COMSOL Models and Simulation Results for Closed-Loop Geothermal Systems with Thermal Enhancements

The Closed-Loop Geothermal Working Group and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have studied the performance of disc-shaped and linear thermal enhancements (conductive material introduced around a wellbore) in closed-loop geothermal systems. COMSOL models were developed to investigate the increase in heat production in systems with thermal enhancements compared to those without, across a range of scenarios. This dataset includes two example COMSOL models, a summary of the simulation results, and a link to an accompanying paper. Studied are idealized versions of two thermal enhancement designs: (1) existing or newly created fractures surrounding the wellbore, filled with highly conductive material, and (2) a 'fishbone structure,' where short wellbores are drilled radially outward from the main wellbore and filled with highly conductive material.

闭式循环地热工作组与国家可再生能源实验室（NREL）共同研究了圆形和线性热增强（在井筒周围引入的导热材料）在闭式循环地热系统中的性能。为探究相较于无热增强的系统，在多种情境下，具有热增强的系统热能产出的提升，研究人员开发了 COMSOL 模型。本数据集包含两个示例 COMSOL 模型、模拟结果的摘要以及相关论文的链接。研究内容涵盖了两种理想化的热增强设计：（1）围绕井筒的新近形成或原有的裂缝，填充高导热材料；（2）所谓的‘鱼骨结构’，即从主井筒径向钻取短井筒并填充高导热材料。