Thermal Performance, Sustainability, and Impact of Borehole Heat Exchangers within Hydrogeological Environments

我的研究计划的总体目标是（1）开发通用的行业可用工具，允许在水文地质环境中设计高效和可持续的闭环埋管换热器，以及（2）开发利用沥青（油砂）回收作业中产生的地下余热的方法。第一个目标是广泛的，着眼于弥合目前的鸿沟之间的水文地质为基础的研究热传输和地热能，机械工程为基础的设计埋管换热器。第二个目标是特别关注沥青回收作业的独特环境，包括废物能源利用和热修复。开发一套简化的和具有成本效益的数值/分析工具，用于设计埋管换热器，同时考虑现场的热地质和水文地质，将涉及耦合气候室，现场和数值研究。腔室研究允许连续评估各种交换器设计的热能交换，同时控制边界条件，并准确量化热水文地质参数。一个垂直的闭环埋管换热器，和相关的监测电阻，将提供有价值的数据，以验证数值模型。埋地换热器设计的主要性能和可持续性评估工具将涉及数值建模（FEFLOW和SUTRA），包括局部规模的换热器属性以及热羽流对邻近地热系统和生态特征的影响。在能源生产范围的另一端是用于沥青回收的原位方法。大部分被引入储热器的能量作为废热损失到周围环境中。一个新颖的想法是将这种浪费的能量和在生产结束时保留在储层中的热量视为地下热能储存的一种形式。通过在现有的蒸汽/生产钻孔内安装埋管换热器，这种能量可以用于支持正在进行的生产活动，工业设施和附近的社区。

The overall objectives of my research program are to (1) develop generic industry usable tools that allow for the design of efficient and sustainable closed-loop borehole heat exchangers within hydrogeological environments, and (2) develop methodologies for utilizing subsurface waste heat generated in bitumen (oil sands) recovery operations. The first objective is broad based and looks at bridging the current divide between hydrogeological based studies of heat transport and geothermal energy, and mechanical engineering based design of borehole heat exchangers. The second objective is specifically focused on the unique environment of bitumen recovery operations and involves both waste energy utilization and thermal remediation. The development of a set of simplified and cost effective numerical / analytical tools for designing borehole heat exchangers, considering both the thermogeology and hydrogeology of the site, will involve coupling climate chamber, field, and numerical studies. The chamber studies allow for the continuous assessment of thermal energy exchange with various exchanger designs, while having control over boundary conditions, and an accurate quantification of thermo-hydrogeological parameters. A vertical closed-loop borehole heat exchanger, and associated monitoring thermistors, will provide valuable data to validate the numerical models. The primary performance and sustainability assessment tool for borehole heat exchanger design will involve numerical modeling (FEFLOW and SUTRA) and includes both local-scale exchanger attributes and the effect of thermal plumes on adjacent geothermal systems and ecological features. At the other end of the energy production spectrum are in-situ methods for bitumen recovery. A majority of the energy introduced into the reservoirs is lost to the surroundings as waste heat. A novel idea is to view this waste energy, and heat remaining in the reservoir at the end of production, as a form of subsurface thermal energy storage. By installing borehole heat exchangers within existing steaming/production boreholes this energy can be used to support ongoing production activities, industrial facilities, and nearby communities.