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A theoretical analysis of fluid flow and energy transport in hydrothermal systems

Charles R. Faust·James W. Mercer
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Abstract

A mathematical derivation for fluid flow and energy transport in hydrothermal systems is presented. Specifically, the mathematical model describes the three-dimensional flow of both single- and two-phase, single-component water and the transport of heat in porous media. The derivation begins with the point balance equations for mass, momentum, and energy. These equations are then averaged over a finite volume to obtain the macroscopic balance equations for a porous medium. The macroscopic equations are combined by appropriate constitutive relationships to form two similified partial differential equations posed in terms of fluid pressure and enthalpy. A two-dimensional formulation of the simplified equations is also derived by partial integration in the vertical dimension. (Woodard-USGS)

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Charles R. Faust, James W. Mercer. 1977. A theoretical analysis of fluid flow and energy transport in hydrothermal systems. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr7760

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