Ra in geothermal and bottled mineral waters of Hungary

Geothermal waters have been used on a large scale for bathing, drinking and medical purposes, while the consumption of bottled mineral waters is increasing. In this work, radon and radium activity concentrations of thermal and bottled mineral waters, originating from different regions of Hungary, were studied by different radioanalytical methods. It was found that the thermal springs, which supply the world famous baths of Budapest along the right riverside of the Danube, have high ²²²Rn and ²²⁶Ra activity concentration: up to about 100 and 1 kBqm⁻³, respectively. The radium content of some investigated geothermal waters found in the NE region of the Great Hungarian Plain is even higher: up to several kBqm⁻³. The ²²⁶Ra content of bottled mineral waters, commercially available in Hungary, was determined by gamma-spectrometric method, applying radiochemical separation. The highest value exceeded 2 kBqm⁻³ in the case of the Apenta mineral water, which is a popular brand in Hungary, as well as in Europe and North America.     

Layered Thermohaline Convection in Hypersaline Geothermal Systems

Thermohaline convection occurs in hypersaline geothermal systems due to thermal and salinity effects on liquid density. Because of its importance in oceanography, thermohaline convection in viscous liquids has received more attention than thermohaline convection in porous media. The fingered and layered convection patterns observed in viscous liquid thermohaline convection have been hypothesized to occur also in porous media. However, the extension of convective dynamics from viscous liquid systems to porous media systems is complicated by the presence of the solid matrix in porous media. The solid grains cause thermal retardation, hydrodynamic dispersion, and permeability effects. We present simulations of thermohaline convection in model systems based on the Salton Sea Geothermal System, California, that serve to point out the general dynamics of porous media thermohaline convection in the diffusive regime, and the effects of porosity and permeability, in particular. We use the TOUGH2 simulator with residual formulation and fully coupled solution technique for solving the strongly coupled equations governing thermohaline convection in porous media. We incorporate a model for brine density that takes into account the effects of NaCl and CaCl2. Simulations show that in forced convection, the increased pore velocity and thermal retardation in low-porosity regions enhances brine transport relative to heat transport. In thermohaline convection, the heat and brine transport are strongly coupled and enhanced transport of brine over heat cannot occur because buoyancy caused by heat and brine together drive the flow. Random permeability heterogeneity has a limited effect if the scale of flow is much larger than the scale of permeability heterogeneity. For the system studied here, layered thermohaline convection persists for more than one million years for a variety of initial conditions. Our simulations suggest that layered thermohaline convection is possible in hypersaline geothermal systems provided the vertical permeability is smaller than the horizontal permeability, as is likely in sedimentary basins such as the Salton Trough. Layered thermohaline convection can explain many of the observations made at the Salton Sea Geothermal System over the years.     

Flow injection for the determination of Se(IV) and Se(VI) by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry with microwave oven on-line prereduction of Se(VI) to Se(IV)

An on-line flow injection system has been developed for the selective determination of Se(IV) and Se(VI) in citric fruit juices and geothermal waters by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry with microwave-aided heating prereduction of Se(VI) to Se(IV). The samples and the prereductant solutions (4 mol l⁻¹ HCl for Se(IV) and 12 mol l⁻¹ HCl for Se(VI)) which circulated in a closed-flow circuit were injected by means of a time-based injector. This mixture was displaced by a carrier solution of 1% v/v of hydrochloric acid through a PTFE coil located inside the focused microwave oven and mixed downstream with a borohydride solution to generate the hydride. The linear ranges were 0–120 and 0–100 μg l⁻¹ of Se(IV) and Se(VI), respectively. The detection limits were 1.0 μg l⁻¹ for Se(IV) and 1.5 μg l⁻¹ for Se(VI). The precision (about 2.0–2.5% RSD) and recoveries (96–98% for Se(IV) and 94–98% for Se(VI)) were good. Total selenium values were also obtained by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry which agreed with the content of both selenium species. The sample throughput was about 50 measurements per hour. The main advantage of the method is that the selective determination of Se(IV) and Se(VI) in citric fruit juices and geothermal waters is performed in a closed system with a minimum sample manipulation, exposure to the environment, minimum sample waste and operator attention.     

