Numerical modeling of geothermal groundwater flow in karst aquifer system in eastern Weibei,Shaanxi Province,China

The quantitative assessment of geothermal water resources is important to the exploitation and utilization of geothermal resources. In the geothermal water systems the density of groundwater changes with the temperature, therefore the variations in hydraulic heads and temperatures are very complicated. A three-dimensional density-dependent model coupling the groundwater flow and heat transport is established and used to simulate the geothermal water flow in the karst aquifers in eastern Weibei, Shaanxi Province, China. The multilayered karst aquifer system in the study area is cut by some major faults which control the regional groundwater flow. In order to calibrate and simulate the effect of the major faults, each fault is discretized as a belt of elements with special hydrological parameters in the numerical model. The groundwater dating data are used to be integrated with the groundwater flow pattern and calibrate the model. Simulation results show that the calculated hydraulic heads and temperature fit with the observed data well.

     

Numerical modeling of geothermal groundwater flow in karst aquifer system in eastern Weibei,Shaanxi Province,China

The quantitative assessment of geothermal water resources is important to the exploitation and utilization of geothermal resources. In the geothermal water systems the density of groundwater changes with the temperature, therefore the variations in hydraulic heads and temperatures are very complicated. A three-dimensional density-dependent model coupling the groundwater flow and heat transport is established and used to simulate the geothermal water flow in the karst aquifers in eastern Weibei, Shaanxi Province, China. The multilayered karst aquifer system in the study area is cut by some major faults which control the regional groundwater flow. In order to calibrate and simulate the effect of the major faults, each fault is discretized as a belt of elements with special hydrological parameters in the numerical model. The groundwater dating data are used to be integrated with the groundwater flow pattern and calibrate the model. Simulation results show that the calculated hydraulic heads and temperature fit with the observed data well.     

Numerical modeling of geothermal groundwater flow in karst aquifer system in eastern Weibei, Shaanxi Province, China

The quantitative assessment of geothermal water resources is important to the exploitation and utilization of geothermal resources. In the geothermal water systems the density of groundwater changes with the temperature, therefore the variations in hydraulic heads and temperatures are very complicated. A three-dimensional density-dependent model coupling the groundwater flow and heat transport is established and used to simulate the geothermal water flow in the karst aquifers in eastern Weibei, Shaanxi Province, China. The multilayered karst aquifer system in the study area is cut by some major faults which control the regional groundwater flow. In order to calibrate and simulate the effect of the major faults, each fault is discretized as a belt of elements with special hydrological parameters in the numerical model. The groundwater dating data are used to be integrated with the groundwater flow pattern and calibrate the model. Simulation results show that the calculated hydraulic heads and temperature fit with the observed data well.     

Modeling of a deep-seated geothermal system near Tianjin, China

A geothermal field is located in deep-seated basement aquifers in the northeastern part of the North China Plain near Tianjin, China. Carbonate rocks of Ordovician and Middle and Upper Proterozoic age on the Cangxian Uplift are capable of yielding 960 to 4200 m3/d of 57 degrees C to 96 degrees C water to wells from a depth of more than 1000 m. A three-dimensional nonisothermal numerical model was used to simulate and predict the spatial and temporal evolution of pressure and temperature in the geothermal system. The density of the geothermal water, which appears in the governing equations, can be expressed as a linear function of pressure, temperature, and total dissolved solids. A term describing the exchange of heat between water and rock is incorporated in the governing heat transport equation. Conductive heat flow from surrounding formations can be considered among the boundary conditions. Recent data of geothermal water production from the system were used for a first calibration of the numerical model. The calibrated model was used to predict the future changes in pressure and temperature of the geothermal water caused by two pumping schemes. The modeling results indicate that both pressure and temperature have a tendency to decrease with time and pumping. The current withdrawal rates and a pumping period of five months followed by a shut-off period of seven months are helpful in minimizing the degradation of the geothermal resource potential in the area.     

