Closed well loop for a geothermal system
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high costs associated with planning and drilling injection and production wells, along with multilateral loops, limit the implementation of complex closed well loop geothermal systems.
Innovation Solution
A closed well loop design featuring a pipe-in-pipe arrangement within a geothermal system, where an inner pipe with an interior flow channel and an annulus between it and an outer pipe facilitate the circulation of working fluid, with thermally-insulative piping systems to reduce heat transfer between flow paths, allowing efficient extraction of thermal energy from a subterranean formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a closed well loop system with multiple injection and production wells is implemented, then thermal energy extraction capability is improved, but system complexity and implementation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single well structure by integrating both injection and production capabilities within one wellbore. The pipe-in-pipe configuration allows the well to simultaneously serve as both an injection well (through the inner pipe) and a production well (through the annulus), eliminating the need for separate wells and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining thermal energy extraction capability
Solution Approach 2:
The single well structure is designed to perform multiple functions: the inner pipe carries working fluid downward for injection, the annulus carries heated fluid upward for production, and both pathways enable thermal energy extraction. This multi-functional design replaces the traditional multi-well configuration, reducing implementation cost and complexity while preserving power generation capability
2Productivity
If thermally-insulative piping systems are used in the pipe-in-pipe arrangement, then heat transfer efficiency between flow paths is reduced, but thermal energy extraction efficiency from the subterranean formation is improved
Solution Approach 1:
The thermally-insulative material is applied selectively to the outer surface of the inner pipe where heat transfer between the two flow paths would occur. This localized insulation prevents unwanted thermal exchange in the vertical section while allowing efficient heat transfer from the subterranean formation to the working fluid in the lateral sections, thereby improving thermal energy extraction efficiency without causing energy loss
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design reduces the costs and complexity of geothermal system implementation by enhancing the efficiency of heat extraction and transfer within the closed well loop, improving the overall thermal energy recovery process.
Implementation Method 1
Part of the injection well(s) 14 and the production well(s) 16 are configured to allow thermal energy (heat) from the subterranean formation to transfer to the working fluid that circulates in the closed well loop
Implementation Method 2
The inner pipe includes a thermally-insulative piping system that reduces the amount of heat transferred from the hotter circulating fluid to the cooler circulating fluid that flows in the first and second flow paths within the well
Data Source
AI summary
A closed well loop is provided for a geothermal system. The closed well loop includes a well (single well) that traverses a subterranean formation to extract heat from the subterranean formation. The well includes a section having an inner pipe that is supported inside an outer pipe in a pipe-in-pipe arrangement. The inner pipe has an interior flow channel that defines a first flow path for circulating working fluid, and the annulus between the inner pipe and the outer pipe defines a second flow path for the circulating working fluid. The well can be configured to extract heat from the subterranean formation and transfer heat to the circulating working fluid that flows in the first and second flow paths. The inner pipe can include a thermally-insulative piping system that reduces the amount of heat transferred from the circulating fluid that flows in the first and second flow paths within the well.