A methodology to determine thermal conductivity of soils from flux measurement

Determination of thermal properties of soils (viz., thermal resistivity, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and heat capacity), which primarily influence heat migration through the soil mass, is essential in situations where geomaterials are relentlessly subjected to higher temperatures and temperature variations. These properties of the soil mainly depend upon its type, mineralogy, particle size and gradational characteristics, density and water content. In this context, earlier researchers have determined thermal conductivity of soils by employing a thermal probe (a line heat source), which works on the principle of transient method (TM) of heat conduction. However, this methodology cannot be employed for establishing the heat flow (read thermal regime) through the soil. Hence, development of an alternate technique, which facilitates quantification of temporal and spatial variation of the heat flux and temperature in the soil mass, becomes essential. With this in mind, a methodology to determine thermal conductivity of soils by employing the concept of thermal flux measurement (TFM) has been developed and its details are presented in this paper. Results obtained from the TM and TFM have also been critically evaluated for the sake of validation and generating more confidence in the proposed methodology.     

南海北部海底地热测量的数据处理方法

为了解南海北部地热分布特征,使用EWING型海底地热探针在3个区域进行海底地热测量,利用TK04型热导率仪测量采自3个区域的沉积物样品的热导率,并对相关数据进行一系列校正处理,获得3个代表性站位HD343、HS82、HX129的热流密度。数据分析表明:对于EWING型探针需要对原始温度记录进行偏移量校正和平衡温度计算;不同自容式温度传感器(MTL)间的相对温度偏移量是基本固定的,取决于记录器本身的性质,与测站位置无关;插入海底后,EWING型探针记录的温度随时间的变化取决于摩擦生热的大小,如果摩擦引起的温度变化小于环境温度,温度将随时间缓慢上升,否则随时间缓慢降低;室内测量的热导率经过温度和压力校正后,一般降低4％～5％;3个站位的地温梯度分别是81 ℃/km、109 ℃/km、94 ℃/km,热导率分别为0.979 W/(m·K)、0.785 W/(m·K)、0.886 W/(m·K),热流密度分别为79 mW/m²、86 mW/m²、83 mW/m²。     

Dependence of thermal conductivity of snow on microstructure

A geometrical model, including different geometrical shapes influencing thermal conductivity of snow is proposed. The geometrical model has been assumed to comprise of unit cells having solid (ice) inclusion as an aggregation of spherical, cylindrical or cubical shapes with vertical connection, arranged in a cubic packing. From the geometrical model and one-dimensional heat transfer theory, the effective thermal conductivity has been computed. For this purpose, coupled one-dimensional heat transfer equations have been solved for steady-state condition to account for conduction in ice, conduction in air and latent heat transfer due to water vapour sublimation through air. The model demonstrates the dependency of thermal conductivity on density, grain-spacing, grain contact ratio and temperature. Spherical inclusions give highest conductivity while cubical inclusion estimates lowest value for the same density. Thermal conductivity has been found increasing sharply near to the packing density for all three shapes. Empirical model results and results obtained from existing microstructure based models have also been compared with the present model.     

膨润土热传导性能的温度效应

以高庙子（GMZ07）和美国怀俄明州（MX80）钠基膨润土为研究对象,采用热探针法研究温度对压实膨润土试样热传导性能的影响。在保持干密度和含水率不变的情况下,使用KD2 Pro型热特性分析仪测定不同温度（5～90 ℃）试样的热传导系数,并对部分试样进行压汞试验。试验结果表明：GMZ07和MX80膨润土的热传导系数均随着温度的增大而增大,在90 ℃时最高可达5 ℃的1.2～1.5倍,主要原因是温度引起的水汽潜热传输促进了试样内部的热传导;当试样温度高于60 ℃时,温度对热传导系数的影响较低于60 ℃时更显著;含水率不为0时,两种膨润土热传导系数的温度效应均随干密度的增大而减小;干试样的热传导系数几乎不随温度发生变化,这与水汽潜热传输的强化机制有关。热传导系数温度效应的机制可理解为：热传导系数取决于试样内部可供潜热传输的水分和传热通道数。     

