A Temperature-Profile Method for Estimating Flow Processes inGeologic Heat Pipes

Journal Article · Mon Dec 06 04:00:00 EST 2004 · Journal of Contaminant Hydrology

OSTI ID:882750

Birkholzer, Jens T

Above-boiling temperature conditions, as encountered, forexample, in geothermal reservoirs and in geologic repositories for thestorage of heat-producing nuclear wastes, may give rise to stronglyaltered liquid and gas flow processes in porous subsurface environments.The magnitude of such flow perturbation is extremely hard to measure inthe field. We therefore propose a simple temperature-profile method thatuses high-resolution temperature data for deriving such information. Theenergy that is transmitted with the vapor and water flow creates a nearlyisothermal zone maintained at about the boiling temperature, referred toas a heat pipe. Characteristic features of measured temperature profiles,such as the differences in the gradients inside and outside of the heatpipe regions, are used to derive the approximate magnitude of the liquidand gas fluxes in the subsurface, for both steady-state and transientconditions.

• Research Organization: Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley NationalLaboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Civilian Radioactive WasteManagement
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 882750
• Report Number(s): LBNL--56716; BnR: YN1901000
• Journal Information: Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, Journal Name: Journal of Contaminant Hydrology Journal Issue: 3-4 Vol. 85
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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58 GEOSCIENCES