Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the mathematical formulation of the problems of convective heat transfer in geothermal systems. Geothermal reservoirs may have numerous near-vertical faults and relatively impermeable intrusive interspersed in the aquifers. Both theoretical and experimental investigations of heat transfer in geothermal systems are reviewed. A qualitative understanding of the large-scale convection processes in a geothermal reservoir and the prediction of reservoir behavior under production can be obtained by idealizing it as a saturated porous medium. The identification of a viable geothermal reservoir and the estimation of its capacity remain major problems in the utilization of geothermal resources. Thermal anomalies in geothermal areas can be detected by surface manifestations, aerial infrared surveys, geochemical analyses, or exploratory drillings. Many of the analyses are applicable to a wide range of engineering problems whenever they can be idealized as convection in a porous medium. These include the problems of the secondary recovery of oil by thermal methods, the use of fibrous materials for thermal insulations, the design of aquifers as an energy storage system, and the deposition of mineral ore in the subsurface formation. Results from short-duration well testing are used to determine reservoir characteristics.

Heat Transfer in Geothermal Systems

Hydrothermal Convection in Saturated Porous Media

Free convection in a square porous cavity using a thermal nonequilibrium model

This book presents the papers given at a conference on free convection in porous materials. Topics considered at the conference included heat transfer, nonlinear temperature profiles and magnetic fields, boundary conditions, concentrated heat sources in stratified porous media, free convective flow in a cavity, heat flux, laminar mixed convection flow, and the onset of convection in a porous medium with internal heat generation and downward flow.

Natural convection in porous media

Many papers exist which either derive or use equations which govern local thermal nonequilibrium phenomena in porous medium convection, where the intrinsic average of the temperatures of the solid and fluid phases may be regarded as being different. We compile and present the most commonly used of these model equations. Attention is then focused on describing some of the most recent research using these equations. Attention is focussed primarily on free and forced convection boundary layers, and on free convection within cavities.

M. Combarnous

Papers

Modelisation de la convection naturelle au sein d'une couche poreuse horizontale a l'aide d'un coefficient de transfert solide-fluide