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

这一行动资助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、油藏工程和环境流体小组开展工程研究项目。该项目的题目是“地热储集层的逆计算机模拟”。主持会议的科学家是Mike O‘Sullivan教授。地热发电厂使用的地热水库模型对于了解水库的性质是必不可少的。通过反演方法确定这些属性对于电厂管理至关重要，通过使用给定地热储集层内热和质量流动的校准数值模型，可以确定储集层属性。本研究使用PEST(参数估计)和iTOUGH2(非饱和地下水和热量的逆运移)等软件来显著提高水库模型的精度。这有可能促进在美国各地地质合适的地点实施地热发电，这可以以可持续、经济和减少碳的方式提供持续的基本负荷电力，特别是与化石燃料发电相比。这种可再生的国内能源不仅将减少温室气体排放，帮助美国寻求能源独立，还将减少采矿对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；介绍各自所在地区的科学、科学政策和科学基础设施；以及对社会、文化和语言的指导。这些活动符合NSF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为国际合作进行教育，从而确保拥有一支具有全球意识的美国科学队伍。这项工作的结果将通过在各次会议上的发言和在同行评议的期刊上发表来向科学界传播。这位研究员将与他的美国顾问合作，通过VCU举办的暑期丰富项目向来访的初中生和高中生介绍地热发电的重要方面，并通过GreenSTEM@VCU等项目向他们的教师介绍地热发电的重要方面。

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.