Storage capacity in hot dry rock reservoirs
- Los Alamos, NM
A method of extracting thermal energy, in a cyclic manner, from geologic strata which may be termed hot dry rock. A reservoir comprised of hot fractured rock is established and water or other liquid is passed through the reservoir. The water is heated by the hot rock, recovered from the reservoir, cooled by extraction of heat by means of heat exchange apparatus on the surface, and then re-injected into the reservoir to be heated again. Water is added to the reservoir by means of an injection well and recovered from the reservoir by means of a production well. Water is continuously provided to the reservoir and continuously withdrawn from the reservoir at two different flow rates, a base rate and a peak rate. Increasing water flow from the base rate to the peak rate is accomplished by rapidly decreasing backpressure at the outlet of the production well in order to meet periodic needs for amounts of thermal energy greater than a baseload amount, such as to generate additional electric power to meet peak demands. The rate of flow of water provided to the hot dry rock reservoir is maintained at a value effective to prevent depletion of the liquid
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- Assignee:
- Regents of University of California (Alameda, CA)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 5685362
- OSTI ID:
- 871219
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
capacity
hot
dry
rock
reservoirs
method
extracting
thermal
energy
cyclic
manner
geologic
strata
termed
reservoir
comprised
fractured
established
water
liquid
passed
heated
recovered
cooled
extraction
heat
means
exchange
apparatus
surface
re-injected
added
injection
production
continuously
provided
withdrawn
flow
rates
base
rate
peak
increasing
accomplished
rapidly
decreasing
backpressure
outlet
meet
periodic
amounts
baseload
amount
generate
additional
electric
power
demands
maintained
value
effective
prevent
depletion
water flow
flow rates
electric power
heat exchange
flow rate
thermal energy
storage capacity
hot dry
cyclic manner
peak demand
fractured rock
continuously withdrawn
dry rock
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