Thermal conductivity of soft Bangkok clay from laboratory and field measurements

This paper presents the results of a study on the thermal conductivity of a soft saturated clay (Bangkok clay) carried out in relation to an investigation into using thermal treatment to enhance the consolidation process of soft soils. The thermal conductivity of clay specimens was measured in the laboratory using a steady state method (divided bar test) and a transient state method (needle probe test). In general, the laboratory test results show that the thermal conductivity increased with the increase in soil density. However, the needle probe test was found to yield greater thermal conductivities than those derived from the divided bar test. Furthermore, to assess the validity of the laboratory test results, the heat transfer results obtained from a full-scale embankment test that employed prefabricated vertical thermo-drains (PVTD) were simulated numerically using the laboratory determined thermal conductivity values. The numerical analysis indicates that the field thermal conductivity was close to the value obtained from the needle probe test. However, it was also found that the changes in thermal conductivity values obtained from the two laboratory methods did not impact significantly on heat flow behaviour, suggesting that the two methods are acceptable for characterizing the thermal conductivity of soils.     

Analysis of factors affecting heat flow density determination in the Liaohe Basin,North China

Structural relief of the pre-Cenozoic basement and groundwater flow have been found to be the two most important factors affecting the heat flow density determinations in the Liaohe Basin. The reason for the significant effect of basement relief upon subsurface temperature and heat flow density patterns is the strong contrast of thermal conductivity between basement rock and the sedimentary cover. Simplified model computations indicate that the heat flow density in the region of basement uplift is 1.35 times greater than that in the region of depressions. Field observations indicate that the temperatures at shallow depths (less than 1200 m) are strongly perturbed by groundwater flow leading to reduced temperatures and geothermal gradients in the Neogene formation. Comparison of observed and calculated gradients reveals that reduced gradients and heat flow density occur in the groundwater recharge area whereas these parameters are enhanced in the discharge area. After taking the perturbing factors into account, a regional heat flow value of 65 ± 9 mW/m² is obtained.     

Parameter estimation based on vertical heat transport in the surficial zone

Measured groundwater temperatures in the surficial zone are dependent on the properties of porous media and vertical flow velocity. Sensitivity analyses, collinear diagnostics and an inverse numerical solution to the one-dimensional heat-transport equation are used to determine which parameters can be estimated from temperature measurements in the surficial zone. This is done for heat transport in the saturated zone considering a constant vertical flow velocity. The use of temperature profiles, temperature time-series and temperature envelopes are considered. There is an important difference between a conduction and a convection dominated system. Sensitivity analysis shows that temperature measurements are sensitive to effective thermal conductivity and heat capacity and are insensitive to effective porosity and thermal dispersivity. In a conduction dominated system, temperature is also insensitive for vertical velocity. Collinear diagnostics show that in a conduction dominated system, only the combination of heat capacity and effective thermal conductivity, the thermal diffusivity, can be derived. In a convection dominated system, both the vertical velocity and the effective thermal conductivity can, theoretically, be derived.     

A geothermal method for detecting gas hydrates in the bottom sediments of water basins

We formulate the fundamentals of the geothermal method for determining the hydrate saturation of bottom sediments. According to laboratory experiments (A.A. Trofimuk Institute of Petroleum Geology and Geophysics, A.V. Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry), detecting gas hydrates in bottom sediments requires measurement of thermal conductivity at least twice at one bottom site, using a cylindrical probe with different heater power values. Changing the latter permits controlling gas hydrate stability and instability. A low-power probe does not destroy gas hydrates and permits measuring the true thermal conductivity of the sediments. Increasing heater power destroys gas hydrates near the probe and drastically increases effective thermal conductivity. Comparison between true and effective thermal conductivity clearly shows the presence of gas hydrates in the sample or their absence from it. A technique was proposed for the quantitative interpretation of changes in the temperature field of a cylindrical probe. It permits quite a precise determination of the mass of gas hydrate that decomposed in the layer surrounding the probe over a certain period. Also, it permits a rough estimation of the gas hydrate content of the sediments. Thermal conductivity can be measured in the field with submersible multichannel thermoprobes, which are commonly used for studying the heat flow through the bottom of water basins. Now it is important to perform field experiments, so that we gain the necessary experience with the geothermal method.     

