During the second part of today’s seminar, Felix Fromentin discussed his recent work on Enhanced Geothermal Systems.
Traditional geothermal energy systems rely on the availability of naturally occurring reservoirs of hot, porous rock. However, many regions possess hot rocks that lack the necessary permeability. In Enhanced Geothermal Systems, hydraulic fracturing is used to create artificial porosity, allowing water to be circulated through hot, dry rock to extract thermal energy.
Felix is a PhD student working with professor Andy Woods. His research combines numerical modelling and laboratory experiments to investigate how the fluid flow and temperature distribution within a fractured rock impact overall energy extraction.
Next February, Felix will attend the 52nd Stanford Geothermal Workshop, where he will present more results from his work. We look forward to reporting about them soon.