Numerical analysis of doublet wells for cold energy storage on heat damage treatment in deep mines

Deep mining is an inevitable tendency in the development of coal industry. There are many heat damage problems with the increase of mining depth. The technology of using doublet wells, together with Heat Exchange Machine Systems (HEMSs), to store cold energy is a key to solve the heat damage problems in deep mines. Based on the geological conditions, thermodynamic and hydraulic parameters of Jiahe Mine, the isotherms in the period of cold energy storage and refrigeration and the volumes of cold water within different temperature ranges of the cold energy storage well were numerically analyzed. The results show that 1) with the same pumped and injected water volumes, the lower the temperature of injected water is, the larger the volume of cold water in the cold energy storage well is. With the larger volume, the effect of cold energy storage is better. 2) the larger the volumes of pumped and reinjected water are, the larger the volume of cold water from the cold energy storage well is. With the larger volume, the effect of refrigeration is better. And 3) without disturbance, the volume and temperature of cold water in the cold energy storage well can keep unchanged or have only a little change for a long time. Therefore the technology of doublet wells for cold energy storage is feasible and the cold energy storage aquifers can meet the requirement of the technology.