Heating Tests Research Articles

Low sintering shrinkage and high strength of porous mullite–zirconia ceramics: Effect of AlF3 and ZrSi2 contents

AbstractLow‐shrinkage porous mullite–zirconia ceramics were prepared using Al and ZrSi2 as raw materials and AlF3 as the whisker catalyst through foam‐gelcasting and freeze‐drying methods. The oxidation of Al and ZrSi2 combined with the Kirkendall effect and volume expansion was employed to reduce the sintering shrinkage, while the mullitization was promoted by the reaction between AlF3 and extra ZrSi2, and ZrO2 were generated to enhance the compressive strength as the reinforcing phase. The effect of AlF3 and ZrSi2 content on the microstructure and properties of porous mullite‐zirconia were explored. These ceramics exhibited high porosity (73.75%–85.02%) and compressive strength (2.98–17.71 MPa), low shrinkage (0.47%–10.89%) and thermal conductivity (0.228–0.462 W/(m·K)). In particular, the porous mullite–zirconia ceramics with great compressive strength (4.01 MPa) companied with near‐zero shrinkage (0.47%) at the AlF3 content of 15 wt% and extra ZrSi2 content of 20 wt% by introducing the reinforcing phase (ZrO2). Additionally, the temperature difference around 950°C of the porous ceramics during the heating test proved the exceptional application on thermal insulation.

Efficient and stable inverted perovskite solar cells enabled by homogenized PCBM with enhanced electron transport

Fullerene derivatives are extensively employed in inverted perovskite solar cells due to their excellent electron extraction capabilities. However, [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) agglomerates easily in solution and exhibits a relatively low ionization barrier, increasing charge recombination losses and charge accumulation in the interface. Here, tetramethylthiuram disulfide (TMDS) is introduced into the PCBM solution to induce the formation of reducing sulfur radicals through UV light irradiation, allowing for n doping of the PCBM material. The resulting modified PCBM layer exhibits enhanced conductivity and electron mobility, significantly suppressing charge recombination. As a result, the resulting devices incorporating TMDS achieve a champion efficiency of 26.10% (certified 25.39%) and 24.06% at a larger area (1.0 cm2) with negligible hysteresis. More importantly, the optimized devices retain 95% and 90% of their initial efficiency after 1090 h under damp heat testing (85 °C and 85% relative humidity) and after 1271 h under maximum power point-tracking conditions, respectively.

Cyclic loading effects on the heat-generation performance of carbon nanotube-embedded cement composites

Abstract This study investigates the heat-generation stability of carbon nanotube (CNT)/cement composites after exposing to cyclic loading conditions. The specimens were fabricated with varying CNT contents and levels of fly ash replacement. Results showed that increasing CNT content reduced electrical resistivity, while the impact on the electrical characteristics was found to be insubstantial, even though a considerable portion of fly ash was replaced. In addition, the electrical resistivity of the specimens after exposed to cyclic loading increased. Electrical heating tests revealed both negative and positive temperature coefficient effects depending on the applied voltages. Higher CNT contents improved the heat-generation capability, but the heating capability decreased after exposed to the cyclic loadings which is deduced from the damage of CNT networks during cyclic loadings. In this regard, the authors concluded that the heat-generation stability can be significantly affected by the applied loadings. Thus, the future research will be conducted to improve the heat-generation stability of the cement-based electrical heating systems as exposed to artificial deteriorations.

Safety Clearance and Artifact Testing of a Nitinol Breast Biopsy Clip in an Ultra-High Resolution (7 Tesla) Magnetic Resonance Imaging Environment

Abstract Background The lack of safety clearance of several metallic breast biopsy clips in 7 Tesla (T) poses a significant hurdle to using advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques in clinical management or cancer research. Aims This article assesses the Ultracor Twirl clip for safety and imaging artifacts in a 7T MRI scanner. Setting and Design This study can be categorized as a phantom study. Materials and Methods Tests for magnetic susceptibility (translational attraction and torque), MRI-related heating, and artifacts were conducted based on the American Society for Testing and Materials standards. The magnetic susceptibility tests evaluated the scanner's magnetic force that can cause clip movement and rotation. The heating test was conducted with customized MRI parameters of short TR and maximum echo-train length, designed to induce temperature change. The artifact test, using T1-weighted spin and gradient echo imaging sequences, evaluated potential image misrepresentations (localized signal loss) caused by the clip's metallic properties. Statistical Tests None. Results and Conclusion The magnetic susceptibility tests indicated no noticeable translational or rotational force exerted by the MRI scanner. The heating test indicated no significant temperature change (<0.3°C) in the testing gel when the clip was absent/present, both within the safety threshold (<1°C). The artifact test's clip images all contained an artifact (largest radius = 10.7 mm). These cumulative results indicate that this clip is safe in 7T scanners. Scanning at least 10.7 mm away from the clip avoids potential signal loss in the region of interest.

