MSc Thesis: Study on Lumped Parameter Models for a Two-Phase Geothermal Reservoir with Their Multi-Objective Optimization
Zhen Qin successfully defends his master's thesis
REYKJAVIK, February 5 – Master's candidate of Sustainable Energy Engineering and dual-degree student from Tianjin University, Zhen Qin has just successfully delivered his master's thesis project on lumped parameter models for a two-phase geothermal reservoir with their multi-objective optimization. Throughout his work, Zhen Qin was supervised by Dr. María Sigríður Guðjónsdóttir and Dr. Ágúst Valfells at Reykjavik University, along with Dr. Xinli Lu from Tianjin University. The defense was examined by Guðni Axelsson from ÍSOR (Iceland Geosurvey).
In the past few years, the usage of lumped parameter models (LPM) or tank models in geothermal reservoir analysis and production planning has been rapidly increasing. In his project, Zhen Qin studied the responses of fluid in high-temperature geothermal reservoir using a generalized, two-phase lumped parameter model. These responses include parameters such as porosity, permeability, volume of rock system and initial conditions. In other words, Zhen Qin's models can be used to predict the properties of a high-temperature geothermal reservoir with considerable accuracy and less time as compared to numerical models. Specifically, he used the MATLAB software to build these models.
One of the best features of these models is that it is able to process data inputs in a short time. After the models are trained, the user will be able to obtain detailed properties of the geothermal reservoir. Due to the accessibility and effectiveness of Zhen Qin's models, associated industries would be able to use this model to assess their production rates with ease, especially if a graphic user interface (GUI) is built.
Due to the lack of history data from the realistic geothermal field, this model was fitted to the data generated by the model itself. Thus, Zhen Qin concluded the next step for this lumped-parameter model would be to test it in an existing geothermal field in order to verify the feasibility of this model. To read more about his work, click on the following link .
Congratulations Zhen Qin on an excellent thesis!