ESM Cloud Toolkit: A Copilot for Energy Storage Material Research

Searching and designing new materials play crucial roles in the development of energy storage devices. In today's world where machine learning technology has shown strong predictive ability for various tasks, the combination with machine learning technology will accelerate the process of material development. Herein, we develop ESM Cloud Toolkit for energy storage materials based on Mat Elab platform, which is designed as a convenient and accurate way to automatically record and save the raw data of scientific research. The ESM Cloud Toolkit includes multiple features such as automatic archiving of computational simulation data, post-processing of experimental data, and machine learning applications. It makes the entire research workflow more automated and reduces the entry barrier for the application of machine learning technology in the domain of energy storage materials. It integrates data archive, traceability, processing, and reutilization, and allows individual research data to play a greater role in the era of AI.

Data Secure Storage Mechanism for IIoT Based on Blockchain

With the development of Industry 4.0 and big data technology,the Industrial Internet of Things(IIoT)is hampered by inherent issues such as privacy,security,and fault tolerance,which pose certain challenges to the rapid development of IIoT.Blockchain technology has immutability,decentralization,and autonomy,which can greatly improve the inherent defects of the IIoT.In the traditional blockchain,data is stored in a Merkle tree.As data continues to grow,the scale of proofs used to validate it grows,threatening the efficiency,security,and reliability of blockchain-based IIoT.Accordingly,this paper first analyzes the inefficiency of the traditional blockchain structure in verifying the integrity and correctness of data.To solve this problem,a new Vector Commitment(VC)structure,Partition Vector Commitment(PVC),is proposed by improving the traditional VC structure.Secondly,this paper uses PVC instead of the Merkle tree to store big data generated by IIoT.PVC can improve the efficiency of traditional VC in the process of commitment and opening.Finally,this paper uses PVC to build a blockchain-based IIoT data security storage mechanism and carries out a comparative analysis of experiments.This mechanism can greatly reduce communication loss and maximize the rational use of storage space,which is of great significance for maintaining the security and stability of blockchain-based IIoT.

Significantly Improved High-Temperature Energy Storage Performance of BOPP Films by Coating Nanoscale Inorganic Layer

Biaxially oriented polypropylene(BOPP)is one of the most commonly used commercial capacitor films,but its upper operating temperature is below 105℃due to the sharply increased electrical conduction loss at high temperature.In this study,growing an inorganic nanoscale coating layer onto the BOPP film's surface is proposed to suppress electrical conduction loss at high temperature,as well as increase its upper operating temperature.Four kinds of inorganic coating layers that have different energy band structure and dielectric property are grown onto the both surface of BOPP films,respectively.The effect of inorganic coating layer on the high-temperature energy storage performance has been systematically investigated.The favorable coating layer materials and appropriate thickness enable the BOPP films to have a significant improvement in high-temperature energy storage performance.Specifically,when the aluminum nitride(AIN)acts as a coating layer,the AIN-BOPP-AIN sandwich-structured films possess a discharged energy density of 1.5 J cm^(-3)with an efficiency of 90%at 125℃,accompanying an outstandingly cyclic property.Both the discharged energy density and operation temperature are significantly enhanced,indicating that this efficient and facile method provides an important reference to improve the high-temperature energy storage performance of polymer-based dielectric films.

All‑Covalent Organic Framework Nanofilms Assembled Lithium‑Ion Capacitor to Solve the Imbalanced Charge Storage Kinetics