Development and evaluation of cable-less heating mats utilizing low-power carbon nanotube planar heaters

We aimed to develop a low-power heating mat based on a carbon nanotube (CNT) planar heater and verify its performance by utilizing the heating element. The cell samples were manufactured, and their electrical and thermal properties were evaluated to conduct heating tests. The developed CNT planar heater was tested in four ways, namely heating one cell individually and heating two/three/four cells simultaneously. When operating multiple cells, the resistance decreased, and the power increased. The temperature averaged 37°C even when multiple cells were operating, and the power consumption per unit area was at a similar level. In addition, a prototype heating vest was fabricated using the cells, and a performance comparison was conducted with a third-party heating vest product. The heating efficiency was more than twice as high as that of the third-party product, and the heating area was more than twice as large. Prototype heating pads were made using the cells and compared with two other third-party samples that are heated by thermal wires, and the developed prototype was found to have a heating efficiency more than 20% higher than the other samples, with the lowest temperature deviation. The CNT planar heater developed in this study can be realized in various shapes without wires and can be used safely. It is economical because it can be set to the appropriate temperature in the desired area with a controller, and it is eco-friendly because it prevents mold growth by emitting far-infrared radiation.

Prediction of wellbore gas hydrate generation based on temperature-pressure coupling model in deepwater testing

With the advancement of oil and gas exploration and development technology, the development of the world's oil and gas resources is gradually advancing from land and shallow waters to deep waters. During the development of gas wells in deepwater regions, the temperature of the wellbore decreases from the bottom of the well to the wellhead, and therefore, common well conditions of high pressure, low temperature, and the presence of free water are encountered, which can lead to gas hydrate plugging of the pipeline and affect the transportation of natural gas. Simulation of temperature and pressure along the wellbore and identification of gas hydrate-generating zones in the wellbore can be used to take timely preventive measures and minimize losses. In this study, a wellbore gas hydrate generation and prediction model is developed by combining the mass, momentum, and energy conservation equations, and the model is solved by the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method, taking into account the temperature-pressure coupling in the wellbore. The effects of gas production, specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity, tubing size, test duration, and ground temperature gradient on the location of gas hydrate generation and the amount of inhibitor used were analyzed in a case study well in the South China Sea. Some suggestions for practical engineering operations, such as increasing the gas production in moderation and choosing smaller tubing sizes within the acceptable range, were given. The study's results can provide a theoretical basis for flow assurance for hydrocarbon production in the wellbore of deepwater gas wells.

Lightweight 3D-printed heaters: design and applicative versatility

This paper proposes a new strategy for designing a 3D-printed heater that can overcome some criticalities of current commercial heater devices for application in the transport and energy sectors. A semiconductive nanocomposite material, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene filled with carbon nanotubes (ABS-CNT), was processed via Fused Filaments Fabrication (FFF). The printing was set to favor the current flow along the printing direction, consequently increasing the material's electrical conductivity. 3D-printed heater geometry, equivalent to several electrical resistances (resistive branches) connected in parallel, was optimized by varying the width, thickness, lengths, and number of branches. The adopted approach resulted in a flexible and scalable low-equivalent resistance value heater. Moreover, the optimized heater's flexibility allows it to be integrated into a curved fiberglass composite. Joule heating tests were experimentally performed and theoretically simulated by a multi-physics model. The numerical prediction resulted in good agreement with the experimental data. The results encourage the application of 3D-printed heaters as functional patches for the thermal management of different devices/components, including complex-shape composite structures.

