深地热开采热能提取效率研究及对EGS-E的启示

Heat extraction efficiency in deep geothermal energy mining and implications for EGS-E

  • 摘要: 深地热资源因其储量大、清洁、可持续等优点在近年受到广泛关注。不同的深地热开发系统具有不同的热储改造方式,而这些热储改造方式决定了其与流体工质的换热效率及采热量。通过COMSOL Multiphysics多场耦合软件系统对比了高渗透率、贯穿裂隙(管道)、随机裂隙和随机裂隙+贯穿裂隙热储模型的热能提取效率,研究了水力作用、热力作用和热储裂缝间距对裂隙开度的影响。研究结果表明高渗透热储的热能提取效率最高,其次是随机裂隙热储,随后是随机裂隙+贯通裂隙热储,最小的是贯通裂隙(管道)热储。热储裂隙开度演化受基岩冷却收缩和裂隙流体压力的竞争影响。增加基岩的冷却收缩和裂隙流体压力均能提升总裂隙开度;但是当基岩冷却收缩起主导作用时(热力作用),系统的注入能力提升;而当裂隙流体压力起主导作用时(水力作用),系统的注入能力降低。减小裂隙间距可以显著增加裂隙的热力作用开度和总开度。当裂隙间距减小到50 m时,热力作用开度增加为水力作用开度的4.8倍。因此对EGS-E(基于开挖的增强型地热系统)的主要启示为:(1)通过优化爆破或水力压裂等工艺参数,使崩落的干热岩尽量破碎,形成高渗透率热储,可大幅增加热交换面积,提高热能提取效率和采热量;(2)在EGS-E热储分层致裂中,应尽量减小层间距,进而增加热储的整体裂隙开度,达到提高换热效率的目的。

     

    Abstract: Geothermal energy has recently attracted substantial attention due to its abundant reserve, cleanness, and sustainability. Geothermal reservoirs can be stimulated via different approaches/techniques that lead to different heat extraction efficiencies and production through heat transfer between the working fluid and the reservoir network. Typical reservoir stimulation strategies include hydraulic fracturing, which is employed in conventional geothermal systems based on drilling, namely, EGS-D; indirect heat exchange using U-shaped pipes, namely, EGS-P; and block caving, which is based on the well-developed mining excavation framework, namely, EGS-E. Although the above three reservoir stimulation modes have been made available, their heat extraction performances for a certain reservoir over the operation lifespan have been unexplored. Selecting the appropriate reservoir stimulation approach and assessing the corresponding heat extraction performance are crucial for the design and subsequent operation of geothermal systems. Here, we systematically compared the heat extraction efficiencies of different stimulated reservoir networks under four typical stimulation modes, including a high-permeability reservoir (representing a reservoir stimulated by EGS-E), a connected fracture (representing a reservoir stimulated by EGS-P) reservoir, a reservoir with randomly distributed fractures (representing a reservoir simulated by EGS-D), and a reservoir with randomly distributed fractures and connected fractures (representing a reservoir simulated by the combination of EGS-D and EGS-P). The mechanical, hydraulic, and thermal coupling among the rock matrix, fracture network, and working fluid was realized in COMSOL Multiphysics. We found that the heat extraction efficiency of the high-permeability reservoir was the highest and that of the reservoir with randomly distributed fractures and connected fractures was the lowest. Crack aperture evolution was modulated by the competition between matrix contraction and hydraulic enhancement. The total crack aperture can be increased by increasing the matrix contraction and the hydraulic pressure of the working flow. Injection capability improved when the matrix contraction (thermal effect) prevailed but decreased when the working flow pressure (hydraulic effect) dominated. We also found that the smaller the matrix spacing, the larger the thermal effect-induced crack aperture and thus the total aperture. When the matrix spacing was reduced to 50 m, the thermal effect-induced crack aperture was nearly five times the hydraulic effect-induced crack aperture. The above findings have the following implications for EGS-E: first, the reservoir should be caved into fractured blocks that are as small as possible to increase permeability. Heat extraction efficiency and heat production can thus be highly promoted. Second, for the EGS-E with multiple reservoir slices, the slice spacing should be appropriately optimized to ensure high crack apertures and thus commensurate heat extraction efficiency.

     

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