Free-standing covalent organic framework(COFs)nanofilms exhibit a remarkable ability to rapidly intercalate/de-intercalate Li^(+) in lithium-ion batteries,while simultaneously exposing affluent active sites in supercapacitors.The development of these nanofilms offers a promising solution to address the persistent challenge of imbalanced charge storage kinetics between battery-type anode and capacitor-type cathode in lithium-ion capacitors(LICs).Herein,for the first time,custom-made COFBTMB-TP and COFTAPB-BPY nanofilms are synthesized as the anode and cathode,respectively,for an all-COF nanofilm-structured LIC.The COFBTMB-TP nanofilm with strong electronegative–CF3 groups enables tuning the partial electron cloud density for Li^(+) migration to ensure the rapid anode kinetic process.The thickness-regulated cathodic COFTAPB-BPY nanofilm can fit the anodic COF nanofilm in the capacity.Due to the aligned 1D channel,2D aromatic skeleton and accessible active sites of COF nanofilms,the whole COFTAPB-BPY//COFBTMB-TP LIC demonstrates a high energy density of 318 mWh cm^(−3) at a high-power density of 6 W cm^(−3),excellent rate capability,good cycle stability with the capacity retention rate of 77%after 5000-cycle.The COFTAPB-BPY//COFBTMB-TP LIC represents a new benchmark for currently reported film-type LICs and even film-type supercapacitors.After being comprehensively explored via ex situ XPS,7Li solid-state NMR analyses,and DFT calculation,it is found that the COFBTMB-TP nanofilm facilitates the reversible conversion of semi-ionic to ionic C–F bonds during lithium storage.COFBTMB-TP exhibits a strong interaction with Li^(+) due to the C–F,C=O,and C–N bonds,facilitating Li^(+) desolation and absorption from the electrolyte.This work addresses the challenge of imbalanced charge storage kinetics and capacity between the anode and cathode and also pave the way for future miniaturized and wearable LIC devices.

Moderate Fields, Maximum Potential: Achieving High Records with Temperature‑Stable Energy Storage in Lead‑Free BNT‑Based Ceramics

The increasing awareness of environmental concerns has prompted a surge in the exploration of leadfree,high-power ceramic capacitors.Ongoing efforts to develop leadfree dielectric ceramics with exceptional energystorage performance(ESP)have predominantly relied on multicomponent composite strategies,often accomplished under ultrahigh electric fields.However,this approach poses challenges in insulation and system downsizing due to the necessary working voltage under such conditions.Despite extensive study,bulk ceramics of(Bi_(0.5)Na_(0.5))TiO_(3)(BNT),a prominent lead-free dielectric ceramic family,have seldom achieved a recoverable energy-storage(ES)density(Wrec)exceeding 7 J cm^(−3).This study introduces a novel approach to attain ceramic capacitors with high ESP under moderate electric fields by regulating permittivity based on a linear dielectric model,enhancing insulation quality,and engineering domain structures through chemical formula optimization.The incorporation of SrTiO_(3)(ST)into the BNT matrix is revealed to reduce the dielectric constant,while the addition of Bi(Mg_(2/3)Nb_(1/3))O_(3)(BMN)aids in maintaining polarization.Additionally,the study elucidates the methodology to achieve high ESP at moderate electric fields ranging from 300 to 500 kV cm^(−1).In our optimized composition,0.5(Bi_(0.5)Na_(0.4)K_(0.1))TiO_(3)–0.5(2/3ST-1/3BMN)(B-0.5SB)ceramics,we achieved a Wrec of 7.19 J cm^(−3) with an efficiency of 93.8%at 460 kV cm^(−1).Impressively,the B-0.5SB ceramics exhibit remarkable thermal stability between 30 and 140℃ under 365 kV cm^(−1),maintaining a Wrec exceeding 5 J cm^(−3).This study not only establishes the B-0.5SB ceramics as promising candidates for ES materials but also demonstrates the feasibility of optimizing ESP by modifying the dielectric constant under specific electric field conditions.Simultaneously,it provides valuable insights for the future design of ceramic capacitors with high ESP under constraints of limited electric field.

Development status and prospect of underground thermal energy storage technology

Underground Thermal Energy Storage(UTES)store unstable and non-continuous energy underground,releasing stable heat energy on demand.This effectively improve energy utilization and optimize energy allocation.As UTES technology advances,accommodating greater depth,higher temperature and multi-energy complementarity,new research challenges emerge.This paper comprehensively provides a systematic summary of the current research status of UTES.It categorized different types of UTES systems,analyzes the applicability of key technologies of UTES,and evaluate their economic and environmental benefits.Moreover,this paper identifies existing issues with UTES,such as injection blockage,wellbore scaling and corrosion,seepage and heat transfer in cracks,etc.It suggests deepening the research on blockage formation mechanism and plugging prevention technology,improving the study of anticorrosive materials and water treatment technology,and enhancing the investigation of reservoir fracture network characterization technology and seepage heat transfer.These recommendations serve as valuable references for promoting the high-quality development of UTES.