Combined Effect of Climatic Variations and Groundwater Movement on Observed Heat Flow

In most practical situations, the upper part of a geological section consists of loose sediments, in which heat transfer cannot be described as a purely conductive process. To investigate such situations a one-dimensional numerical model of terrestrial temperature field formation under the combined influence of vertical groundwater filtration and ground surface temperature changes has been developed. The model allows one to consider the perturbation of heat flow interval values resulting from short- and long-period temperature waves propagating into permeable rocks under conditions of advective heat transfer, caused by vertical groundwater filtration. The results show that temperature profiles and interval heat flow values are sensitive to both the paleoclimatic history and the rate of groundwater filtration. The latter plays the prevailing role in the variations of geothermal field parameters, especially within the uppermost part of the loose sediments in unconfined aquifers. The problem was solved for a permeable layer, underlaid by an impermeable layer. This schematisation of water exchange is the typically accepted for hydrogeological analysis. Even at very low rates of filtration the intensity of this effect is enhanced substantially for long-period variations. In the extreme case (for periods of temperature variations of the order of 100,000 years) at typical rates of filtration within the permeable layer, an almost gradient-free zone can be formed down to depths of a few hundred metres. For the case of upward filtration, on the contrary, the influence of climatic variations on the terrestrial temperature field becomes substantially attenuated.     

Heat flow and ground water flow in the Great Plains of the United States

Regional groundwater flow in deep aquifers adds advective components to the surface heat flow over extensive areas within the Great Plains province. The regional groundwater flow is driven by topographically controlled piezometric surfaces for confined aquifers that recharge either at high elevations on the western edge of the province or from subcrop contacts. The aquifers discharge at lower elevations to the east. The assymetrical geometry for the Denver and Kennedy Basins is such that the surface areas of aquifer recharge are small compared to the areas of discharge. Consequently, positive advective heat flow occurs over most of the province. The advective component of heat flow in the Denver Basin is on the order of 15 mW m⁻² along a zone about 50 km wide that parallels the structure contours of the Dakota aquifer on the eastern margin of the Basin. The advective component of heat flow in the Kennedy Basin is on the order of 20 mW m⁻² and occurs over an extensive area that coincides with the discharge areas of the Madison (Mississippian) and Dakota (Cretaceous) aquifers. Groundwater flow in Paleozoic and Mesozoic aquifers in the Williston Basin causes thermal anomalies that are seen in geothermal gradient data and in oil well temperature data. The pervasive nature of advective heat flow components in the Great Plains tends to mask the heat flow structure of the crust, and only heat flow data from holes drilled into the crystalline basement can be used for tectonic heat flow studies.     

Geothermal studies in China

Geothermal studies have been conducted in China continuously since the end of the 1950's with renewed activity since 1970. Three areas of research are defined: (1) fundamental theoretical research on geothermics, including subsurface temperatures, terrestrial heat flow and geothermal modeling; (2) exploration for geothermal resources and exploitation of geothermal energy; and (3) geothermal studies in mines.Regional geothermal studies have been conducted recently in North China and more than 2000 values of subsurface temperature have been obtained. Temperatures at a depth of 300 m generally range from 20 to 25°C with geothermal gradients from 20 to 40°C/km. These values are regarded as an average for the region with anomalies related to geological factors.To date, 22 reliable heat flow data from 17 sites have been obtained in North China and the data have been categorized according to fault block tectonics. The average heat flow value at 16 sites in the north is 1.3 HFU, varying from 0.7 to 1.8 HFU. It is apparent that the North China fault block is characterized by a relatively high heat flow with wide variations in magnitude compared to the mean value for similar tectonic units in other parts of the world. It is suggested that although the North China fault block can be traced back to the Archaean, the tectonic activity has been strengthening since the Mesozoic resulting in so-called “reactivation of platform” with large-scale faulting and magmatism.Geothermal resources in China are extensive; more than 2000 hot springs have been found and there are other manifestations including geysers, hydrothermal explosions, hydrothermal steam, fumaroles, high-temperature fountains, boiling springs, pools of boiling mud, etc. In addition, there are many Meso-Cenozoic sedimentary basins with widespread aquifers containing geothermal water resources in abundance. The extensive exploration and exploitation of these geothermal resources began early in the 1970's. Since then several experimental power stations using thermal water have been set up in Fengshun (Fungshun),     

