Abstract
Being a heat source or sink, aquifers have been used to store large quantities of thermal energy to match cooling and heating supply and demand on both a short-term and long-term basis. The current technical, economic, and environmental status of aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) is promising. General information on the basic operation principles, design, and construction of ATES systems is discussed in this paper. Numerous projects in operation around the world are summarized to illustrate the present status of ATES. Hydrogeological-thermal simulation has become an integral part of predicting ATES system performance. Numerical models which are available to simulate an ATES system by modeling mass and heat transport in the aquifer have been summarized. This paper also presents an example of numerical simulation and thermohydraulic evaluation of a two-well, ATES system operating under a continuous flow regime.
Highlights
As the demand for energy increases, effective or enhanced energy conservation is crucial
This paper presents an example of numerical simulation and thermohydraulic evaluation of a two-well, aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) system operating under a continuous flow regime
Being similar to direct use of a groundwater-geothermal system, aquifer thermal energy storage involves drilling a few wells into an aquifer for circulation of water between the storage region and the energy system
Summary
As the demand for energy increases, effective or enhanced energy conservation is crucial. The basic purpose behind thermal storage is to provide a buffer to balance fluctuations in supply and demand of low temperature thermal energy. Aquifers can be discharged effectively through production wells to meet large cooling and heating demands. An advantage of open systems is the generally higher heat transfer capacity of a well compared to a borehole This makes ATES usually the cheapest alternative if the subsurface is hydrogeologically and hydrochemically suited for the system. Such aquifers have potential to offer an economical way of storing thermal energy for long periods of time. An example of modeling and simulation of hypothetical ATES systems for long-term heat storage operations is presented
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
