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<p>Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) are considered a promising approach to extract energy from deep hot dry rock (HDR) formations. However, the inherent heterogeneity of fracture networks and the development of dominant flow paths often trigger thermal short-circuiting, leading to rapid declines in production temperature and system efficiency. To address this challenge, a large-scale multi-well injection–production experimental model was developed using naturally fractured granite. An optimized heat extraction strategy is proposed based on the coordinated regulation of injection and production parameters. Real-time monitoring of production temperatures and flow rates revealed thermal short-circuiting behavior and temperature decline patterns consistent with those observed in field-scale demonstration projects. The results demonstrate that appropriate well configurations combined with dynamic injection control can redistribute fluid flow within the fracture network, thereby mitigating localized cooling induced by preferential flow through high-permeability channels. In contrast, systems with highly connected dominant pathways exhibit significant thermal short-circuiting, characterized by rapid heat depletion and steep production temperature drops near the preferential flow zones. To further investigate the spatial architecture of flow paths, this study introduces a novel method that integrates fluorescent resin injection with serial slicing and three-dimensional reconstruction, enabling direct visualization of heat exchange channel geometries and their connectivity to injection and production wells. The reconstructed structures indicate that systems with more complex and dispersed flow networks facilitate more uniform heat exchange and provide more stable thermal outputs. This study validates the feasibility of regulating thermal short-circuiting in EGS through optimized multi-well design and adaptive flow management, providing new insights and experimental evidence to support the long-term efficiency and sustainability of geothermal energy extraction.</p>

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Exploratory Study on Regulation of Thermal Short-Circuiting in Multi-well Enhanced Geothermal Systems

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年12月22日

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  • Shijie Chen,
  • Haiyan Zhu,
  • Peng Zhao,
  • Zixi Jiao,
  • John D. McLennan,
  • Jun Zhou

摘要

Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) are considered a promising approach to extract energy from deep hot dry rock (HDR) formations. However, the inherent heterogeneity of fracture networks and the development of dominant flow paths often trigger thermal short-circuiting, leading to rapid declines in production temperature and system efficiency. To address this challenge, a large-scale multi-well injection–production experimental model was developed using naturally fractured granite. An optimized heat extraction strategy is proposed based on the coordinated regulation of injection and production parameters. Real-time monitoring of production temperatures and flow rates revealed thermal short-circuiting behavior and temperature decline patterns consistent with those observed in field-scale demonstration projects. The results demonstrate that appropriate well configurations combined with dynamic injection control can redistribute fluid flow within the fracture network, thereby mitigating localized cooling induced by preferential flow through high-permeability channels. In contrast, systems with highly connected dominant pathways exhibit significant thermal short-circuiting, characterized by rapid heat depletion and steep production temperature drops near the preferential flow zones. To further investigate the spatial architecture of flow paths, this study introduces a novel method that integrates fluorescent resin injection with serial slicing and three-dimensional reconstruction, enabling direct visualization of heat exchange channel geometries and their connectivity to injection and production wells. The reconstructed structures indicate that systems with more complex and dispersed flow networks facilitate more uniform heat exchange and provide more stable thermal outputs. This study validates the feasibility of regulating thermal short-circuiting in EGS through optimized multi-well design and adaptive flow management, providing new insights and experimental evidence to support the long-term efficiency and sustainability of geothermal energy extraction.