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Title: Measurement and simulation of heat exchange in fractured bedrock using inert and thermally degrading tracers

Abstract

Multicomponent groundwater tracer tests were conducted in a well-characterized field site in Altona, NY using inert carbon-cored nanoparticles and a thermally degrading phenolic compound. Experiments were conducted in a mesoscale reservoir consisting of a single subhorizontal bedding plane fracture located 7.6 m below ground surface contained between two wells separated by 14.1 m. The reservoir rock, initially at 11.78C, was heated using 748C water. During the heating process, a series of tracer tests using thermally degrading tracers were used to characterize the progressive in situ heating of the fracture. Fiber-Optic Distributed Temperature Sensing (FODTS) was used to measure temperature rise orthogonal to the fracture surface at 10 locations. Recovery of the thermally degrading tracer’s product was increased as the reservoir was progressively heated indicating that the advancement of the thermal front was proportional to the mass fraction of the thermally degrading tracer recovered. Both GPR imaging and FODTS measurements reveal that flow was reduced to a narrow channel which directly connected the two wells and led to rapid thermal breakthrough. Computational modeling of inert tracer and heat transport in a two-dimensional discrete fracture demonstrate that subsurface characterization using inert tracers alone could not uniquely characterize the Altona field site. However,more » the inclusion of a thermally degrading tracer may permit accurate subsurface temperature monitoring. At the Altona field site, however, fluid-rock interactions appear to have increased reaction rates relative to laboratory-based measurements made in the absence of rock surfaces.« less

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [2];  [1]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States)
  2. California State Univ. (CalState), Long Beach, CA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
California State Univ. (CalState), Long Beach, CA (United States); Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Geothermal Technologies Office
OSTI Identifier:
1532996
Grant/Contract Number:  
EE0002767; EE0006764
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Water Resources Research
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 53; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 0043-1397
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
58 GEOSCIENCES; Environmental Sciences & Ecology; Marine & Freshwater Biology; Water Resources

Citation Formats

Hawkins, Adam J., Fox, Don B., Becker, Matthew W., and Tester, Jefferson W. Measurement and simulation of heat exchange in fractured bedrock using inert and thermally degrading tracers. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1002/2016wr019617.
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Hawkins, Adam J., Fox, Don B., Becker, Matthew W., & Tester, Jefferson W. Measurement and simulation of heat exchange in fractured bedrock using inert and thermally degrading tracers. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016wr019617
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Hawkins, Adam J., Fox, Don B., Becker, Matthew W., and Tester, Jefferson W. Fri . "Measurement and simulation of heat exchange in fractured bedrock using inert and thermally degrading tracers". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016wr019617. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1532996.
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@article{osti_1532996,
title = {Measurement and simulation of heat exchange in fractured bedrock using inert and thermally degrading tracers},
author = {Hawkins, Adam J. and Fox, Don B. and Becker, Matthew W. and Tester, Jefferson W.},
abstractNote = {Multicomponent groundwater tracer tests were conducted in a well-characterized field site in Altona, NY using inert carbon-cored nanoparticles and a thermally degrading phenolic compound. Experiments were conducted in a mesoscale reservoir consisting of a single subhorizontal bedding plane fracture located 7.6 m below ground surface contained between two wells separated by 14.1 m. The reservoir rock, initially at 11.78C, was heated using 748C water. During the heating process, a series of tracer tests using thermally degrading tracers were used to characterize the progressive in situ heating of the fracture. Fiber-Optic Distributed Temperature Sensing (FODTS) was used to measure temperature rise orthogonal to the fracture surface at 10 locations. Recovery of the thermally degrading tracer’s product was increased as the reservoir was progressively heated indicating that the advancement of the thermal front was proportional to the mass fraction of the thermally degrading tracer recovered. Both GPR imaging and FODTS measurements reveal that flow was reduced to a narrow channel which directly connected the two wells and led to rapid thermal breakthrough. Computational modeling of inert tracer and heat transport in a two-dimensional discrete fracture demonstrate that subsurface characterization using inert tracers alone could not uniquely characterize the Altona field site. However, the inclusion of a thermally degrading tracer may permit accurate subsurface temperature monitoring. At the Altona field site, however, fluid-rock interactions appear to have increased reaction rates relative to laboratory-based measurements made in the absence of rock surfaces.},
doi = {10.1002/2016wr019617},
journal = {Water Resources Research},
number = 2,
volume = 53,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 13 00:00:00 EST 2017},
month = {Fri Jan 13 00:00:00 EST 2017}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1002/2016wr019617
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Works referenced in this record:

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    Works referencing / citing this record:

    Solute tracer test quantification of the effects of hot water injection into hydraulically stimulated crystalline rock
    journal, June 2020

    Solute tracer test quantification of the effects of hot water injection into hydraulically stimulated crystalline rock
    text, January 2020

    Solute Reactive Tracers for Hydrogeological Applications: A Short Review and Future Prospects
    journal, February 2020

    • Cao, Viet; Schaffer, Mario; Taherdangkoo, Reza
    • Water, Vol. 12, Issue 3
    • DOI: 10.3390/w12030653
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