Simple Areal Flow Model: A Screening Tool for Managing Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage Systems

摘要

Numerical models can help identify the optimal policy for managing Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) systems. Pacific Northwest Laboratory has developed a simple model to analyze the effects of various injection/pumping policies on the thermal efficiency of multiwell ATES systems. The model uncouples thermal and hydraulic phenomena by neglecting thermally induced variations in density and viscosity. Thermal convection and conduction are simulated along each of a finite number of independent streamline planes. This paper presents the model's conceptual basis and discusses a 25-well ATES simulation case. (ERA citation 08:051359)