Cementation characteristics and hydration mechanism of magnesium slag-phosphogypsum composite cementitious materials

The selection and mixing proportion of cementitious materials in cemented backfills are of great engineering importance to ensure the quality of the backfill. Therefore, based on the mixing proportion test of magnesium slag-phosphogypsum composite cementitious materials, the strength change characteristics and volume change rate of the cemented backfill under different cementitious material proportions were investigated. Combined with indoor tests such as hydration heat test, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric-differential thermogravimetric, scanning electron microscopy, and mercury intrusion porosimetry, the hydration mechanism of the cemented backfill under different cementitious material proportions was investigated. The results showed that the highest strength of the cemented backfill was observed with only magnesium slag as the activator. The strength of magnesium slag-phosphogypsum and magnesium slag-desulfurized gypsum cemented backfill was greater than that of cement cemented backfill, yet lower than that of magnesium slag alone cemented backfill. The shrinkage trend and magnitude of magnesium slag alone excites blast furnace slag cemented backfill and cement cemented backfill were similar. With the increasing content of phosphogypsum and desulfurized gypsum, the shrinkage of the backfill tended to increase, especially when the content was 18%. The gel-like products of backfill with magnesium slag-based cementitious materials increased rapidly at 7 days, which strongly bonded the aggregates and filled the backfill pores, resulting in high backfill strength. Although the porosity of backfill with magnesium slag-based cementitious material showed an increasing trend with the increase of age, its most available pore size decreased and harmful pores became less. The results can provide a reference for the application of magnesium slag-phosphogypsum composite cementitious materials.

Formulation and characterization of one-part Ca-based alkali-activated slag-steel slag materials

This study aims to develop one-part Ca-based alkali-activated materials (OCAM) using steel slag (SS) and slag powder (SP) with a Ca-based activator. The effects of SS replacement rate on the flowability, setting time, and mechanical properties of paste were systematically investigated. Furthermore, methods such as Mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), heat of hydration, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to compare the effects of calcium oxide (CO) and calcium hydroxide (CH) on the microstructure of the OCAM. The results indicate that the addition of SS enhances mortar flowability and setting time, with optimal mechanical properties when the SS replacement rate is 20 %. However, strength gradually decreases as the replacement rate increases beyond this point. In addition, the incorporation of CO further enhances the mechanical properties of mortar. MIP test results show that the use of CO reduces the internal porosity and refines the micropore structure, although it also increases drying shrinkage. The hydration heat test results reveal that the use of CO increased the total heat release of the sample in the initial 72 h and accelerated the early hydration reaction. Moreover, XRD and SEM results indicate that CO improves carbonation resistance.

HPTLC – densitometric method of analysis for estimation of efonidipine hydrochloride and telmisartan used in treatment of hypertension

Precise, accurate, and sensitive high performance thin layer chromatographic method has been developed and validated for simultaneous determination of efonidipine hydrochloride (EFD) and telmisartan (TEL) in a tablet dosage form which is used in treatment of hypertension. The proposed method used aluminum plates pre-coated with silica gel 60 F254 as a stationary phase and n-butanol: toluene: acetic acid (3:7:0.2, v/v/v) as a mobile phase for separation purpose. Compact spots of TEL and EFD were obtained at Rf 0.73 and 0.37, respectively. Densitometric detection was carried out at 299 nm in UV. Linear responses were shown by the detector over the range of 200–1200 ng/band for both drugs. The proposed method was validated as per ICH guidelines. The method was successfully applied for estimation of both drugs in tablet formulations. Forced degradation study was carried and efonidipine was found to be susceptible to base hydrolysis and oxidative stress degradation while TEL was stable in acid-base hydrolysis, oxidative stress, dry heat and photo stability testing conditions. The developed method can be used for the analysis of stability samples. Greenness assessment of developed method was performed using AGREE software. The method was found to be greener having greenness score of 0.69.

