Several Thermodynamic Aspects of Hydrothermal Systems

Toni Alchofino (10205013)

Physics Department, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institute Technology Bandung
E-mail: Toni_Alchofino@Students.itb.ac.id

Abstract
There are some several thermodynamic aspects which are involved in geothermal. And some of them
can be described mathematically such as natural geothermal gradients, hydrothermal convection
system, fluid flow and mass transport. However, another aspects are even complicated to be described
and need more specific advance study. In hydrothermal system where the availibility of fluid and heat
source form the system, not only heat transfer but also fluid flow is tangled. This report provide how
the aspects derived by considering of some approximations. Most of them derived assuming that the
fluid of hydrothermal system is single phase., liquid.

1. Introduction

Heats in the earth are naturally come from

two major source. Internal source and
external source. Where the external source
is the sun’s heat and the internal source
come from depth of the earth.

1.2 Geothermal In Shallow Subsurface

(picture from www.geothermal.marin.org)

2. Natural Geothermal Gradients

Naturally, the heat in the earth will

1.1 Earth Interior
(picture from www.geothermal.marin.org)
The fundamental heat source in the earth is
radioactive decay beneath the earth. The
heat propagates to surface through heat
transfer mechanisms such as conduction,
convection, radiation and advection. But
dominantly by conduction and convection.
Some of hot melted rock beneath the earth
could arise to shallow subsurface of the
earth through thin geologic layer in a
regional. The availibility of this heat
source, liquid, and the permeability, form a
typical geothermal systems called
hydrothermal systems. There, in this
system heat flow and fluid flow would
occur.
increase gradually to depth. The ratio
between the increasing heat (∆T) and the
increasing of the depth (∆Z) is called
thermal gradient ∇T . Assuming T is a
linear function of ∆Z, expression of ∇T =
(∆T)/ (∆Z) will depend on the magnitude
of interval (∆Z). Applying differential
calculus for limit of (∆Z) Æ 0, the
∂T
expression can be written as ∇T = or
∂Z
∂T ∂T ∂T
in 3D ∇T = , , .
∂x ∂y ∂z
Based on Fourier’s law of heat conduction,
the heat flux q (W/m2, watt per square
meter) assosiated with temperature
gredient ∇T is given by :
q = − K∇T …………………………...(2.1)

Where K is thermal conductivity and
minus-sign occurs because heat flow from
higher to lower temperature.
In typical continental crust, temperatures
will increase by ≈ 3 0C for every 100 m
depth, so ∇T ≈ 0.030C/m. A typical value
10 m/s2, the pressure increase in a column
of water for 1 m increase in depth is
approximately 104 kg/ms2. (1 Newton =
1Kg m/s2) so it can be written as 104 N/m2
or 10000 Pa per meter depth or 0.1 bar per
meter depth.
P vs Z

for rocks is K ≈ 2 W/m0C. 250

200

P( bar)
150
Chart Title y = 33.333x - 666.67
100
R2 = 1
50
7000
6000 0
0 5 10 15 20 25
5000
Z(m)
4000
Z(m)

3000
2000 3.1 Pressure Gradient In Static ρ value
1000
0
Fluids density generally vary with depth as
0 50 100 150 200 250 functions of temperatures, pressure, and
T(0C)
salinity. For liquids (Pruess 2002), the
2.1 Thermal Gradient in Typical Continental Crust temperature and pressure dependence of
density can be approximated as :
So, according to equation 2.1, the heat flux
in a typical continental crust with a typical ρ = ρ 0 [1 − α (T − T0 ) + β ( P − P0 )] …..(3.2)
thermal conductivity is 0.06 W/m2.
Α is the expansivity and β is the
compressibility of the fluid. When fluid
density varies with depth, because of
generally increasing temperatures and
pressure, Eq. 3.1 is no longer applicable.
We should calculate pressure increase in
every interval which spesific density for
each interval.
N N

∑ ΔP = ∑ ρ i gΔz
i =1 i =1
When we let Δz Æ0 we obtain the integral
z
2.2 A Sample Of Temperature Measurement In P( z ) = ∫ ρgdz ………………………..(3.2)
Geothermal Field 0
(picture from www.geothermal.marin.org)
Warm water is less dense than cold water.
According to this reality, we’ve got
3. Convective Systems of Hydrothermal
thermal bouyancy phenomenon which can
be described below
Under static condition which no flow, the
pressure of reservoir fluid with density ρ is
given by weight of the fluid column per
unit area and increases with depth z
according to :

Ph ( z ) = ρgz ………………………….(3.1)

For water at ambient conditions of

temperature and pressure we have ρ ≈ 3.2 Thermal Bouyancy flow
1000 Kg/m3. Acceleration of gravity is g= (Pruess, 2002)
 Then we can get the “Darcy Velocity” as

……………………..(4.4)

5. Conclusions

3.3 Hydrothermal convetion in a fluid layer heated Naturally the temperature of the earth will
from below increase proportionally to the increasing of
(Pruess, 2002)
the depth. The same as temperature, fluid
pressure beneath the earth also increase
proportionally to the increasing of the
4. Fluid Flow depth.

Fluids move in response to forces, the most In geothermal area where the magma may
important of which are pressure forces and arise through the thinned or fractured
force of gravity and also sometimes crusts, the gradient of temperature and
capillary pressures. pressure coul be significantly high even in
relatively shallow subsurface.
The rate of fluid flow not depend on the
magnitude of the pressure but the intensity Because of the difference pressure and
of pressure change. According to Darcy’s density of the reservoir’s fluid, thermal
experiment (1856), the fluid mass flow rate bouyancy occurs in convective system of
F per unit cross-sectional area of the hydrothermal.
medium is proportional to the pressure
gradient. Fluid moves esspecially in response to
force. The fluid’s flow rate esspecially
ρ ΔP depend on the pressure intensity change.
F = −k ……………………. (4.1) So if the pressure gradien is high, the
μ ΔX
fluid’s flow rate will high. But, the
pressure gradient is not the only major
or in 3D it can be showed as below : factor. A fluid will flow wether there is a
⎛ ΔP ⎞ permeability. The higher permebality and
⎛ Fx ⎞ ⎜ ΔX ⎟
⎜ ⎟ ρ ⎜ ΔP ⎟ ………..(4.2) porosity, fluid’s flow velocity will
⎜ Fy ⎟ = − k ⎜ Δ ⎟ increase.
⎜ Fz ⎟ μ Y
⎝ ⎠ ⎜
⎜ ΔP ⎟
⎝ Δz − ρg ⎟⎠
6. References

A minus-sign occur because fluid flows Fowler.1990.The Solid Earth.Cambridge

from higher pressure to lower pressure, k is University Press.
absolute permeability and μ is viscosity.
Pruess. Lectures on Mathematical
Deviding the mass flux by the fluid density Modelling of Fluid Flow and Heat
gives the vollumetric flux (amount of fluid Transfer In Geothermal Systems.
volume crossing a unit cross sectional area Lawrance Barkeley National
per unit of time). Laboratory University of California.

Zemansky, M.W., and Dittman,R.H.1986.

……….(4.3) Kalor dan Termodinamika,penterjemah
Liong, T.H Bandung:Penerbit ITB.