Phase-Field Modeling of Thermal Fracturing Mechanisms in Reservoir Rock Under High-Temperature Conditions
Source abstract
Abstract
Thermal stimulation represents an effective method for enhancing reservoir permeability, thereby improving geothermal energy recovery in Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). The phase-field method (PFM) has been widely adopted for its proven capability in modeling the fracture behavior of brittle solids. Consequently, a coupled thermo-mechanical phase-field model (TM-PFM) was developed in COMSOL 6.2 Multiphysics to probe thermal fracturing mechanisms in reservoir rocks. The TM-PFM was validated against the analytical solutions for the temperature and stress fields under steady-state heat conduction in a thin-walled cylinder, three-point bending tests, and thermal shock tests. Subsequently, two distinct thermal fracturing modes in reservoir rock under high-temperature conditions were investigated: (i) fracture initiation driven by sharp temperature gradients during instantaneous thermal shocks, and (ii) crack propagation resulting from heterogeneous thermal expansion of constituent minerals. The proposed TM-PFM has been validated through systematic comparison between the simulation results and the corresponding experimental data, thereby demonstrating its capability to accurately simulate thermal fracturing. These findings provide mechanistic insights for optimizing geothermal energy extraction in EGS.
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Research context
OpenAlex topics: Numerical methods in engineering · Rock Mechanics and Modeling · Fluid Dynamics Simulations and Interactions
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
College of Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
State Key Laboratory of Deep Geothermal Enrichment Mechanisms and Efficient Development, Beijing 102206, China
SINOPEC Star Petroleum Co., Ltd. (Sinopec Star), Beijing 100083, China
School of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environment, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China
Funding
Deep Earth Probe and Mineral Resources Exploration—National Science and Technology Major Project of China
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