Flexible and efficient direct-insertion microwave heating with a dielectric wedge

Traditional microwave heating requires the heated object to be placed in a metal cavity, which limits its flexibility. Moreover, the microwave heating efficiency is affected by the shape, size, and permittivity of the load. This paper proposes a direct-insertion microwave heating device based on a dielectric wedge. It offers flexible and efficient heating for different loads. Firstly, a dielectric wedge with a gradient refractive index was designed, which can convert electromagnetic waves into surface waves propagating along the dielectric. Secondly, efficient heating of materials with permittivity ranging from 10 to 80, regardless of their shape, is achieved by inserting the dielectric wedge into the load. Microwave heating efficiencies above 90 % were consistently observed in heating tests with beverages, mashed potatoes, and minced fish of varying shapes. Finally, A high-power continuous flow heating scheme was introduced, utilizing the device as a heating module and scaling up by adding more modules to boost microwave power. Multi-physics simulations confirmed the device's efficiency and versatility in microwave continuous flow heating, with minimal energy interference between microwave sources.

Inverse problem for thermal radiation distribution on turbine blade under quartz lamp irradiation

Due to the strong time-varying characteristics and complex geometry of aerospace components, rapid changes in the distribution of radiative heat flux on the test surface are often required during non-uniform aerodynamic heating tests. However, it takes time to adjust the geometric parameters of the lamp array, which cannot meet the requirement for rapidly changing radiative heat flux distribution. To address this issue, a new method for calculating radiant heat flux and a fast linear analysis method of quartz lamp power are proposed which can calculate radiant heat flux distribution of complex surface and meet the need of timeliness and rapidity in radiant heat flux distribution, making it more suitable for engineering applications. Through numerical verification under single lamp and quartz lamp array, the maximum difference between the theoretical analysis method and the Monte Carlo method is less than 2.25% under single lamp, and less than 5% under quartz lamp array. Finally, turbine blade model and plane model are taken as research objects to verify the feasibility and reliability of the fast linear analysis method of quartz lamp power. The results show that the relative average error of the calculated quartz lamp power is 5.86% and 14.83%, respectively, compared with the actual power. This provides a reference and basis for the rapid simulation design of thermal radiation environment during the experiment.

Modeling the thermal behavior of multifunctional syntactic foams containing phase change materials for heat management applications

AbstractSyntactic foams are lightweight porous composites obtained by the addition of hollow glass microspheres (HGMs) to a polymer matrix. This work experimentally and numerically investigates the thermal behavior of epoxy‐based syntactic foams with enhanced multifunctionality produced by incorporating microencapsulated phase change materials (PCMs) as functional fillers, providing thermal energy storage and temperature stabilization due to its large latent heat of melting. Foams are fabricated using varying ratios of HGMs (0–40 vol%) and PCM (0–40 vol%) to achieve tuned densities and thermal properties with a total filler content of up to 40 vol%. A one‐dimensional numerical heat transfer model based on the enthalpy method is presented to simulate the thermal behavior of these materials. The model accurately incorporates the specific heat and thermal conductivity of the foam components, as well as the latent heat absorption during PCM melting (up to 68 J/g). The model is experimentally validated by demonstrating good agreement with the measurements of transient temperature profiles during heating tests on the foam samples. The validated tool is then leveraged to model the thermal response of the foams under a sinusoidally varying heat source, similar to the possible real applicative scenarios. These results can help optimize foam compositions balancing energy storage density, heat transfer properties, and structural support for lightweight energy storage systems. Potential applications include high‐efficiency thermal management in battery packs, electronic cooling, solar energy storage, and sustainable temperature‐controlled buildings.Highlights Foams with 0–40 vol% PCM and 0–40 vol% HGM show up to 68 J/g latent heat. 1D numerical model accurately captures thermal conductivity and PCM phase change. Validated model simulates thermal response under sinusoidal heat, optimizing foam composition. Foams act as thermal reservoirs, maintaining up to 5°C lower surface temperatures than epoxy.

Improvement of strength and microstructure of low-carbon cementitious materials with high volume of calcined coal gangue

