NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute (EAPSI) for FY 2013 in New Zealand

这项行动资助了弗吉尼亚联邦大学的Peter Charles Albert Johnson于2013年夏天在新西兰奥克兰大学工程科学系地热、储层工程和环境流体组开展一项工程研究项目。项目名称为“地热储层的逆计算机建模”。主持会议的科学家是迈克·奥沙利文教授。地热发电厂使用的地热储层模型对于了解储层的性质至关重要。通过反方法确定这些属性对于管理发电厂至关重要，并且通过使用给定地热储层内的热量和质量流的校准数值模型，可以确定储层的属性。本研究探讨了使用PEST（参数估计）和iTOUGH2（非饱和地下水和热量的逆输运2）等软件来显著提高水库模型的准确性。这有可能促进地热发电在美国各地地质条件合适的地区的实施，特别是与化石燃料发电相比，地热发电可以以可持续、经济和碳减排的方式提供连续的基本负荷电力。这种可再生的国内能源资源不仅将减少温室气体排放，帮助美国寻求能源独立，而且还将减少开采煤炭和铀等其他自然资源的负面影响。EAPSI奖学金的广泛影响包括为研究员提供美国以外的第一手研究经验；介绍该地区的科学、科学政策和科学基础设施；以及对社会、文化和语言的了解。这些活动符合美国国家科学基金会的目标，即在其科学家、工程师和教育工作者的职业生涯早期培养国际合作，从而确保美国科学劳动力具有全球意识。这项工作的结果将通过在会议上的报告和在同行评议的期刊上发表来传播给科学界。该研究员将与他的美国顾问合作，通过在弗吉尼亚州立大学举办的夏季丰富项目向来访的中学生和高中生介绍地热发电的重要方面，并通过GreenSTEM@VCU等项目向他们的老师介绍地热发电。

This action funds Peter Charles Albert Johnson of Virginia Commonwealth University to conduct a research project in Engineering during the summer of 2013 at Geothermal, Reservoir Engineering and Environmental Fluids group in the Department of Engineering Science at The University of in Auckland, New Zealand. The project title is "Inverse Computer Modeling of Geothermal Reservoirs." The host scientist is Professor Mike O'Sullivan.Models of geothermal reservoirs that are used by a geothermal power plant are essential for understanding a reservoir's properties. Determining these properties through inverse methods is vital for managing power plants, and by using a calibrated numerical model of heat and mass flow within a given geothermal reservoir, reservoir properties can be determined. This research investigates uses of software such as PEST (Parameter ESTimation) and iTOUGH2 (Inverse Transport Of Unsaturated Groundwater and Heat 2) to dramatically improve the accuracy of the reservoir models. This has the potential to facilitate the implementation of geothermal power generation in geologically suitable locations across the United States, which can provide continuous base-load electrical power in a sustainable, economical, and carbon reducing manner, especially when compared to electricity generated from fossil-fuel sources. This renewable domestic energy resource will not only lower greenhouse emissions and aide the United States quest for energy independence, but will also reduce the negative impacts of mining for other natural resources such as coal and uranium.Broader impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce. The results of this work will be disseminated to the scientific community through presentations at conferences and publication in peer-reviewed journals. The Fellow will work with his U.S. advisor to present the important aspects of geothermal power to visiting middle school and high school students through summer enrichment programs hosted at VCU and to their teachers through programs like GreenSTEM@VCU.