Estimation of vertical water and heat fluxes in the semi-confined aquifers in tokyo metropolitan area,japan

Groundwater circulation is known to be one of the agents responsible for the redistribution of geothermal energy by acting as a source or sink in the course of its movement through porous media. Heat transport in groundwater systems is considered to be a coupled process and the theory based on this was used to analyse temperature profiles of 30 thermally stable observation wells in a deep, semi-confined aquifer system in the Tokyo Metropolitan area. Vertical water fluxes in the semi-confined aquifers and the associated upward heat fluxes were estimated from a heat flux equation that describes convection and conduction processes of heat transport in one dimension. The vertical downward water fluxes in Shitamachi lowland, Musashino and Tachikawa terraces were 0.69.26.91 × 10^?9, 1.46-70.92 × 10^?9 and 2.61.2204 × 10^?9 m/s, respectively. A vertical upward water flux of 1.80-33.60 × 10^?9 m/s was estimated in Shitamachi lowland. The water flux generally decreased with increasing depth for observation wells which intercepted more than one semi-confining layer. The estimated upward heat fluxes for Shitamachi lowland, Musashino and Tachikawa terraces were 0.32-1.12, 0.49-1.21 and 1.00-11.62 W/m², respectively. The heat flux was highest in Tachikawa terrace where a major fault, the Tachikawa fault, is located. Generally, the estimated heat flux was higher in the semi-confining layers than in the aquifers. Areas with heat sources and sinks as well as groundwater flow patterns in the semi-confined aquifers were revealed by heat flux and temperature distributions in the study area.     

生产油井井下温度场数值模拟分析

An improved numerical simulation method is presented to calculate the downhole temperature distribution for multiple pay zones in producing oil wells. Based on hydrodynamics and heat transfer theory, a 2-D temperature field model in cylindrical coordinates is developed. In the model, we considered general heat conduction as well as the heat convection due to fluid flow from porous formation to the borehole. We also take into account the fluid velocity variation in the wellbore due to multiple pay zones. We present coupled boundary conditions at the interfaces between the wellbore and adjacent formation, the wellbore and pay zone, and the pay zone and adjacent formation. Finally, an alternating direction implicit difference method （ADI） is used to solve the temperature model for the downhole temperature distribution. The comparison of modeled temperature curve with actual temperature log indicates that simulation result is in general quite similar to the actual temperature log. We found that the total production rate, production time, porosity, thickness of pay zones, and geothermal gradient, all have effects on the downhole temperature distribution.     

An analytical solution for describing the transient temperature distribution in an aquifer thermal energy storage system

A mathematical model is developed for predicting the temperature distribution in an aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) system, which consists of a confined aquifer bounded from above and below by the rocks of different geological properties. The main transfer processes of heat include the conduction and advection in the aquifer and the conduction in the rocks. The semi‐analytical solution in dimensionless form for the model is developed by Laplace transforms and its corresponding time‐domain solution is evaluated by the modified Crump method. Field geothermal property data are used to simulate the temperature distribution in an ATES system. The results show that the heat transfer in the aquifer is fast and has a vast effect on the vicinity of the wellbore. However, the aquifer temperature decreases with increasing radial and vertical distances. The temperature in the aquifer may be overestimated when ignoring the effect of thermal conductivity. The temperature distribution in an ATES system depends on the vertical thermal conduction in the rocks and the horizontal advection and thermal conduction in the aquifer. The present solution is useful in designing and simulating the heat injection facility in the ATES systems. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