Hyphae-mediated bioassembly of carbon fibers derivatives for advanced battery energy storage

Ingenious design and fabrication of advanced carbon-based sulfur cathodes are extremely important to the development of high-energy lithium-sulfur batteries,which hold promise as the next-generation power source.Herein,for the first time,we report a novel versatile hyphae-mediated biological assembly technology to achieve scale production of hyphae carbon fibers(HCFs)derivatives,in which different components including carbon,metal compounds,and semiconductors can be homogeneously assembled with HCFs to form composite networks.The mechanism of biological adsorption assembly is also proposed.As a representative,reduced graphene oxides(rGOs)decorated with hollow carbon spheres(HCSs)successfully co-assemble with HCFs to form HCSs@rGOs/HCFs hosts for sulfur cathodes.In this unique architecture,not only large accommodation space for sulfur but also restrained volume expansion and fast charge transport paths are realized.Meanwhile,multiscale physical barriers plus chemisorption sites are simultaneously established to anchor soluble lithium polysulfides.Accordingly,the designed HCSs@rGOs/HCFs-S cathodes deliver a high capacity(1189 mA h g^(-1)at 0.1 C)and good high-rate capability(686 mA h g^(-1)at 5 C).Our work provides a new approach for the preparation of high-performance carbon-based electrodes for energy storage devices.

Oxygen functionalization-assisted anionic exchange toward unique construction of flower-like transition metal chalcogenide embedded carbon fabric for ultra-long life flexible energy storage and conversion

The metal-organic framework(MOF)derived Ni–Co–C–N composite alloys(NiCCZ)were“embedded”inside the carbon cloth(CC)strands as opposed to the popular idea of growing them upward to realize ultrastable energy storage and conversion application.The NiCCZ was then oxygen functionalized,facilitating the next step of stoichiometric sulfur anion diffusion during hydrothermal sulfurization,generating a flower-like metal hydroxysulfide structure(NiCCZOS)with strong partial implantation inside CC.Thus obtained NiCCZOS shows an excellent capacity when tested as a supercapacitor electrode in a three-electrode configuration.Moreover,when paired with the biomass-derived nitrogen-rich activated carbon,the asymmetric supercapacitor device shows almost 100%capacity retention even after 45,000 charge–discharge cycles with remarkable energy density(59.4 Wh kg^(-1)/263.8μWh cm^(–2))owing to a uniquely designed cathode.Furthermore,the same electrode performed as an excellent bifunctional water-splitting electrocatalyst with an overpotential of 271 mV for oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and 168.4 mV for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)at 10 mA cm−2 current density along with 30 h of unhinged chronopotentiometric stability performance for both HER and OER.Hence,a unique metal chalcogenide composite electrode/substrate configuration has been proposed as a highly stable electrode material for flexible energy storage and conversion applications.

Insights into Nano-and Micro-Structured Scaffolds for Advanced Electrochemical Energy Storage

Adopting a nano-and micro-structuring approach to fully unleashing the genuine potential of electrode active material benefits in-depth understandings and research progress toward higher energy density electrochemical energy stor-age devices at all technology readiness levels.Due to various challenging issues,especially limited stability,nano-and micro-structured(NMS)electrodes undergo fast electrochemical performance degradation.The emerging NMS scaffold design is a pivotal aspect of many electrodes as it endows them with both robustness and electrochemical performance enhancement,even though it only occupies comple-mentary and facilitating components for the main mechanism.However,extensive efforts are urgently needed toward optimizing the stereoscopic geometrical design of NMS scaffolds to minimize the volume ratio and maximize their functionality to fulfill the ever-increasing dependency and desire for energy power source supplies.This review will aim at highlighting these NMS scaffold design strategies,summariz-ing their corresponding strengths and challenges,and thereby outlining the potential solutions to resolve these challenges,design principles,and key perspectives for future research in this field.Therefore,this review will be one of the earliest reviews from this viewpoint.

