Numerical simulation for geothermal applications

This paper is aimed to numerically investigate on geothermal applications. Basing on available databases concerning stratigraphy and subsoil thermal gradient of a chosen site, a geothermal plant scenario is implemented and analysed by exploiting a FE approach. A HDR plant technology is retained for system outlining. Brinkman equations are considered to mathematically model fluid dynamics in subsoil saturated porous media, while heat transfer analysis is based on the energy equation solution. Continuous equations are discretized on no-structured and no-uniform computational meshes and then solved in stationary conditions. Results mainly consist in thermal maps relating to the subsoil/wells system and allow to evaluate some useful data for plant pre-design and environment impact assessment, as well as working fluid temperature at the production well, thermal cross-interaction between wells, modified subsoil temperature distribution once the production system works.