Coupled Modeling of the Surface Pipeline Network in a Low-Enthalpy Geothermal Field
This paper addresses the often overlooked, yet critical, aspect of designing and optimizing the surface pipeline network for the transportation of geothermal fluids from the wellheads to the delivery point, such as greenhouses, food drying plants, or fish farming units. While research on the geother...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Thermo |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7264/4/1/6 |
| _version_ | 1797239205416402944 |
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| author | Stefanos Lempesis Vassilis Gaganis |
| author_facet | Stefanos Lempesis Vassilis Gaganis |
| author_sort | Stefanos Lempesis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper addresses the often overlooked, yet critical, aspect of designing and optimizing the surface pipeline network for the transportation of geothermal fluids from the wellheads to the delivery point, such as greenhouses, food drying plants, or fish farming units. While research on the geothermal industry predominately focuses on the reservoir and well engineering aspects of exploitation, insufficient attention has been given to the design of the pipeline network, leading to improper design and significant, yet avoidable, energy losses. Thus, this paper presents a comprehensive methodology for modeling and simulating geothermal fluid flow within the pipeline network by fully considering all hydraulic (friction, viscous flow, and gravity effects) and thermal (open air and underground pipeline heat loss) phenomena. These two aspects are handled simultaneously by setting up and solving the coupled set of the governing (differential) equations. We also demonstrate the difficulties that arise when attempting the solution of the mathematical problem, such as potential instability or lack of convergence. Finally, a fully detailed study of the real-world geothermal production system is presented utilizing the developed methodology to optimize the design and operation conditions of the system. By integrating debottlenecking strategies into the analysis, this approach not only maximizes power output, but also identifies and mitigates constraints within the system, ensuring efficient operation and performance increase. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:47:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f6e259fc524c43f8a7de333bda1caf1b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-7264 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:47:50Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Thermo |
| spelling | doaj.art-f6e259fc524c43f8a7de333bda1caf1b2024-03-27T14:06:00ZengMDPI AGThermo2673-72642024-02-0141658110.3390/thermo4010006Coupled Modeling of the Surface Pipeline Network in a Low-Enthalpy Geothermal FieldStefanos Lempesis0Vassilis Gaganis1School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 157 73 Athens, GreeceInstitute of Geoenergy, Foundation for Research and Technology, 731 00 Chania, GreeceThis paper addresses the often overlooked, yet critical, aspect of designing and optimizing the surface pipeline network for the transportation of geothermal fluids from the wellheads to the delivery point, such as greenhouses, food drying plants, or fish farming units. While research on the geothermal industry predominately focuses on the reservoir and well engineering aspects of exploitation, insufficient attention has been given to the design of the pipeline network, leading to improper design and significant, yet avoidable, energy losses. Thus, this paper presents a comprehensive methodology for modeling and simulating geothermal fluid flow within the pipeline network by fully considering all hydraulic (friction, viscous flow, and gravity effects) and thermal (open air and underground pipeline heat loss) phenomena. These two aspects are handled simultaneously by setting up and solving the coupled set of the governing (differential) equations. We also demonstrate the difficulties that arise when attempting the solution of the mathematical problem, such as potential instability or lack of convergence. Finally, a fully detailed study of the real-world geothermal production system is presented utilizing the developed methodology to optimize the design and operation conditions of the system. By integrating debottlenecking strategies into the analysis, this approach not only maximizes power output, but also identifies and mitigates constraints within the system, ensuring efficient operation and performance increase.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7264/4/1/6geothermal energysimulationdebottleneckingoptimizationcoupled dynamics |
| spellingShingle | Stefanos Lempesis Vassilis Gaganis Coupled Modeling of the Surface Pipeline Network in a Low-Enthalpy Geothermal Field Thermo geothermal energy simulation debottlenecking optimization coupled dynamics |
| title | Coupled Modeling of the Surface Pipeline Network in a Low-Enthalpy Geothermal Field |
| title_full | Coupled Modeling of the Surface Pipeline Network in a Low-Enthalpy Geothermal Field |
| title_fullStr | Coupled Modeling of the Surface Pipeline Network in a Low-Enthalpy Geothermal Field |
| title_full_unstemmed | Coupled Modeling of the Surface Pipeline Network in a Low-Enthalpy Geothermal Field |
| title_short | Coupled Modeling of the Surface Pipeline Network in a Low-Enthalpy Geothermal Field |
| title_sort | coupled modeling of the surface pipeline network in a low enthalpy geothermal field |
| topic | geothermal energy simulation debottlenecking optimization coupled dynamics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7264/4/1/6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT stefanoslempesis coupledmodelingofthesurfacepipelinenetworkinalowenthalpygeothermalfield AT vassilisgaganis coupledmodelingofthesurfacepipelinenetworkinalowenthalpygeothermalfield |