Enhanced High-Temperature Energy Storage Performance of All-Organic Composite Dielectric via Constructing Fiber-Re in forced Structure

Optimizing the high-temperature energy storage characteristics of energy storage dielectrics is of great significance for the development of pulsed power devices and power control systems.Selecting a polymer with a higher glass transition temperature(T_(g))as the matrix is one of the effective ways to increase the upper limit of the polymer operating temperature.However,current high-T_(g)polymers have limitations,and it is difficult to meet the demand for high-temperature energy storage dielectrics with only one polymer.For example,polyetherimide has high-energy storage efficiency,but low breakdown strength at high temperatures.Polyimide has high corona resistance,but low high-temperature energy storage efficiency.In this work,combining the advantages of two polymer,a novel high-T_(g)polymer fiber-reinforced microstructure is designed.Polyimide is designed as extremely fine fibers distributed in the composite dielectric,which will facilitate the reduction of high-temperature conductivity loss for polyimide.At the same time,due to the high-temperature resistance and corona resistance of polyimide,the high-temperature breakdown strength of the composite dielectric is enhanced.After the polyimide content with the best high-temperature energy storage characteristics is determined,molecular semiconductors(ITIC)are blended into the polyimide fibers to further improve the high-temperature efficiency.Ultimately,excellent high-temperature energy storage properties are obtained.The 0.25 vol%ITIC-polyimide/polyetherimide composite exhibits high-energy density and high discharge efficiency at 150℃(2.9 J cm^(-3),90%)and 180℃(2.16 J cm^(-3),90%).This work provides a scalable design idea for high-performance all-organic high-temperature energy storage dielectrics.

Hadoop-based secure storage solution for big data in cloud computing environment

In order to address the problems of the single encryption algorithm,such as low encryption efficiency and unreliable metadata for static data storage of big data platforms in the cloud computing environment,we propose a Hadoop based big data secure storage scheme.Firstly,in order to disperse the NameNode service from a single server to multiple servers,we combine HDFS federation and HDFS high-availability mechanisms,and use the Zookeeper distributed coordination mechanism to coordinate each node to achieve dual-channel storage.Then,we improve the ECC encryption algorithm for the encryption of ordinary data,and adopt a homomorphic encryption algorithm to encrypt data that needs to be calculated.To accelerate the encryption,we adopt the dualthread encryption mode.Finally,the HDFS control module is designed to combine the encryption algorithm with the storage model.Experimental results show that the proposed solution solves the problem of a single point of failure of metadata,performs well in terms of metadata reliability,and can realize the fault tolerance of the server.The improved encryption algorithm integrates the dual-channel storage mode,and the encryption storage efficiency improves by 27.6% on average.

Self‑Assembly of Binderless MXene Aerogel for Multiple‑Scenario and Responsive Phase Change Composites with Ultrahigh Thermal Energy Storage Density and Exceptional Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

The severe dependence of traditional phase change materials(PCMs)on the temperature-response and lattice deficiencies in versatility cannot satisfy demand for using such materials in complex application scenarios.Here,we introduced metal ions to induce the self-assembly of MXene nanosheets and achieve their ordered arrangement by combining suction filtration and rapid freezing.Subsequently,a series of MXene/K^(+)/paraffin wax(PW)phase change composites(PCCs)were obtained via vacuum impregnation in molten PW.The prepared MXene-based PCCs showed versatile applications from macroscale technologies,successfully transforming solar,electric,and magnetic energy into thermal energy stored as latent heat in the PCCs.Moreover,due to the absence of binder in the MXene-based aerogel,MK3@PW exhibits a prime solar-thermal conversion efficiency(98.4%).Notably,MK3@PW can further convert the collected heat energy into electric energy through thermoelectric equipment and realize favorable solar-thermal-electric conversion(producing 206 mV of voltage with light radiation intensity of 200 mw cm^(−2)).An excellent Joule heat performance(reaching 105℃with an input voltage of 2.5 V)and responsive magnetic-thermal conversion behavior(a charging time of 11.8 s can achieve a thermal insulation effect of 285 s)for contactless thermotherapy were also demonstrated by the MK3@PW.Specifically,as a result of the ordered arrangement of MXene nanosheet self-assembly induced by potassium ions,MK3@PW PCC exhibits a higher electromagnetic shielding efficiency value(57.7 dB)than pure MXene aerogel/PW PCC(29.8 dB)with the same MXene mass.This work presents an opportunity for the multi-scene response and practical application of PCMs that satisfy demand of next-generation multifunctional PCCs.

