Thermal response geothermal testing unit

• US 8,005,640 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2010
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Indie Energy Systems Company, LLC
• Original Assignee: Indie Energy Systems Company, LLC
• Inventors: Heymer, Ben, Chiefetz, Daniel, Larson, Erik, Olden, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond; Edward
• Application Number:
  US12/973,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20110125451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 246 Days
• Field of Search: 702/130, 702182-185, 73/233.5
• US Class Current: 702/130
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2201/00 Prediction; Simulation
• CPC Class Codes: F24T 10/00 Geothermal collectors
• CPC Class Codes: F24T 10/10 with circulation of working fluids through underground channels, the working fluids not coming into direct contact with the ground
• CPC Class Codes: F24T 2201/00 Prediction; Simulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/10 Geothermal energy

Abstract

An apparatus for performing a thermal response test to determine thermo-physical properties of a geothermal heat exchange resource. The apparatus includes a geothermal heat exchanger adapted to circulate a fluid through a loop in a sample borehole in the geothermal heat exchange resource and a variable speed pumping system capable of time-dynamic control of a fluid flow rate of the fluid. A multi-stage heating system is capable of applying a series of time-dynamic heat pulses to the fluid. The apparatus further includes a fluid temperature sensor and one or more fluid pressure, fluid density and/or fluid flow rate sensors, the sensors measuring data on the properties of the fluid that are predictive of the thermo-physical properties of the geothermal heat exchange resource.

Claims

1. An apparatus for performing a thermal response test to determine thermo-physical properties of a geothermal heat exchange resource, comprising:

a geothermal heat exchanger adapted to circulate a fluid through a loop in a sample borehole in the geothermal heat exchange resource;

a variable speed pumping system capable of time-dynamic control of a fluid flow rate of the fluid;

a multi-stage heating system capable of applying a series of time-dynamic heat pulses to the fluid;

a fluid temperature sensor; and

one or more fluid pressure, fluid density and/or fluid flow rate sensors, the sensors measuring data on the properties of the fluid that are predictive of the thermo-physical properties of the geothermal heat exchange resource.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a computer-based controller to automatically execute a time-dynamic thermal response test procedure and record the thermal response test data to a digital storage media.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a computer-based controller to automatically vary the fluid flow rate and time-dynamic heat pulses during the thermal response test procedure and record measurements from the sensors.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a port to allow a downhole sensor probe to be inserted directly into the loop in the sample borehole.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a data transmitter that transmits test data to a remote data repository system.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a data transmitter that transmits the measured data to a remote monitoring and control system and a receiver that receives control information from the remote monitoring and control system.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sample borehole is one of a vertical closed-loop geothermal borehole, a horizontal closed-loop geothermal borehole, or other heat storage medium.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is housed in a self-contained mobile testing unit to be used on-site at the geothermal resource.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a multiple stage heater, a variable speed pump, a direct digital control, a controller for a test to be run, and equipment to broadcast system measurement data wirelessly.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the sample borehole and a downhole sensor probe inserted directly into the loop in the sample borehole.

11. A method for performing a thermal response test to determine the thermo-physical properties of a geothermal heat exchange resource, comprising:

providing a geothermal heat exchanger coupled with fluid in a sample borehole in the geothermal heat exchange resource;

performing a thermal response test on the geothermal heat exchange resource, comprising;

controlling a time-dynamic flow rate of the fluid using a variable speed pumping system, and

applying a series of time-dynamic heat pulses via a multi-stage heating system; and

collecting test data including fluid temperature and one or more of fluid pressure, fluid density and/or fluid flow rate, and determining the thermo-physical properties of the geothermal heat exchange resource.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the thermal response test includes the further steps of:

controlling a pump motor speed;

engaging electric heat at a selected power interval;

enabling or disabling an external power source;

recording the measurement data for all sensors;

saving the measurement data to a storage medium; and

transmitting the measurement data to a web server.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of inserting a downhole sensor probe directly into a pipe in the sample borehole and collecting measured data from the downhole sensor probe.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein performing the thermal response load test utilizes at least one of variable heating power and a variable pump motor speed.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the test data comprises at least one of ambient temperature, temperature in and out of a geothermal heat exchanger, tank temperature, pressure in and out of the geothermal heat exchanger, fluid flow rate and electrical power.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein performing the thermal response test occurs for a duration of less than 36 hours.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the thermal response test includes at least one of the following steps:

heating with a multiple stage heater, pumping with a variable speed pump, and controlling equipment via a computer.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising designing a geothermal HVAC system based on the determined thermo-physical properties of the geothermal resource.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable program code for causing a computer to perform a process that includes the steps of:

accessing a test procedure plan;

performing a thermal response test based on the test procedure plan, the thermal response test including the steps of;

controlling a time-dynamic fluid flow rate using a variable speed pumping system of a sample geothermal heat exchanger, and

applying a series of time-dynamic heat pulses via a multi-stage heating system;

recording measured test data from the thermal response test; and

saving the measured test data to a storage medium.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable program code of claim 19, wherein the test further includes at least one of:

calculating test procedures and parameters based on the measured test data;

displaying at least one of the measured test data and control signals;

terminating the thermal response test if conditions exceed design limitations of the test procedure plan; and

transmitting the measured test data to a web server.