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

这项行动资助弗吉尼亚联邦大学的彼得·查尔斯·阿尔伯特约翰逊在2013年夏天在新西兰奥克兰大学工程科学系的地质、油藏工程和环境流体组进行工程研究项目。该项目的名称是“地质油藏的计算机反演建模”。“主持科学家是Mike O 'Sullivan教授。地热发电厂使用的地热储层模型对于了解储层的特性至关重要。通过逆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，可以确定储层属性。本研究调查了PEST（参数估计）和iTOUGH 2（非饱和地下水和热量的逆输运2）等软件的使用，以显着提高水库模型的准确性。 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，经济和碳减排的方式提供连续的基本负荷电力，特别是与化石燃料来源产生的电力相比。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，而且还将减少开采煤和铀等其他自然资源的负面影响。介绍各自所在地的科学，科学政策和科学基础设施;以及社会，文化和语言的方向。 这些活动符合NSF的目标，即在科学家，工程师和教育工作者的职业生涯早期进行国际合作教育，从而确保具有全球意识的美国科学工作者。 这项工作的结果将通过在会议上的介绍和在同行评审的期刊上发表的方式向科学界传播。 该研究员将与他的美国顾问合作，通过在VCU举办的夏季丰富计划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等计划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.