Effect of sparse distribution pores in a Soret-driven ferro thermohaline convection

Thermoconvective instability in a multicomponent fluid has very wide applications in industrial, ionospheric and geothermal systems. More often, it is found that the thermal diffusivity and mass diffusivity interact with each other in fluid systems. But in a liquid system, the effect of heat transport on mass transport is pronounced. In a ferrofluid system which is a synthesized liquid, it is often found that more than one component co-exists in the fluid system contributing to interactive diffusion. In the present analysis, it is intended to study the Soret effect on multicomponent ferrofluid saturating a porous medium with large variation in permeabilities. Linear stability analysis is used. Normal mode technique is applied. The numerical results are presented for both stationary and oscillatory instabilities. It is found that stationary instability is preferred irrespective of values of permeability of pores.     

A GC-system for the analysis of residual geothermal gases

Summary The gases evolved from geothermal fields, after condensation of H₂O, CO₂, H₂S and NH₃ in caustic solution, contain He, H₂, Ar, O₂, N₂, CH₄ and higher hydrocarbons. The analysis for the major components in these residual gas mixtures can be achieved by use of two simple gas chromatographs in parallel, and using 5Å molecular sieve. The separation of He and H₂ to baseline is achieved by using low temperatures (30°C) coupled with a relatively long column; and the difficult separation of Ar and O₂ is achieved by use of a cryogenically cooled column. The use of switching valves to backflush and bypass columns ensures that a minimum time for analysis can be achieved whilst retaining baseline separations of the He/H₂ and Ar/O₂ pairs.     

模拟地热水中304不锈钢管和镀锌钢管的腐蚀与结垢

采用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、能谱仪(EDS)、X射线衍射仪(XRD)和电化学测试的方法研究了304不锈钢管和镀锌钢管在模拟地热水(我国中部平原地热水的环境条件)中的腐蚀与结垢行为.结果表明,不锈钢管的结垢产物为"针"状物,其组成主要为CaCO3和MgCO3;镀锌钢管的腐蚀与结垢产物为"球"状物和"针"状物,其组成主要为Zn(OH)2、ZnO和CaCO3;腐蚀产物与结垢产物在晶核的形成生长过程中往往存在相互作用,同时它们在基材表面的分布对镀锌钢管的进一步腐蚀产生一定的抑制作用.     

Convective Flows in a TVZ-like Setting with a Brittle/Ductile Transition

This article presents a simple method for coupling the equations for fluid and heat flow in a porous medium with a rock mechanics model based on a simplified Mohr–Coulomb yield criterion. The aim is to investigate the effects of introducing a brittle–ductile transition zone (BDTZ) into models of the large scale hydrology of systems like the Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ) in New Zealand. The coupling between fluid/heat flow and rock mechanics is only partial in that it assumes that the local strain rate and lithostatic pressure are known a priori. A simple empirical relationship between the permeabilities of rock in its brittle and ductile states is also assumed, which mimics the effect of slow thermal creep in closing fluid pathways by reducing the effective permeability. This model is first applied to a number of simple situations where large scale convection of groundwater occurs above a depth of 20-km. These examples demonstrate the formation of a horizontal brittle–ductile transition zone under conductive conditions with uniform strain, and how this responds to local changes in pressure, temperature and strain rate. The presence of low permeability below the BDTZ effectively defines the greatest depth to which groundwater can steadily penetrate, providing a feedback to these models which influences the transport of heat and mass on all the length scales. The TVZ provides inspiration for the second model setting. Localised sources of water and heat, modelled on magmatic sill-like structures at a depth of 10-km, induce a BDTZ which shallows from 14-km to less than 10-km, consistent with geophysical estimates in the TVZ. A common feature of the models is that strong downflows of surface water occur in permeable regions adjacent to the heat sources, which depress the BDTZ by several kilometres between the geothermal areas. Water with near-surface temperatures can thus exist at great depths in these regions. Lastly, the models imply that the geothermal areas in the TVZ probably do not occur directly above any localised heat source, but are instead displaced towards the centre of the TVZ rift.     

