Velocity-dependent heat transfer controls temperature in fracture networks.

ABSTRACT: Heat transfer between a fluid and the surrounding rock in the subsurface is a crucial process not only, but most obviously, in geothermal systems. Heat transfer is described by Newton's law of cooling, relating the heat transferred to a coefficient, the specific surface area, and the temperature difference between rock and fluid. However, parameterizing the heat transfer coefficient in fracture networks poses a major challenge. Here we show that within a fracture network the heat transfer coefficient is strongly heterogeneous but that laboratory single fracture experiments can provide a reasonable estimate in dependence of flow rate. We investigate the distribution of the heat transfer coefficient experimentally as well as numerically and analyze the heat transfer at individual fractures.

SUBMITTER: Heinze T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9871020 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature