Útdráttur:
The design and operation of geothermal wells and pipelines depend on an accurate understanding of steam-brine interaction. A variety of multiphase flow models have been developed over the past decades and are widely applied in wellbore and pipeline simulations. However, most of these models are derived from experiments conducted under near-ambient conditions. Applying them to the high-temperature, saline fluids of geothermal systems can introduce significant inaccuracies, emphasizing the need for data obtained under conditions representative of geothermal environments.
In the GeoPro project, the Geothermal Flow-loop (GFL) was developed to address this gap. The system enables multiphase flow experiments at up to 200 °C and 40 bar, with brine salinities ranging from 0-11 wt% NaCl. An optical window allows direct visualization of flow regimes, while gamma-densitometers provide bulk density measurements. This presentation outlines the capabilities of the facility and shares initial results.
Comparison with other flow-loops and with multiphase flow models used in wellbore simulators shows good agreement at low temperatures. However, the models perform poorly at higher temperatures, underscoring the need to establish multiphase flow correlations based on experimental data collected under geothermal conditions.
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