MODELLING OF 2D FLUID FLOWS IN GEOTHERMAL AREAS BY USING FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

• Main Author: Bahri, Samsul
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/52015
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Indonesia is one of the countries with the largest geothermal potential in the world, up to 40% of the world's potential. In geothermal areas, there are several layers, such as parts of cap rock, reservoir, fracture and heat sources. The pattern of subsurface fluid flow in geothermal areas is a topic that is often discussed, especially for exploration purposes. Fluid flow basically uses the principles of Darcy's law, the principle of continuity and the Navier-Stokes equation. In solving this equation, a numerical approach can be used, where the results are closer to the true value. The numerical method used in this research is the finite element method, in which the geometric domains are divided into smaller domains. The shape of the two-dimensional elements used is a non-linear triangle. The purpose of this study is to describe the fluid flow pattern in a porous medium, especially in the case of geothermal areas and to determine the effect of rock permeability anomalies on fluid flow patterns. The results of modeling using the finite element method show that rock permeability affects the fluid flow pattern. The fluid will flow at a higher speed to an area with higher permeability. After getting the fluid velocity in each nodes, then remodelling it to get the fluid temperature. Thermal conductivity is one of the variables that affects the heat transfer, where the greater the thermal conductivity, the greater the heat transfer rate.