Modelling of a closed two-phase thermosyphon probe for medium-deep geothermal energy

The Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) is funding the development of closed medium-depth geothermal systems for decentralized heat supply as part of an energy research program. The Drilling Simulator Celle (DSC), the Institute of Technical Mechanics (ITM), the Institute for Subsurface Energy Systems (ITE) at Clausthal University of Technology and the Institute for Energy-Optimized Systems (EOS) at Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences are involved in this project.

Against the background of securing the heat supply for smaller municipalities and industrial parks, which typically have no connection to a district heating network, the further development of technologies for the decentralized development and efficient integration of geothermal heat sources is of particular importance. This is the subject of the project, in which medium-depth geothermal probes based on the thermosyphon effect are to be further developed and tested.

The aim of the project at the ITM is to further develop models for two-phase thermosyphon probes in order to contribute to their optimization and the reduction of technical and economic risks. At the ITE, the function is to be demonstrated by means of experiments on a pilot plant scale.