The accumulation of coal gangue poses significant environmental challenges due to its massive volume and low reactivity. This study investigates the influence of calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂) and gypsum on the mechanical properties, hydration, and pore structure of low-carbon cementitious materials incorporating high volumes of calcined coal gangue (CCG) and limestone. The results showed that the addition of Ca(OH)₂ significantly increased compressive strength, with a 19 % improvement at 28 days in LCC-40-P mix, which contained 40 % cement and 2.73 % Ca(OH)₂ by weight. The incorporation of 10 % gypsum in the LCC-40-P mix and 20 % gypsum in the LCC-70 mix (containing 70 % cement without Ca(OH)₂) effectively refined the pore structure, reduced overall porosity, and enhanced the material's density and mechanical properties, resulting in compressive strengths of 38.4 MPa (72 % of the strength of Portland cement) and 50.2 MPa (94 % of the strength of Portland cement) at 28 days, respectively. Microstructure and hydration heat tests showed that the addition of Ca(OH)₂ accelerates the hydration reaction and significantly enhanced compressive strength by ensuring sufficient Ca(OH)₂ for pozzolanic reactions, leading to the formation of additional calcium silicate hydrate, calcium aluminate silicate hydrate and carboaluminate phases. Gypsum refined the pore structure by shifting the pore size distribution towards smaller sizes, reducing overall porosity, and increasing the proportion of gel and small capillary pores. These findings highlight the potential of using CCG with optimized additives to develop sustainable, low-carbon construction materials with enhanced performance characteristics.

Investigations on heat-generation stability and PTC effects of self-heating cement composites under diverse temperature conditions

In this study, the novel aspect lies in investigating heat-generation stability expressed as positive temperature coefficient (PTC) effects of self-heating cement under diverse temperature conditions. Self-heating cement composites were fabricated, and subjected to various types of heating tests including monotonic, cyclic, and long-term tests at three distinct temperatures: 25°C, 0°C, and −20°C. The results revealed a novel finding that the heat-generation performance decreased due to the increased electrical resistivity during the heating test, attributed to the PTC effect when high input voltage was applied. Conversely, the absence of PTC effect with low input voltage application resulted in a consistent temperature increase and negligible changes in electrical resistivity, particularly at low temperatures. These experimental findings provide valuable insights into the investigations on stability of heat-generation performance of self-heating cement composites, offering implications for their practical applications.

Evaluations of Mechanical Properties and Functionalities of the Al- and Zr-Tailored Ti–5.5Mo Shape Memory Alloys for Biomedical Applications

AbstractDue to the critical world population aging issue, biomaterials are important topics in the biomedical community. Among the biomedical materials, shape memory alloys (SMAs) are considered to be promising materials owing to their functionalities, such as shape memory effect (SME) and superelasticity (SE). Ti–Mo–Al-based alloys, which are biocompatible materials, are basic materials in the Ti-based SMAs due to the evaluation of the phase stability through the calculations of Mo and Al equivalents. This study, in addition, introduced Zr into the Ti–Mo–Al-based alloys for its highly biocompatibility and being a fine modifier to tune the phase stability. The mechanical (i.e., strength and elongation) and functional (i.e., SME and SE) properties have been investigated in this study to reveal the practicability of the biomedical applications for human usage. It was found that addition of Zr to the Ti–Mo alloy shows slight influence on the mechanical properties of the binary Ti–Mo alloy. With the addition of Al, that is, ternary Ti–Mo–Al alloys, two-stage yielding was found in the tensile examinations. Among all the alloys, the Ti–5.5Mo–4Al, the Ti–5.5Mo–4Al–6Zr, and the Ti–5.5Mo–8Al–6Zr (mol pct) alloys performed excellent shape recovery of about 100 pct in the bending and heating tests. Especially, the Ti–5.5Mo–4Al–6Zr and the Ti–5.5Mo–8Al–6Zr alloys further show high strength. Results in this study could be a guideline for the design of the fundamental Ti–Mo–Al-based SMAs.

Design and Microwave Absorption Performance Study of SiC-Fe3O4 Emulsified Asphalt Mixture.

To address the challenges of slow curing speed and suboptimal microwave absorption during the paving of cold-mixed and cold-laid asphalt mixtures, this study introduces SiC-Fe3O4 composite material (SF) into emulsified asphalt mixtures to enhance microwave absorption and accelerate curing via microwave heating. Initially, based on the maximum density curve theory, an appropriate mineral aggregate gradation was designed, and the optimal ratio of emulsified asphalt mixture was determined through mixing tests, cohesion tests, wet wheel wear tests, and load wheel sand adhesion tests. Subsequently, the influence of SF content on the mixing performance of emulsified asphalt mixtures was analyzed through mixing and consistency tests. Finally, the microwave absorption performance of the mixture was evaluated by designing microwave heating tests under different conditions, using temperature indicators and quality indicators. The experimental results indicate that when SF content ranges from 0% to 4%, the mixing performance of the emulsified asphalt mixture meets specification requirements. The dosage of SF, SF composite ratio, and microwave power significantly impact microwave absorption performance, whereas environmental temperature has a relatively minor effect. The optimal mix ratio for the emulsified asphalt mixture is mineral aggregate:modified emulsified asphalt:water:cement = 100:12.8:6:1. The ideal SF dosage is 4%, with an optimal SiC to Fe3O4 composite ratio of 1:1, and a suitable microwave power range of 600-1000 W.