The thermal regime of the Northeastern-German Basin from 2-D inversion

The thermal regime and the distribution of heat flow at the base of sedimentary basins is fundamental to the understanding of the process of basin evolution and the associated mobilization and migration of hydrocarbon and other fluids. For the Northeastern-German sedimentary basin, available information on structure, temperature, and thermal properties along a seismic DEKORP reflection profile allow high resolution 2-D forward and inverse simulations. This approach is attractive in situations where much information is available, if only with considerable uncertainty. In particular, this allows to introduce “soft” information into the analysis. In our case, forward simulations yield initial a priori estimates of the parameters while inversion calculations yield a posteriori estimates of the parameters and their uncertainty. The a priori parameters as well as their assumed uncertainty are input for a Bayesian parameter estimation scheme. In respect to the Northeastern-German sedimentary basin, the inverse analysis postulates a significant and characteristic a posteriori variation of thermal conductivity of the Zechstein unit along the entire profile as well as a generally large a posteriori thermal conductivity of the (pre-Permian) basement in the northern part of the basin. For inverse calculations, we used two alternative scenarios: One assumes the thermal conductivity of the Zechstein unit to be homogeneous along the profile while the other allows a lateral variation. A posteriori heat flow across the base of the model varies from 40 to 60 and 50 to 65 mW m⁻² for models in which values for thermal conductivity and radiogenic heat generation rate were either based on literature values or direct measurements, respectively.     

Numerical Modeling and Spatial Moment Analysis of Thermal Fronts in a Coupled Fracture-Skin-Matrix System

In this study, the behavior of thermal fronts along the fracture is studied in the presence of fracture-skin in a coupled fracture-matrix system. Cold water is injected into the fracture, which advances gradually towards production well, while extracting heat from the surrounding reservoir matrix. The heat conduction into the fracture-skin and the rock-matrix from the high permeability fracture is assumed to be one dimensional perpendicular to the axis of fluid flow along the fracture. Constant temperature cold water is injected through an injection well at the fracture inlet. The fluid flow takes place along the horizontal fracture which ensures connectivity between the injection and production wells. Since the rock-matrix is assumed to be tight, the permeability of fracture-skin as well as the rock-matrix is neglected. The present study focuses on the heat flux transfer at the fracture-skin interface as against the earlier studies on fracture-matrix interface, and the sensitivity of additional heterogeneity in the form of fracture skin in a conventional fracture-matrix coupled system is studied. The behavior of thermal fronts for various thermal conductivity values of the fracture-skin and rock-matrix is analyzed. Spatial moment analysis is performed on the thermal distribution profiles resulting from numerical studies in order to investigate the impact on mobility and dispersion behavior of the fluid in the presence of fracture-skin. The presence of fracture skin affects the heat transfer significantly in the coupled fracture-matrix system. The lower order spatial moments indicate that the effective thermal velocity increases with increase in skin thermal conductivity and a significant thermal dispersion is observed at the inlet of the fracture owing to the high thermal conductivity of the fracture-skin at the early stages. Furthermore the higher spatial moments indicate that the asymmetricity increases with decrease in skin thermal conductivity unlike the case with half fracture aperture and fluid velocity and the kurtosis is maximum with higher skin thermal conductivity which implies enhanced heat extraction from the fracture-skin into the fracture. Results suggest that the amount of heat extraction by the circulating fluid within the fracture from the reservoir not only depends on the rock-matrix module of the reservoir characteristics but also the fracture-skin characteristics of the system and subsequently influence the reservoir efficiency.     

漂珠轻质砖的隔热保温机理分析

由于粉煤灰中的空心微珠，特别是漂珠，具有低密度，成分特殊，优异的热学性质等一系列特殊的理化特性，使其漂珠轻质砖具有导热系数低，耐压强度高，导热系数随温度升高的递增率小等特点。本文从声子导热，光子导热和宏观热学性质三个方面分析了漂珠轻质砖的导热机理。     