Long-term Petrophysical Investigations on Geothermal Reservoir Rocks at Simulated In Situ Conditions

In the course of stimulation and fluid production, the chemical fluid–rock equilibrium of a geothermal reservoir may become disturbed by either temperature changes and/or an alteration of the fluid chemistry. Consequently, dissolution and precipitation reactions might be induced that result in permeability damage. In connection with the field investigations at a deep geothermal doublet, complementary laboratory-based research is performed to address these effects. The reservoir is located at a depth of 4100 to 4200 m near Groß Schönebeck within the Northeast German Basin, 50 km north of Berlin, Germany. Within the reservoir horizon, an effective pressure of approximately 45 MPa and a temperature of 150°C are encountered. Furthermore, the Lower Permian (Rotliegend) reservoir rock is saturated with a highly saline Ca–Na–Cl type formation fluid (TDS ≈ 255 g/l). Under these conditions we performed two sets of long-term flow-through experiments. The pore fluid used during the first and the second experiment was a 0.1 molar NaCl-solution and a synthetic Ca–Na–Cl type fluid with the specifications as above, respectively. The maximum run duration was 186 days. In detail, we experimentally addressed: (1) the effect of long-term flow on rock permeability in connection with possible changes in fluid chemistry and saturation; (2) the occurrence and consequences of baryte precipitation; and (3) potential precipitations related to oxygen-rich well water invasion during water-frac stimulation. In all substudies petrophysical experiments related to the evolution of rock permeability and electrical conductivity were complemented with microstructural investigations and a chemical fluid analysis. We also report the technical challenges encountered when corrosive fluids are used in long-term in situ petrophysical experiments. After it was assured that experimental artifacts can be excluded, it is demonstrated that the sample permeability remained approximately constant within margins of  ±50 % for nearly six months. Furthermore, an effect of baryte precipitation on the rock permeability was not observed. Finally, the fluid exchange procedure did not alter the rock transport properties. The results of the chemical fluid analysis are in support of these observations. In both experiments the electrical conductivity of the samples remained unchanged for a given fluid composition and constant p-T conditions. This emphasizes its valuable complementary character in determining changes in rock transport properties during long-term flow-through experiments when the risk of experimental artifacts is high.     

Analytical solutions for movement of cold water thermal front in a heterogeneous geothermal reservoir

In the present study an analytical model has been presented to describe the transient temperature distribution and advancement of the thermal front generated due to the reinjection of heat depleted water in a heterogeneous geothermal reservoir. One dimensional heat transport equation in porous media with advection and longitudinal heat conduction has been solved analytically using Laplace transform technique in a semi infinite medium. The heterogeneity of the porous medium is expressed by the spatial variation of the flow velocity and the longitudinal effective thermal conductivity of the medium. A simpler solution is also derived afterwards neglecting the longitudinal conduction depending on the situation where the contribution to the transient heat transport phenomenon in the porous media is negligible. Solution for a homogeneous aquifer with constant values of the rock and fluid parameters is also derived with an aim to compare the results with that of the heterogeneous one. The effect of some of the parameters involved, on the transient heat transport phenomenon is assessed by observing the variation of the results with different magnitudes of those parameters. Results prove the heterogeneity of the medium, the flow velocity and the longitudinal conductivity to have great influence and porosity to have negligible effect on the transient temperature distribution.     

Two-phase brine mixtures in the geothermal context and the polymer flood model

Two-phase mixtures of hot brine and steam are important in geothermal reservoirs under exploitation. In a simple model, the flows are described by a parabolic equation for the pressure with a derivative coupling to a pair of wave equations for saturation and salt concentration. We show that the wave speed matrix for the hyperbolic part of the coupled system is formally identical to the corresponding matrix in the polymer flood model for oil recovery. For the class ofstrongly diffusive hot brine models, the identification is more than formal, so that the wave phenomena predicted for the polymer flood model will also be observed in geothermal reservoirs.Roman Symbols A,B coefficient matrices (5) - c(x,t) salt concentration (primary dependent variable) - C(p, s, c, q _t) wave speed matrix (6) - f source term (5) - g acceleration due to gravity (constant) - h _b(p, c) brine specific enthalpy - h _v(p) vapour specific enthalpy - j conservation flux (1) - k absolute permeability (constant) - k _b(s), k_v(s) relative permeabilities of the brine and vapour phases - K conductivity - p(x,t) pressure (primary dependent variable) - q volume flux (Darcy velocity) (3) - s(x,t) brine saturation (primary dependent variable) - t time (primary independent variable) - T=T _sat(p) saturation temperature - u _b(p, c) brine specific internal energy - u _m T rock matrix specific internal energy - u _v(p) vapour specific internal energy - U(x, t) shock velocity - x space (primary independent variable) Greek Symbols porosity (constant) - _b(p, c) brine dynamic viscosity - _v(p) vapour dynamic viscosity - (p, s, c) conservation density (1) - _b(p, c) brine density - _v(p) vapour density Suffixes b brine - m rock matrix - t total - v vapour - S salt - M mass - E energy