Gao, Ruizhao & Wang, Zeyu & Wang, Jingyi, 2023. "Supercritical flow and heat transfer of SCO2 in geothermal reservoir under non-Darcy's law combined with power generation from hot dry rock," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 428-440.
    14. Qiao, Mingzheng & Jing, Zefeng & Feng, Chenchen & Li, Minghui & Chen, Cheng & Zou, Xupeng & Zhou, Yujuan, 2024. "Review on heat extraction systems of hot dry rock: Classifications, benefits, limitations, research status and future prospects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    15. Zhou, Dejian & Tatomir, Alexandru & Tomac, Ingrid & Sauter, Martin, 2023. "Effects of fracture aperture distribution on the performances of the enhanced geothermal system using supercritical CO2 as working fluid," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. He, Renhui & Rong, Guan & Tan, Jie & Phoon, Kok-Kwang & Quan, Junsong, 2022. "Numerical evaluation of heat extraction performance in enhanced geothermal system considering rough-walled fractures," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 524-544.
    2. Chen, Yun & Ma, Guowei & Wang, Huidong & Li, Tuo & Wang, Yang & Sun, Zizheng, 2020. "Optimizing heat mining strategies in a fractured geothermal reservoir considering fracture deformation effects," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 326-337.
    3. Ding, Junfeng & Wang, Shimin, 2018. "2D modeling of well array operating enhanced geothermal system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 918-932.
    4. Song, Xianzhi & Shi, Yu & Li, Gensheng & Yang, Ruiyue & Wang, Gaosheng & Zheng, Rui & Li, Jiacheng & Lyu, Zehao, 2018. "Numerical simulation of heat extraction performance in enhanced geothermal system with multilateral wells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 218(C), pages 325-337.
    5. Guo, Tiankui & Zhang, Yuelong & He, Jiayuan & Gong, Facheng & Chen, Ming & Liu, Xiaoqiang, 2021. "Research on geothermal development model of abandoned high temperature oil reservoir in North China oilfield," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 1-12.
    6. Zhou, Luming & Zhu, Zhende & Xie, Xinghua & Hu, Yunjin, 2022. "Coupled thermal–hydraulic–mechanical model for an enhanced geothermal system and numerical analysis of its heat mining performance," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 1440-1458.
    7. Ma, Yuanyuan & Li, Shibin & Zhang, Ligang & Liu, Songze & Liu, Zhaoyi & Li, Hao & Shi, Erxiu & Zhang, Haijun, 2020. "Numerical simulation study on the heat extraction performance of multi-well injection enhanced geothermal system," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 782-795.
    8. Liming Zhang & Zekun Deng & Kai Zhang & Tao Long & Joshua Kwesi Desbordes & Hai Sun & Yongfei Yang, 2019. "Well-Placement Optimization in an Enhanced Geothermal System Based on the Fracture Continuum Method and 0-1 Programming," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-20, February.
    9. Wu, Xiaotian & Yu, Likui & Hassan, N.M.S. & Ma, Weiwu & Liu, Gang, 2021. "Evaluation and optimization of heat extraction in enhanced geothermal system via failure area percentage," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 204-220.
    10. Zhao, Peng & Liu, Jun & Elsworth, Derek, 2023. "Numerical study on a multifracture enhanced geothermal system considering matrix permeability enhancement induced by thermal unloading," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 33-44.
    11. Ma, Yuanyuan & Li, Shibin & Zhang, Ligang & Liu, Songze & Liu, Zhaoyi & Li, Hao & Shi, Erxiu & Liu, Xuemei & Liu, Hongliang, 2020. "Analysis on the heat extraction performance of multi-well injection enhanced geothermal system based on leaf-like bifurcated fracture networks," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    12. Xiang Gao & Tailu Li & Yao Zhang & Xiangfei Kong & Nan Meng, 2022. "A Review of Simulation Models of Heat Extraction for a Geothermal Reservoir in an Enhanced Geothermal System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-23, September.
    13. Wang, Yang & Li, Tuo & Chen, Yun & Ma, Guowei, 2019. "Numerical analysis of heat mining and geological carbon sequestration in supercritical CO2 circulating enhanced geothermal systems inlayed with complex discrete fracture networks," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 92-108.
    14. Ma, Yuanyuan & Li, Shibin & Zhang, Ligang & Liu, Songze & Liu, Zhaoyi & Li, Hao & Shi, Erxiu, 2020. "Study on the effect of well layout schemes and fracture parameters on the heat extraction performance of enhanced geothermal system in fractured reservoir," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    15. Feng Xiong & Chu Zhu & Qinghui Jiang, 2021. "A Novel Procedure for Coupled Simulation of Thermal and Fluid Flow Models for Rough-Walled Rock Fractures," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-17, February.
    16. Yu, Likui & Wu, Xiaotian & Wang, Yadan & Ma, Weiwu & Liu, Gang, 2020. "Stratified rock hydraulic fracturing for enhanced geothermal system and fracture geometry evaluation via effective length," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 713-723.
    17. Fan, Huifang & Zhang, Luyi & Wang, Ruifei & Song, Hongqing & Xie, Hui & Du, Li & Sun, Pengguang, 2020. "Investigation on geothermal water reservoir development and utilization with variable temperature regulation: A case study of China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    18. Li, Jiawei & Sun, Zhixue & Zhang, Yin & Jiang, Chuanyin & Cherubini, Claudia & Scheuermann, Alexander & Torres, Sergio Andres Galindo & Li, Ling, 2019. "Investigations of heat extraction for water and CO2 flow based on the rough-walled discrete fracture network," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    19. Chen, Yun & Wang, Huidong & Li, Tuo & Wang, Yang & Ren, Feng & Ma, Guowei, 2020. "Evaluation of geothermal development considering proppant embedment in hydraulic fractures," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 985-997.
    20. Wang, Gaosheng & Song, Xianzhi & Yu, Chao & Shi, Yu & Song, Guofeng & Xu, Fuqiang & Ji, Jiayan & Song, Zihao, 2022. "Heat extraction study of a novel hydrothermal open-loop geothermal system in a multi-lateral horizontal well," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:250:y:2022:i:c:s0360544222006843. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.