| Title | Choked Flow in Fractured Geothermal Reservoirs |
|---|---|
| Authors | Menzies, A.J., Gudmundsson, J.S. and Horne, R.N. |
| Year | 1983 |
| Conference | New Zealand Geothermal Workshop |
| Keywords | |
| Abstract | Field data indicates that the output from some geothermal wells may be limited by choked flow in the reservoir. To investigate this possibility, a one dimensional thermodynamic model was developed to study flashing steam/water flow in a fracture. The model was based on the "streamtube" model of Wallis and Richter (1978) modified to include the effect of heat transfer from the rock to the field. The results of the study indicate that: Choked flow is a possible explanation for certain characteristics noted in geothermal wells where flashing occurs in the formation. Choked flow is likely to occur when the water saturation is less than 0.6-0.7. |