Using Visual MODFLOW to Simulate Heat Transport in Groundwater
Visual MODFLOW incorporates the latest version of the USGS SEAWAT code (v.4) which incorporates temperature as a contaminant species (in MT3DMS) and a new Viscosity package, which allows you to simulate heat transport and the effects of varying fluid viscosity on the movement of groundwater. The following processes can be simulated:
- heat conduction is the movement of heat from high temperature to low temperature; this is simulated using the appropriate molecular diffusion coefficient
- heat exchange it the movement of heat between the groundwater phase and the soil matrix; simulated using the appropriate distribution coefficient
- advective heat flux (convection) is the movement of heat along with the flowing groundwater; simulated using the appropriate; it is analogous to groundwater transport and uses the average linear groundwater velocity to move temperature with the flowing fluid
- dispersion (which is the same for heat and solute transport)
Visual MODFLOW and SEAWAT v.4 can be used for a variety of applications
- Simulating the transport of heat and salinity in coastal aquifers and thermally-driven convection in deep aquifers
- ASR and storage of freshwater in saline aquifers: simulating buoyancy effects and the effect of groundwater temperature on fluid viscosity
- Geothermal investigations: impact of groundwater heat pumps on groundwater temperature
- Simulating groundwater circulation in deep mines, geological platforms, and basins
- Fate of wastewater injected into deep wells and impact on the aquifer
Online References using Visual MODFLOW
Note: Waterloo Hydrogeologic does not imply endorsement of software from the authors of these publications/reports (or their associated organization/affiliations).
Note that some of the examples below use MODFLOW as part of the groundwater modeling component for a geothermal aquifer investigation