Aquifer thermal energy storage: a well doublet experiment at increased temperatures

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · Water Resour. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/WR019i001p00149· OSTI ID:5563005

Molz, F J; Melville, J G; Parr, A D; King, D A; Hopf, M T

The two main objectives of this communication are to present a study of potential advantages and disadvantages of the doublet supply-injection well configuration in an aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) system and to report on aquifer storage problems with injection temperatures in the 80/sup 0/C range. A 3-month injection-storage-recovery cycle followed by a 7.3-month cycle constituted the main experiment. The injection volumes were 25,402 m/sup 3/ and 58,063 m/sup 3/ at average temperatures of 58.5/sup 0/C and 81/sup 0/C respectively. Unlikely previous experiments at the Mobile site, no clogging of the injection well due to clay particle swelling, dispersion, and migration was observed. This is attributed to the fact that the supply water used for injection contained a cation concentration equal to or slightly greater than that in the native groundwater. For cycles I and II, the fraction of injected energy recovered in a volume of water euqal to the injection volume was 0.56 and 0.45 respectively. Both groundwater temperature and tracer data support the conclusion that this relatively low recovery was due to the detrimental effects of free thermal convection, possibly augmented by longitudinal zones of high permeability. Construction of a partially penetrating recovery well improved recovery efficiency but is not thought to be an adequate solution to thermal stratification. A maximum increase of 1.24 cm in relative land surface elevation was recorded near the end of second cycle injection. The engineering implications of such an elevation change would have to be considered, especially if an ATES system were being designed in an urban environment. A third cycle is expected to maximize energy recovery from a thermally stratified storage aquifer.

• Research Organization: Auburn Univ., AL
• OSTI ID: 5563005
• Journal Information: Water Resour. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Water Resour. Res.; (United States) Vol. 19:1; ISSN WRERA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
250600* -- Energy Storage-- Thermal
ALABAMA
AQUIFERS
CATIONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CONVECTION
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY RECOVERY
ENERGY STORAGE
FEDERAL REGION IV
GROUND WATER
HEAT STORAGE
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INJECTION WELLS
IONS
LEVELS
MEDIUM TEMPERATURE
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RECOVERY
SENSIBLE HEAT STORAGE
STORAGE
USA
VOLUME
WATER
WELL SPACING
WELLS