重庆永川煤矿煤岩热物性参数特征

煤岩热物性参数是矿井降温、防灭火治理工作所需要的重要基础资料。以重庆永川煤矿为研究对象,采用井下现场测定和实验室测试对该矿目前采掘区域内煤岩密度、比热、导热系数、导温系数以及原始温度、地温梯度等参数进行了测试。测试结果表明,在矿井标高-400 m水平,煤岩样的密度、比热、导热系数、导温系数均处在正常范围之内;在标高-357~-438 m,煤岩密度、比热、导热系数、导温系数不随标高的变化而变化。在标高-400 m水平,煤岩原始温度为35~36℃;矿井恒温带深度以下,-400 m水平以上的地温梯度为2.32/℃ hm,-400 m水平以下的地温梯度值为2.65/℃ hm,存在一个稍微递增的趋势,但仍然处于正常地温梯度范围。结合矿井地勘资料确定煤岩原始温度的实测值较理论计算值偏小,但误差不超过3%,精度符合工程实际要求。      

胜利油气区东营凹陷现今地温场研究

文中利用热导率分散模型,根据地层中砂质含量数据计算东营凹陷第三系各沉积地层单元的原地热导率,再利用热阻率法根据东营凹陷１７０口测温井中测温资料计算出第三系各地层界面上和特征深度处温度,进而研究东营凹陷现今地下温度。计算结果表明,第三系各地介面上地温分布特征主要受各界面埋藏深度控制,而地下各特征深度上地温分布特征主要受热流平面分布特征控制。     

碱−热环境下MX80膨润土导热性能试验研究

以美国怀俄明州钠基（MX80）膨润土为研究对象,采用热探针法测定碱−热环境下MX80膨润土的导热系数,探讨了温度、碱液强度和干密度对试样导热系数λ的影响规律,并选择部分试样进行了X射线衍射（X-ray diffraction,简称XRD）和扫描电镜（scanning electron microscope,简称SEM）试验,揭示了碱−热环境下MX80膨润土导热性能演变的微观机制。试验结果表明：MX80膨润土的导热系数λ随碱液含量和干密度的递增而增大;在不同碱液含量条件下,膨润土的导热系数均随温度升高而增大,且碱液含量越高,导热系数的温度效应越显著;干密度较小时,膨润土导热系数λ随温度升高而增大的影响越明显,主要原因是温度促进了试样内部的水汽潜热传输;同一温度和干密度条件下,热传导系数λ随着碱液pH值的升高而降低6,且pH值越高,则λ降幅越明显,主要原因是强碱溶液腐蚀了膨润土的蒙脱石成分,减少了试样内石英含量,增大了膨润土试样的孔隙率,进而降低了膨润土导热系数,这与测试试样的XRD和SEM结果相吻合。     

Thermal Conductivity of Argillaceous Rocks: Determination Methodology Using In Situ Heating Tests

This study focuses on the characterisation of thermal conductivity for three potential host rocks for radioactive waste disposal. First, the heat conduction process is reviewed on the basis of an analytical solution and key aspects related to anisotropic conduction are discussed. Then the existing information on the three rocks is summarised and a broad uncertainty range of thermal conductivity is estimated based on the mineralogical composition. Procedures to backanalyse the thermal conductivity on the basis of in situ heating tests are assessed and a methodology is put forward. Finally, this methodology is used to estimate the impact of experimental uncertainties and applied to the four in situ heating tests. In the three potential host rocks, a clear influence of the bedding planes was identified and anisotropic heat conduction was shown to be necessary to interpret the observed temperature field. Experimental uncertainties were also shown to induce a larger uncertainty on the anisotropy ratio than on the equivalent thermal conductivity defined as the geometric mean of the thermal conductivity in the three principal directions.     

A revised estimation of the steady-state geotherm for the continental lithosphere and its implication for mantle melting

An analytical solution has been derived for the steady-state geotherm of the continental lithosphere, using an empirical thermal conductivity model that incorporates the experimentally observed temperature and pressure effect. Based on recent global compilations of crustal thickness and heat flow data, a standard continental lithosphere is re-defined by a global mean model with total crustal thickness of 40 km and surface heat flow of 55 mWm-² (within which 28 mWm^-2 is assumed to be derived from deep mantle source). The thickness of the continental lithosphere (≅125 km), consistent with previous models, is given by the depth at which the geotherm intersects the potential asthenosphere temperature of 1280°C. It is shown that the new steady-state geotherm is much hotter than that based on the previously adopted model where material thermal conductivity is assumed to be constant (≅3.14 W/m/k) throughout the lithosphere. The consequence of this re-evaluation of pre-extension thermal structure in the lithosphere is that the minimum stretching factor required to cause the onset of dry mantle partial melting can be 15–20% lower than the previous estimate. Also, if minor amounts of water or other volatile element or dry basalt are present in the upper mantle, melting of the subcontirfental mantle is very likely to occur for any geotherms constructed using surface heat flows > 30 mWm-².     

