Influence of natural convection on forced horizontal flow in saturated porous media for aquifer thermal energy storage

Estimation of the heat recovery rate in high-temperature underground storage (>50 °C) is required before such a system can be built. However, if high-temperature water is injected into and stored in the aquifer, large-scale natural convection could occur that might reduce the heat recovery rate. This study aims to clarify the universal quantitative condition under which natural convection appears and exerts an observable influence for a system with forced horizontal flow in the saturated porous medium. The authors investigated this using both experiments and computer simulations. A test section simulating an aquifer was made. Warm water was injected into the test section, which was filled with glass beads. The temperature distribution and the flow rate profile at the outlet were measured. The authors found that the limit condition at which natural convection influences the forced horizontal flow can be determined from the velocity profile and modified Rayleigh number Ra*. In addition, the heat transfer coefficients of the upper and the lower side of walls were estimated. A computer simulation was made for calculation of the temperature field and the velocity vector in the porous medium under natural convection and under forced convection. As calculated temperature fields and flow rate distributions at the outlet were similar to the experimental results, it is thought that this program can be applied to evaluation of the temperature and the velocity of aquifer thermal energy storage. In addition, an index expressing the degree of influence of natural convection on forced convection was proposed.