The effect of intra spinal administration of cerium oxide nanoparticles on central pain mechanism: An experimental study.

This study investigated Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeONPs) effect on central neuropathic pain (CNP). The compressive method of spinal cord injury (SCI) model was used for pain induction. Three groups were formed by a random allocation of 24 rats. In the treatment group, CeONPs were injected above and below the lesion site immediately after inducing SCI. pain symptoms were evaluated using acetone, Radian Heat, and Von Frey tests weekly for six weeks. Finally, we counted fibroblasts using H&E staining. We evaluated the expression of Cx43, GAD65 and HDAC2 proteins using the western blot method. The analysis of results was done by PRISM software. At the end of the study, we found that CeONPs reduced pain symptoms to levels similar to those observed in normal animals. CeONPs also increased the expression of GAD65 and Cx43 proteins but did not affect HDAC2 inhibition. CeONPs probably have a pain-relieving effect on chronic pain by potentially preserving GAD65 and Cx43 protein expression and hindering fibroblast infiltration.

Synthesis of results for Brine Availability Test in Salt (BATS) DECOVALEX-2023 Task E

In the 2023 phase of the international collaborative DECOVALEX modeling project, Task E focused on understanding thermal, hydrological, and mechanical (THM) processes related to predicting brine migration in the excavation damaged zone around a heated excavation in salt. Salt is attractive as a disposal medium for radioactive waste because it is self-healing and is essentially impermeable and non-porous in the far field. Investigation of the short-term, near-field behavior is important for radioactive waste disposal because this early period strongly controls the amount of inflowing brine. Brine leads to corrosion of waste forms and waste packages, and possible dissolution of radionuclides with brine transport being a potential transport vector to the accessible environment.The Task was divided into steps. Step 0 included matching unheated brine inflow data from boreholes at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and matching temperature observations during a Brine Availability Test in Salt (BATS) heater test. Step 1 included validation of models against a thermo-poroelastic analytical solution, and two-phase flow around an excavation. Finally, Step 2 required all the individual components covered in steps 0 and 1 to come together to match observed brine inflow behavior during the same BATS heater test.There were a range of approaches from the teams, from mechanistic to prescriptive. Given the uncertainties in the problem, some teams used one- or two-dimensional models of the processes, while other teams included more geometrical complexity in three-dimensional models. Task E was a learning experience for the teams involved, and feedback from the modeling teams has led to changes in follow-on BATS experiments at WIPP. The primary Task E lessons learned were the impact of hydrologic initialization methods (wetting up vs. drying down), the difference between confined and unconfined thermal expansion, and the large changes in permeability associated with heating and cooling.

Analysis of thermally-induced fracture of Callovo-Oxfordian claystone: From lab tests to field scale

Argillaceous rocks are a suitable host rock for the deep geological disposal of exothermic High-Level Radioactive Waste (HLW) and Spent Fuel (SF). Excess pore pressures develop in this type of rocks when subject to increased temperatures that, in some circumstances, may lead to the fracturing of the rock. The paper explores this phenomenon by means of coupled numerical analyses carried out within a fully coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) framework. The general THM formulation is described as well as the anisotropic elastic and anisotropic elastoviscoplastic constitutive laws employed. Thermal extension triaxial tests are simulated as a check on the performance of the numerical formulation and to provide calibration data for the tensile strength of the material. Selected results from a comprehensive set of three-dimensional analyses of a large-scale field heating test, designed to study the possibility of thermal-induced failure in the rock, are presented and discussed. The analyses reproduce satisfactorily the observed patterns of behaviour. The effects of the constitutive law, material parameters and the presence of the excavation damage zone (EDZ) around the main drift and around the heater boreholes are studied. In particular, their effects on the state of the stress in the heated area are examined in the context of the potential for thermal fracturing of the rock.