中低温对流型地热系统中氢同位素的变化

中低温对流型地热系统在阐明地区构造活动性、地热资源形成与分布、水-岩相互作用以及有用元素富集成矿等方面具有十分重要的意义。而水作为地热系统的载体,研究其同位素变化机制是分析此系统中水-岩相互作用和地热水来源的必要前提。文中统计了中国大陆前人发表的167个温泉水与同一地区冷水的氢同位素(δD值)资料,并讨论了这些温泉水与区域活动构造的空间分布关系。结果表明,温泉水δD值均低于同一地区冷水,且91.11%的温泉发育于活动构造周边。文中还对造成温泉水δD值低于冷水的原因进行了分析: 主要是水由地表向地下渗透的过程中,水分子H-D同位素产生分馏作用(深循环作用),且分馏速率与温度相关,温度越高H-D分馏作用越明显; 其次,对于围岩中含高岭土矿物的地区,水与高岭土的H-D同位素也可能发生交换反应,从而降低温泉水中D同位素的含量。     

川东南焦石坝页岩气区现今地温场特征

四川盆地是我国重要的含油气区,关于盆地现今地温场的工作,前人已经做过一些研究.而对于近年来页岩气勘探取得突破性进展的川东南焦石坝地区,现今地温场的研究工作甚少.本文基于川东南高陡褶皱带焦石坝页岩气区新增的3口钻井的稳态测温数据和118块岩石样品热导率数据,计算了研究区的地温梯度和大地热流值.结合前人的研究成果,编制了研究区大地热流等值线图.结果表明,焦石坝页岩气区地温梯度介于24~34℃/km,大地热流值介于60~70mW·m~(-2)之间,与川中古隆起相似,属于地温高异常区.地温高异常缘于隆起区相对高的岩石热导率引起的浅部热流的重新分配.其次,与位于研究区东侧边界的齐岳山大断裂在燕山和喜山期的构造引起的热液活动有关.焦石坝页岩气区地温高异常对页岩气的解吸附速率具有促进作用,对提高采收率具有一定意义.     

Classification of Thermal Patterns at Karst Springs and Cave Streams

Thermal patterns of karst springs and cave streams provide potentially useful information concerning aquifer geometry and recharge. Temperature monitoring at 25 springs and cave streams in southeastern Minnesota has shown four distinct thermal patterns. These patterns can be divided into two types: those produced by flow paths with ineffective heat exchange, such as conduits, and those produced by flow paths with effective heat exchange, such as small fractures and pore space. Thermally ineffective patterns result when water flows through the aquifer before it can equilibrate to the rock temperature. Thermally ineffective patterns can be either event‐scale, as produced by rainfall or snowmelt events, or seasonal scale, as produced by input from a perennial surface stream. Thermally effective patterns result when water equilibrates to rock temperature, and the patterns displayed depend on whether the aquifer temperature is changing over time. Shallow aquifers with seasonally varying temperatures display a phase‐shifted seasonal signal, whereas deeper aquifers with constant temperatures display a stable temperature pattern. An individual aquifer may display more than one of these patterns. Since karst aquifers typically contain both thermally effective and ineffective routes, we argue that the thermal response is strongly influenced by recharge mode.     

利用气象地温资料反演大地热流

利用气象台记录的深度为0.8m,1.6m和3.2m的月平均地温资料,进行Fourier频谱分析,得到定常波和子谐波（变化波）两部分.同时取地表以下为水平分层的均匀双层介质,建立数学模型,根据线性热传导和最优化理论对定常波以及子谐波的振幅谱和相位谱进行联合反演,计算气象台地表附近的定常地温梯度以及地表土壤的热扩散系数等物性参数,并据此计算该地的大地热流值.初步计算结果表明,上述方法得到的某些地区的大地热流值与传统的通过钻孔测量法得到的大地热流值符合得相当好.     

