Yucang Wang

Lattice Solid/Boltzmann Microscopic Model to Simulate Solid/Fluid Systems A Tool to Study Creation of Fluid Flow Networks for Viable Deep Geothermal Energy

SummaryRealizing the potential of geothermal energy as a cheap, green, sustainable resource to provide for the planet’s future energy demands that a key geophysical problem be solved first: how to develop and maintain a network of multiple fluid flow pathways for the time required to deplete the heat within a given region. We present the key components for micro-scale particle-based numerical modeling of hydraulic fracture, and fluid and heat flow in geothermal reservoirs. They are based on the latest developments of ESyS-Particle—the coupling of the lattice solid model (LSM) to simulate the nonlinear dynamics of complex solids with the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) applied to the nonlinear dynamics of coupled fluid and heat flow in the complex solid-fluid system. The coupled LSM/LBM can be used to simulate development of fracture systems in discontinuous media, elastic stress release, fluid injection and the consequent slip at joint surfaces, and hydraulic fracturing; heat exchange between hot rocks and water within flow pathways created through hydraulic fracturing; and fluid flow through complex, narrow, compact and gouge-or powder-filled fracture and joint systems. We demonstrate the coupled LSM/LBM to simulate the fundamental processes listed above, which are all components for the generation and sustainability of the hot-fractured rock geothermal energy fracture systems required to exploit this new green-energy resource.

Numerical modeling of porous flow in fractured rock and its applications in geothermal energy extraction

Understanding the characteristics of hydraulic fracture, porous flow and heat transfer in fractured rock is critical for geothermal power generation applications, and numerical simulation can provide a powerful approach for systematically and thoroughly investigating these problems. In this paper, we present a fully coupled solid-fluid code using discrete element method (DEM) and lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). The DEM with bonded particles is used to model the deformation and fracture in solid, while the LBM is used to model the fluid flow. The two methods are two-way coupled, i.e., the solid part provides a moving boundary condition and transfers momentum to fluid, while the fluid exerts a dragging force to the solid. Two widely used open source codes, the ESyS_Particle and the OpenLB, are integrated into one code and paralleled with Message Passing Interface (MPI) library. Some preliminary 2D simulations, including particles moving in a fluid and hydraulic fracturing induced by injection of fluid into a borehole, are carried out to validate the integrated code. The preliminary results indicate that the new code is capable of reproducing the basic features of hydraulic fracture and thus offers a promising tool for multiscale simulation of porous flow and heat transfer in fractured rock.

Modelling Gas Diffusion from Breaking Coal Samples with the Discrete Element Method

Particle scale diffusion is implemented in the discrete element code, Esys-Particle. We focus on the question of how to calibrate the particle scale diffusion coefficient. For the regular 2D packing, theoretical relation between micro- and macrodiffusion coefficients is derived. This relation is then verified in several numerical tests where the macroscopic diffusion coefficient is determined numerically based on the half-time of a desorption scheme. To further test the coupled model, we simulate the diffusion and desorption in the circular sample. The numerical results match the analytical solution very well. An example of gas diffusion and desorption during sample crushing and fragmenting is given at the last. The current approach is the first step towards a realistic and comprehensive modelling of coal and gas outbursts.