This submission includes synthetic seismic modeling data for the Push-Pull project at Brady Hot Springs, NV. The synthetic seismic is all generated by finite-difference method regarding different fracture and rock properties.
This project successfully developed methods for numerical modeling of sediment transport phenomena around rigid objects resting on or near the ocean floor. These techniques were validated with physical testing using actual sediment in a large wave tank. These methods can be applied to any nearshore structure, including wave energy devices, surge devices, and hinged flap systems. These techniques can be used to economically iterate on device geometries, lowering the cost to refine designs and reducing time to market. The key takeaway for this project was that the most cost-effective method to reduce sediment transport impact is to avoid it altogether. By elevating device structures lightly off the seabed, sediment particles will flow under and around, ebbing and flowing naturally. This allows sediment scour and accretion to follow natural equalization processes without hydrodynamic acceleration or deceleration effects of artificial structures. This submission includes the final technical report for this DOE project. The objective of this project was to develop a set of analysis tools (hydrodynamics and structural models providing inputs into a sediment model), and use those tools to identify and refine the optimal device geometry for the Delos-Reyes Morrow Pressure Device (DMP), commercialized by M3 Wave LLC as "APEX."
Input data and heave results (unsteady RANS-VOF overset simulations performed in Star-CCM+) for a float with an ellipsoid geometry. Five extreme sea states were considered, as detailed in the conference paper "Application of the Most Likely Extreme Response Method for Wave Energy Converters" by Quon et al. (see resource below). These sea states were extrapolated from conditions near Humboldt Bay, California. Focused waves were generated using the MLER module of the Wave Design Response Toolbox (WDRT) and specified at the inlet boundary conditions. The device was constrained to heave only and a PTO was not modeled.
Attached are the .cas and .dat files for the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulation of a single lab-scaled DOE RM1 turbine implemented in ANSYS FLUENT CFD-package. In this case study the flow field around and in the wake of the NREL Phase VI wind turbine, modeled is MHK turbine, is simulated using Actuator Disk Model (ADM) (a.k.a Porous Media) by solving RANS equations coupled with a turbulence closure model. It should be highlighted that in this simulation the actual geometry of the rotor blade is not modeled. The effect of turbine rotating blades are modeled using the Actuator Disk Theory (see the stated section of attached M.Sc. thesis for more details).
Attached are the .cas and .dat files for the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulation of a single full scale DOE RM1 turbine implemented in ANSYS FLUENT CFD-package. In this case study taking advantage of the symmetry of the DOE RM1 geometry, only half of the geometry is modeled using (Single) Rotating Reference Frame model [RRF]. In this model RANS equations, coupled with k-\omega turbulence closure model, are solved in the rotating reference frame. The actual geometry of the turbine blade is included and the turbulent boundary layer along the blade span is simulated using wall-function approach. The rotation of the blade is modeled by applying periodic boundary condition to sets of plane of symmetry. This case study simulates the performance and flow field in both the near and far wake of the device at the desired operating conditions. The results of these simulations showed good agreement to the only publicly available numerical simulation of the device done in the NREL. Please see the attached paper.
DOE/MC/22045-2364
The vast supply of geothermal energy stored throughout the Earth and the exceedingly long time required to dissipate that energy makes the world's geothermal energy supply nearly limitless. As such, this resource holds the potential to provide a large supply of the world's energy demands; however, like all natural resources, it must be utilized in an appropriate manner if it is to be sustainable. Understanding sustainable use of geothermal resources requires thorough characterization efforts aimed at better understanding subsurface properties. The goal of this work is to understand which critical subsurface properties exert the most influence on sustainable geothermal production as a means to provide targeted future resource characterization strategies. Borehole temperature and reservoir pressure data were analyzed to estimate reservoir thermal and hydraulic properties at an active geothermal site. These reservoir properties then served as inputs for an analytical model which simulated net power production over a 30-year period. The analytical model was used to conduct a sensitivity analysis to determine which parameters were most critical in constraining the sustainability of a geothermal reservoir. Modeling results reveal that the number of preferential flow pathways (i.e. fractures) used for heat transport provides the greatest impact on geothermal reservoir sustainability. These results suggest that early and pre-production geothermal reservoir exploration would achieve the greatest benefit from characterization strategies which seek to delineate the number of active flow pathways present in the system.