Heat Tracing in a Fractured Aquifer with Injection of Hot and Cold Water

Heat as a tracer in fractured porous aquifers is more sensitive to fracture-matrix processes than a solute tracer. Temperature evolution as a function of time can be used to differentiate fracture and matrix characteristics. Experimental hot (50 °C) and cold (10 °C) water injections were performed in a weathered and fractured granite aquifer where the natural background temperature is 30 °C. The tailing of the hot and cold breakthrough curves, observed under different hydraulic conditions, was characterized in a log–log plot of time vs. normalized temperature difference, also converted to a residence time distribution (normalized). Dimensionless tail slopes close to 1.5 were observed for hot and cold breakthrough curves, compared to solute tracer tests showing slopes between 2 and 3. This stronger thermal diffusive behavior is explained by heat conduction. Using a process-based numerical model, the impact of heat conduction toward and from the porous rock matrix on groundwater heat transport was explored. Fracture aperture was adjusted depending on the actual hydraulic conditions. Water density and viscosity were considered temperature dependent. The model simulated the increase or reduction of the energy level in the fracture-matrix system and satisfactorily reproduced breakthrough curves tail slopes. This study shows the feasibility and utility of cold water tracer tests in hot fractured aquifers to boost and characterize the thermal matrix diffusion from the matrix toward the flowing groundwater in the fractures. This can be used as complementary information to solute tracer tests that are largely influenced by strong advection in the fractures.     

北京南口—孙河断裂带水热系统特征与成因分析

中低温对流型地热资源在华北地区广泛分布,是一种清洁的替代能源.与活动断裂带相关的水热型地热资源是中低温地热系统的重要组成部分.本文基于高精度重力测量、微动测深及钻孔温度测量等数据,从热源、通道、储层和盖层四个方面探讨了南口—孙河断裂带水热系统特征.低重力异常揭示的燕山期花岗二长岩、闪长岩岩体范围为23.8 km~2和14.3 km~2,放射性测井数据计算得到其生热率均值为3.14μW·m~(-3),侏罗系火山岩生热率均值为1.65μW·m~(-3),隐伏岩体和火山岩均难以构成地热系统的附加热源.重力异常显示南口—孙河断裂带宽度约500~800 m,断裂带切割蓟县系雾迷山组白云岩热储层.钻井温度曲线显示断裂带内水热活动强烈,说明该断裂带是导水、导热的重要通道.断裂带南西侧马池口一带第四系松散层与侏罗系火山岩形成了热储盖层,微动测深显示火山岩最大厚度约1500 m.综上源、通、储、盖四个要素分析,该地热系统为热传导一对流复合型,来自京西北山区的大气降水经远距离径流深循环吸收地层热量后沿南口—孙河断裂上移到达裂隙发育的白云岩地层中形成热水.总之,沿南口—孙河断裂带具备了良好的地热地质条件,可达到规模开采的条件.     

Groundwater flow analysis using different geothermal constraints: The case study of Acqui Terme area,northwestern Italy

We review some analytical techniques that use underground thermal data as tracers of groundwater flow. These techniques allow the evaluation of the Darcy velocity in shallow aquifers of mid-low permeability and the evaluation of heat gain/loss by conduction in deeper aquifers. Examples of application are then given for the Acqui Terme hydrothermal system, located in the Tertiary Piedmont Basin (northwestern Italy). The analysis of borehole temperatures allowed the inference of the hydraulic features of the sedimentary cover of the hydrothermal system. The results show the presence of a relatively weak flow, with upward and horizontal components, only in conglomerates occurring at the base of the marly impermeable cover. The analysis of the heat transported in the deep parts of the hydrothermal system was approached by splitting the water path into different sections, each with given shape, slope and hydraulic properties. The recharge area is situated in the upland, south of the discharge area. Meteoric water initially descends and then flows horizontally within the fractured metamorphic basement of the basin, heating by conduction. Finally, from a reservoir positioned at intermediate depths, hot water reaches rapidly the surface through a sub-vertical fault. This scheme of deep water flow is constrained by the regional surface heat flow and the local geothermal gradient, and it is consistent with data of rock–water equilibrium temperature.     

