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Sustainable Use and Techniques of Geothermal Energy

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2022) | Viewed by 6257

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Cartographic and Terrain Engineering, Universidad de Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
Interests: geothermal energy; reneable resources; hydrogeology; underground hydrology; occupational hazard prevention; geotechnics; mining prospecting and research

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Guest Editor
Department of Cartographic and Terrain Engineering, Universidad de Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
Interests: renewable systems; geothermal energy; vertical closed-loop systems; U-tube heat exchangers; helical-shape pipe; grouting materials; heat carrier fluid; borehole heat exchanger (BHE)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Cartographic and Terrain Engineering, Universidad de Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
Interests: geothermal energy; renewable resources; heat pumps; geophysics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Considering the role of renewable resources in present society, geothermal energy is considered an essential tool in the fight against climate change. This type of renewable energy is especially important when trying to avoid traditional fossil energy sources in heating and cooling systems, but also for electricity purposes. However, geothermal systems are not as widespread as other renewable energies. In this context, it is necessary to identify and develop new techniques and possibilities allowing for the sustainable use of geothermal resources in common applications, such as heating/cooling and electricity production. The development of innovative solutions in this field will constitute an important advancement in the attempt to bring this energy to a greater number of potential users.

Considering all of the above, the present Special Issue aims to collect original research or review articles on different solutions and techniques mainly focused on the development of new alternatives of using geothermal resources. Innovative and sustainable variations of traditional geothermal systems are more than welcome publication in this Special Issue. The research can cover a wide range of possibilities and options, such as the performance of shallow geothermal systems (heat pump operation, schema of the well field, ground thermal characterization, or heat exchangers and working fluid configurations) or an analysis of electricity generation in deeper geothermal resources (new operation cycles, extraction rhythms, HDR solutions, etc.).

Dr. Arturo Farfán Martín
Dr. Cristina Sáez Blázquez
Dr. Ignacio Martín Nieto
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • innovative and sustainable solutions
  • ground thermal study
  • system configuration
  • numerical models and simulation
  • statistical analysis
  • potential reservoirs

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3805 KiB  
Article
A Feasibility Assessment of Heat Energy Productivity of Geothermal Wells Converted from Oil/Gas Wells
by Peng Zhang and Boyun Guo
Sustainability 2024, 16(2), 768; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020768 - 16 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1073
Abstract
The mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions necessitates a shift from fossil fuel to environmentally friendly energy, such as geothermal energy. It is advantageous to retrofit end-of-life oil/gas wells for geothermal energy extraction. Prior to repurposing depleted wells into geothermal wells, it is imperative [...] Read more.
The mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions necessitates a shift from fossil fuel to environmentally friendly energy, such as geothermal energy. It is advantageous to retrofit end-of-life oil/gas wells for geothermal energy extraction. Prior to repurposing depleted wells into geothermal wells, it is imperative to conduct the heat-energy potential assessment. In this work, an analytical model was developed for this purpose. A case study was conducted using the model and the data from a well in North-west Louisiana for a feasibility assessment. A sensitivity study was performed with the model to identify major factors affecting well productivity. The result of the case study shows that reverse circulation is 35% more efficient than direct circulation for improving the heat-energy productivity of geothermal wells converted from oil/gas wells. The sensitivity analysis revealed that well productivity increases with higher injection rates and greater horizontal wellbore lengths. Additionally, well productivity rises in correspondence with reservoir temperature as well as the temperature of the injected water. However, well productivity decreases as the thermal conductivity of the tubing insulation increases. Counteracting this trend, well productivity increases with thicker tubing insulation layers. This study furnishes engineers with an easy-to-use tool for predicting the heat-energy deliverability of wells converted from end-of-life oil/gas wells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Use and Techniques of Geothermal Energy)
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17 pages, 13328 KiB  
Article
Geothermal Heat Pumps for Slurry Cooling and Farm Heating: Impact and Carbon Footprint Reduction in Pig Farms
by Cristina Sáez Blázquez, David Borge-Diez, Ignacio Martín Nieto, Miguel Ángel Maté-González, Arturo Farfán Martín and Diego González-Aguilera
Sustainability 2022, 14(10), 5792; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14105792 - 10 May 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2698
Abstract
The pig farm sector has been developing rapidly over recent decades, leading to an increase in the production of slurry and associated environmental impacts. Breeding farms require the maintenance of adequate indoor thermal environments, resulting in high energy demands that are frequently met [...] Read more.
The pig farm sector has been developing rapidly over recent decades, leading to an increase in the production of slurry and associated environmental impacts. Breeding farms require the maintenance of adequate indoor thermal environments, resulting in high energy demands that are frequently met by fossil fuels and electricity. Farm heating systems and the storage of slurry constitute considerable sources of polluting gases. There is thus a need to highlight the advantages that new green heating solutions can offer to reduce the global environmental impact of pig farming. This research presents an overview of alternative pig farm slurry technology, using geothermal heat pumps, which reduces the harmful effects of slurry and improves the energy behavior of farms. The results reflect the environmental benefits of this solution in terms of reducing carbon and hydric footprints. Reducing the temperature of slurry with the geothermal heat pump of the system also reduces the annual amount of greenhouse gases and ammonia emissions, and, via the heat pump, slurry heat is used for installation heating. Annual emissions of CO2e could be reduced by more than half, and ammonia emissions could also experience a significant reduction if the slurry technology is installed. Additional advantages confirm the positive impact that the expansion of this renewable technology could have on the global pig farm sector. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Use and Techniques of Geothermal Energy)
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13 pages, 2014 KiB  
Article
Mathematical Modeling of the Dynamic Temperature Profile in Geothermal-Energy-Heated Natural Gas Hydrate Reservoirs
by Boyun Guo and He Zhang
Sustainability 2022, 14(5), 2767; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14052767 - 26 Feb 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1786
Abstract
An analytical model was developed in this study for predicting the dynamic temperature profile in natural gas hydrate (NGH) reservoirs that receive heat energy from a geothermal layer for accelerating gas production. The analytical model was validated by a comparison of its result [...] Read more.
An analytical model was developed in this study for predicting the dynamic temperature profile in natural gas hydrate (NGH) reservoirs that receive heat energy from a geothermal layer for accelerating gas production. The analytical model was validated by a comparison of its result to the result given by a numerical model. The expression of the analytical model shows that, for a given system, the heat transfer is proportional to the mass flow rate and the temperature drop along the heat dissipator wellbore. Applying the analytical model to the NGH reservoir in the Shenhu area, Northern South China Sea, allowed for predicting the dynamic temperature profile in the NGH reservoir. The model result reveals that the NGH reservoir temperature should increase quickly at any heat-affected point, but it should propagate slowly in the radial direction. It should take more than two years to dissociate NGH within 20 m of the heat dissipator wellbore due to only thermal stimulation. Therefore, the geo-thermal stimulation method should be used as a technique for accelerating gas production with a depressurization scheme. The formation of gas phase due to the NGH dissociation should reduce the thermal conductivity of the NGH reservoir, while the water phase that dropped out from the dissociation should increase the thermal conductivity. The resultant effect should be investigated in the future in laboratories and/or numerical simulation of the dynamic water-gas two-phase flow coupled with a heat–transfer mechanism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Use and Techniques of Geothermal Energy)
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