HIGP/WRRC Seminar

June 8, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Mānoa Campus, POST 544

Prof. Anna Suzuki Institute of Fluid Science, Tohoku University, Japan

Inverse Analysis of Fluid Flow in Fractured Rocks and Sustainable Design for Geothermal Energy

The goal of our research group is to evaluate rock structures and its flow using available data, to design sustainable geological energy systems. I will introduce an overview of our research and will show some results about (1) topological evaluation of fractured rocks and (2) flow experiments using microfabricated rocks. (1) Quantitative evaluation of complex rock structures can help estimate reactions occurring in the subsurface. We evaluated fracture structures of rocks by persistent homology which is a topological analysis method for computing features of rings. By comparing the relationship between the actual images of rocks and the simulation results from a hydraulic-chemical-mechanical simulation, the similarities or the differences were discussed quantitatively. (2) Conventional experiments using real rock samples have trouble in observing rock structures and controlling fracture-properties. Taking advantage of 3D printing technologies, we made a complex fracture network by using a 3D printer. We obtained a tracer response curve from the flow experiment and compared with numerical simulations. This approach will be useful for understanding more detailed and more complicated phenomena in fracture networks. My next research aims to analyze Japanese geothermal resources on multiple scales and explore optimal social systems that people and nature can satisfy together. I would like to discuss effective and sustainable utilization of geothermal energy in Hawaii and Japan with you.


Event Sponsor
Water Resources Research Center/HIGP, Mānoa Campus

More Information
Niels Grobbe, (808) 956-5857, ngrobbe@hawaii.edu

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