中国西北部盆地岩石热导率和生热率特征

本文根据大量实测数据,首次系统地报道了中国西北地区塔里木盆地、准噶尔盆地和柴达木盆地内的岩石热导率、岩石放射性生热率数据及其分布特征.对600多个岩石热导率和100多个实测岩石生热率的统计分析表明,沉积盆地中岩石的热物理性质与其岩性、埋藏深度和地层时代密切相关.随深度和地层时代的加大,岩石热导率增大;塔里木盆地的岩石热导率的总体平均值最大,而柴达木盆地的最小.岩石生热率在上地壳的分布是随深度的增加而减小的,但在沉积盆地的深度范围内几乎不变,其分布是均匀的,仅不同岩性的生热率差别较大.估算的岩石放射性生热产生的热量可以占到盆地地表热流的25%～45%.因此,岩石热物理性质的参数不仅与盆地的地温分布和大地热流特征密切相关,还可以为该地区盆地热历史恢复及深部地球物理的研究提供有效的参数和边界条件.     

套管式地埋管换热器热短路及换热性能

套管式地埋管换热器是深层地源热泵系统常用的换热装置。基于流体流动换热方程,建立套管式地埋管换热器与周围岩体之间的传热模型。以第一个供暖季为例,分析内管导热系数和循环水流量对换热性能的影响,并引入换热器效能对热短路现象进行评估,研究结果显示:内管导热系数越大,热短路现象越显著;热短路使内外管中循环水温差降低,管内出现热堆积,导致换热器换热功率降低;套管式地埋管换热器的换热功率随循环水流量的增大逐渐增大;内外管之间存在热短路时,出口水温随循环水流量的增大先升高后降低,随着流量增大,换热器效能增大。研究成果可为深层地源热泵系统中地埋管换热器的设计提供借鉴。      

New heat flow data from the immediate vicinity of the Kola super-deep borehole: Vertical variation in heat flow confirmed and attributed to advection

We present new heat flow values and other geothermal data in the upper crystalline crust in the immediate vicinity of the 12.4-km deep Kola super-deep borehole, NW Russia. Our results show a systematic vertical increase in geothermal gradient and heat flow density as deep as we could measure (1.6 km). Our results confirm earlier results on vertical heat flow trends of in the uppermost part of the Kola super-deep hole, and imply that the thermal regime is not in steady-state conductive conditions. In an area of 3-km × 5-km measurements were performed in 1–2-km deep boreholes surrounding the Kola super-deep hole and on core samples from these holes. Temperature logs are available from 36 holes. Core data exists from 23 boreholes with a total length of 11.5 km at a vertical resolution of 10 m. We carried out a very detailed study on thermal conductivity with regard to anisotropy, inhomogeneity and temperature dependence. Tensor components of thermal conductivity were determined on 1375 core samples from 21 boreholes in 3400 measurements. Additionally, we measured specific heat capacity, heat generation rate, density, porosity, and permeability on selected subsets of core samples. Heat flow from 19 boreholes varies between 31 and 45 mW m⁻² with an average value of 38 mW m⁻². In most boreholes the vertical heat flow profiles show a considerable variation with depth. This is consistent with observations in the upper part of the Kola super-deep borehole. We conclude that this variation is not caused by technical operations but reflects a natural process. It is considered to be due to a combination of advective, structural and paleoclimatic effects. Preliminary 3-D numerical modeling of heat and flow in the study area provides an indication of relative contributions of each of these factors: advective heat transfer turns out to have a major influence on the vertical variation of heat flow, although transient changes in surface temperature may also cause a significant variation. Heterogeneity of the rocks in the study area is less important.