张裂型盆地地热参数的垂向变化与琼东南盆地热流分布特征

海洋热流数据是开展海洋地球动力学研究和油气资源评价的基础数据.为深入认识琼东南盆地的地热特征,本文首先利用耦合沉积作用与岩石圈张裂过程的数值模型分析了张裂型盆地主要地热参数的垂向变化特征;并通过钻孔资料的详细分析,获得了琼东南盆地44口钻孔的热流数据;结合海底地热探针获取的热流数据,对琼东南盆地地热特征及其主要影响因素进行了简要分析.结果表明:沉积作用的热披覆效应对表层热流有较明显的抑制作用,由于沉积物生热效应与披覆效应的共同作用,同一钻孔处海底表层热流与钻孔深度3000~4000m处热流或与海底间的平均热流差异很小,可以一起用于分析琼东南盆地的热流分布特征;莺歌海组、乐东组热导率随深度变化小于黄流组及其下地层热导率的变化,钻孔沉积层平均热导率约为1.7 W·(m·K)-1,钻孔地层生热率一般低于2.5μW·m-3,平均生热率为1.34μW·m-3,平均地温梯度主要介于30~45℃/km,热流介于50~99mW·m-2,陆架区热流主要集中于60~70mW·m-2,深水区钻孔具有较高的地温梯度和热流值;从北部陆架与上陆坡区往中央坳陷带,热流值从50~70mW·m-2,增高为65~85mW·m-2,并且往东有升高趋势,在盆地东部宝岛凹陷、长昌凹陷与西沙海槽北部斜坡带构成一条热流值高于85mW·m-2的高热流带.进一步分析认为,琼东南盆地现今热流分布特征是深部热异常、强烈减薄岩石圈的裂后冷却作用、晚期岩浆热事件、地壳与沉积层的生热贡献以及沉积作用的热披覆效应等多种主要因素综合作用的结果.     

Heat flow and the geothermal potential of Egypt

Preliminary heat flow values ranging from 42 to 175 mW m^–2 have been estimated for Egypt from numerous geothermal gradient determinations with a reasonably good geographical distribution, and a limited number of thermal conductivity determinations. For northern Egypt and the Gulf of Suez, gradients were calculated from oil well bottom hole temperature data; east of the Nile, and at three sites west of the Nile, gradients were calculated from detailed temperature logs in shallow boreholes. With one exception, the heat flow west of the Nile and in northern Egypt is estimated to be low, 40–45 mW m^–2, typical of a Precambrian Platform province. A local high, 175 mW m^–2, is probably due to local oxidational heating or water movement associated with a phosphate mineralized zone. East of the Nile, however, including the Gulf of Suez, elevated heat flow is indicated at several sites, with a high of 175 mW m^–2 measured in a Precambrian granitic gneiss approximately 2 km from the Red Sea coast. These data indicate potential for development of geothermal resources along the Red Sea and Gulf of Suez coasts. Water geochemistry data confirm the high heat flow, but do not indicate any deep hot aquifers. Microearthquake monitoring and gravity data indicate that the high heat flow is associated with the opening of the Red Sea.     

北京平原区西北部大地热流与深部地温分布特征

北京平原区蕴藏着丰富的中-低温水热型地热资源,其西北部分布着小汤山地热田和京西北地热田,两大地热田以南口—孙河断裂带为界.地热田及其外围地区基础的地热地质研究工作较少.为给地热学研究和地热资源精细勘探提供科学依据,本文基于前人23眼钻孔的温度测量数据以及近期完成的548件热导率和100件放射性生热率实测数据,研究了区域大地热流和0~4 km深部地温特征.结果表明：（1）研究区现今地温梯度为11.31~94.89℃·km^-1,平均值为31.79℃·km^-1;岩石热导率为0.895~5.111 W·（m·K）^-1,放射性生热率为0.257~2.305 μW·m^-3,大地热流为48.1~99.1 mW·m^-2,平均值为68.3 mW·m^-2,热流的分布受基底形态和断裂构造控制.研究区东部南口—孙河断裂带两侧小汤山和郑各庄地区为高热流异常区,中部马池口地区也存在局部高热流异常区.（2）在南口—孙河断裂带的不同位置,不同深度地层温度差异明显,体现出区域现今地温场不只受控于该活动断裂,更是多期次构造事件复合叠加的结果.（3）南口—孙河断裂带南侧存在两处有意义的较高地温异常区,分别为郑各庄异常区和马池口异常区,其中马池口异常区是未来地热开发利用有一定潜力的地区.