GEOL1046-1 : Geothermy

Study Programmes 2016-2017

GEOL1046-1

Geothermy

Duration :

18h Th, 15h Pr, 40h Proj., 1d FW

Number of credits :

Master in geology and mining engineering (120 ECTS)		5

Lecturer :

Robert Charlier, Alain Dassargues, Hans-Balder Havenith

Coordinator :

N...

Language(s) of instruction :

English language

Organisation and examination :

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents :

Introduction (6h)

Heat transfer in saturated porous media (equations and main parameters) (A.Dassargues) 2h
Building energy needs (S. Attia) 2h
Heat pumps, performance coefficients, ... (V.Lemort or P. Dewaleffe) 2h

Open systems (shallow and deep geothermy in relation with hydrogeology) (A.Dassargues) 4h

Introduction
Different systems including ATES (Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage)for shallow and deep open systems
Possible impacts on the gw resources (quantity, quality, cumulative aspects), permitting aspects
Hydrochemical aspects
Methodological aspects before and for an efficient design

Closed systems (in boreholes, piles, horizontal loops...) (R.Charlier) 6h + 0.5 jtt

Introduction
Design and efficiency of closed systems: geology, tubes, grouting, drilling, depth and interactions, long term behaviour ...
Design, operation and interpretation of Thermal Response Tests (TRT)
(if possible field trip of 0.5 day with a TRT demonstration)

Potential and geological aspects of deep geothermy (H. Havenith) 6h + 1.5 jtt

Deep geothermal energy exploration and exploitation: case studies, favourable geological site conditions, prospection methods, design, implementation, ...
Application of3D geomodelling for deep geothermy
Field trip at a deep geothermal exploitation /drilling site: Soultz-sous-forêt and/or Mol
Invited seminars.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit :

At the end of the course, the student will have a strong basic skill in geothermy. He will be able to: - be familiar with the main characteristics of geothermal systems;
- make adequate conceptual choices in function of the local energy demand and local geological and hydrogeological conditions;
- collect and organise the needed data for a first assessment and then a feasibility study of the geothermal system;
- calculate basic feasibility aspects of a deep as well as of a shallow geothermal system;
- detect advantages and drawbacks in the choice of an site for geothermal use;
- assess / calculate the mid- and long-term behaviour of a geothermal system in function of the undeground characteristics;
- assess possible impacts on the groundwater resources of a geothermal system.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills :

Basic knowledge and understanding of geology and hydrogeology.
Elementary notions of physics (essentially thermodynamics) and chemistry.
No official prerequesite course is compulsory.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods :

The course is composed of "ex-cathedra" lectures (see content above).
Practicalwork/exercise (30h) consists in a comparative study of the different geothermal systems in one given site and for a given specific energy demand (i.e. on the basis of geological, hydrogeological, geomechanical and thermal basic data, each group of students must prepare concurrent projects).

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :

Face-to-face for theory teaching.
In groups of 2 for practical work.