Conference,
2013 Fourth International Conference on Advances in Civil Engineering
(2013)
Abstract
Heat-transport is important for geothermal exploration. The presence of
fractures can have a pronounced effect on groundwater and heat transfer.The inclusion of
fractures into geothermal reservoir models on different scales is often still a difficult task. A
comparison of approaches for flow in fractures has been carried out. A very simple
approach is to simulate fractures with thin but highly conductive layers, for instance by
applying the Cubic-Law. A more sophisticated approach, typically in FEM codes, is the
application of lower dimensional (1D/2D) high permeable discrete elements with specific
flow properties, following e.g. Hagen-Poiseuille or Manning-Strickler. However, such an
approach typically fails while studying only partly saturated fractures. For studying the
applicability of simplified fracture modellingapproaches a comparison with a CFD
(Computational Fluid Dynamics) solution was performed. Furthermore a DEM (Discrete
Element Method)approach has been illuminated. The various methodologies are studied by
varying roughnesses,this way studying the versatility of the approach. The sensitivity of
flow in fractures to various numerical parameters can be studied this way. A detailed
analysis of temperature and flow using Péclet and Reynolds numbers helps to quantify the
contributions of the different transfer processes.
Tags
- bracing
- concrete
- cubic
- discrete
- dissipation
- elements
- energy
- fractures
- high
- law
- performance
- steel
- structure
