Phase change material based fluid emulsion for enhanced geothermal recovery

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The overall energy conversion efficiency for conventional geothermal power plants is low compared to fossil fuel and nuclear power plant (>30%). Improving this efficiency is a key challenge for geothermal systems, and a necessary step to wider adoption of the technology. Eavor Technologies Inc. has pioneered a new closed-loop geothermal approach, which adapts horizontal drilling methods pioneered in unconventional oil and gas operations to clean geothermal heat extraction. The Eavor-Loop levers powerful passive thermosiphon pumping and as a closed system, permits the use of engineered working fluids that can more effectively extract heat from rock formations deep underground.The Sinton group is partnering with Eavor Technologies to develop and test working fluids that will increase the heat recovery rate and overall efficiency of the Eavor Loop. A 10% increase in thermal performance would have broad implications for the industry and accelerate the scaling and deployment of this made-in-Canada closed-loop geothermal technology. Phase change materials are excellent candidates and are the primary focus of this partnership. In a geothermal recovery fluid system such as the Eavor Loop, phase change material can store heat as latent heat, which increases the effective heat capacity of the fluid blend during the geothermal cycle. There are many phase change material candidates that are suitable for working at geothermal pressures (such as Al2(SO4)3-16H2O), as well as the extended pressure and temperature range of interest to Eavor. The Sinton group is the global leader in the area of microfluidic-based chemical performance testing, with particular strength in subsurface energy applications and associated temperatures and pressures. Just as Eavor's renewable energy approach is enabled by technology first developed for the oil and gas industry, the proposed fluid development approach here is enabled by the Sinton group`s past experience in chemical effectiveness testing for the oil and gas industry. Through this Alliance, these technologies will be innovated, adapted and applied - by Eavor and U of T team members together - to advance renewable energy.