Ultraviolet‑Irradiated All‑Organic Nanocomposites with Polymer Dots for High‑Temperature Capacitive Energy Storage

Polymer dielectrics capable of operating efficiently at high electric fields and elevated temperatures are urgently demanded by next-generation electronics and electrical power systems.While inorganic fillers have been extensively utilized to improved high-temperature capacitive performance of dielectric polymers,the presence of thermodynamically incompatible organic and inorganic components may lead to concern about the long-term stability and also complicate film processing.Herein,zero-dimensional polymer dots with high electron affinity are introduced into photoactive allyl-containing poly(aryl ether sulfone)to form the all-organic polymer composites for hightemperature capacitive energy storage.Upon ultraviolet irradiation,the crosslinked polymer composites with polymer dots are efficient in suppressing electrical conduction at high electric fields and elevated temperatures,which significantly reduces the high-field energy loss of the composites at 200℃.Accordingly,the ultraviolet-irradiated composite film exhibits a discharged energy density of 4.2 J cm^(−3)at 200℃.Along with outstanding cyclic stability of capacitive performance at 200℃,this work provides a promising class of dielectric materials for robust high-performance all-organic dielectric nanocomposites.

Dual-ion carrier storage through Mg^(2+) addition for high-energy and long-life zinc-ion hybrid capacitor

Cation additives can efficiently enhance the total electrochemical capabilities of zinc-ion hybrid capacitors (ZHCs).However their energy storage mechanisms in zinc-based systems are still under debate.Herein,we modulate the electrolyte and achieve dual-ion storage by adding magnesium ions.And we assemble several Zn//activated carbon devices with different electrolyte concentrations and investigate their electrochemical reaction dynamic behaviors.The zinc-ion capacitor with Mg^(2+)mixed solution delivers 82 mAh·g^(-1)capacity at 1 A·g^(-1) and maintains 91%of the original capacitance after 10000 cycling.It is superior to the other assembled zinc-ion devices in single-component electrolytes.The finding demonstrates that the double-ion storage mechanism enables the superior rate performance and long cycle lifetime of ZHCs.

Structural Isomers:Small Change with Big Difference in Anion Storage

Organic electrode materials are promising for batteries.However,the reported organic electrodes are often facing the challenges of low specific capacity,low voltage,poor rate capability and vague charge storage mechanisms,etc.Isomers are good platform to investigate the charge storage mechanisms and enhance the performance of batteries,which,however,have not been focused in batteries.Herein,two isomers are reported for batteries.As a result,the isomer tetrathiafulvalene(TTF)could store two monovalent anions reversibly,deriving an average discharge voltage of 1.05 V and a specific capacity of 220 mAh g−1 at a current density of 2 C.On the other hand,the other isomer tetrathianaphthalene could only reversibly store one monovalent anion and upon further oxidation,it would undergo an irreversible solid-state molecular rearrangement to TTF.The molecular rearrangement was confirmed by electrochemical performances,X-ray diffraction patterns,nuclear magnetic resonance spectra,and 1H detected heteronuclear multiple bond correlation spectra.These results suggested the small structural change could lead to a big difference in anion storage,and we hope this work will stimulate more attention to the structural design for boosting the performance of organic batteries.

Sealing capacity evaluation of underground gas storage under intricate geological conditions

Evaluating underground gas storage(UGS)sealing capacity is essential for its safe construction and operational efficiency.This involves evaluating both the static sealing capacity of traps during hydrocarbon accumulation and the dynamic sealing capacity of UGS under intensive gas injection and withdrawal,and alternating loads.This study detailed the methodology developed by Sinopec.The approach merges disciplines like geology,geomechanics,and hydrodynamics,employing both dynamic-static and qualitative-quantitative analyses.Sinopec's evaluation methods,grounded in the in situ stress analysis,include mechanistic studies,laboratory tests,geological surveys,stress analysis,and fluid-solid interactions.Through tests on the static and dynamic sealing capacity of UGS,alongside investigations into sealing mechanisms and the geological and geomechanical properties of cap rocks and faults,A geomechanics-rock damage-seepage mechanics dynamic coupling analysis method has been developed to predict in situ stress variations relative to pore pressure changes during UGS operations and evaluate fault sealing capacity and cap rock integrity,thereby setting the maximum operational pressures.Utilizing this evaluation technique,Sinopec has defined performance metrics and criteria for evaluating the sealing capacity of depleted gas reservoirs,enabling preliminary sealing capacity evaluations at UGS sites.These evaluations have significantly informed the design of UGS construction schemes and the evaluation of fault sealing capacity and cap rock integrity during UGS operations.

Rapid and stable calcium-looping solar thermochemical energy storage via co-doping binary sulfate and Al–Mn–Fe oxides

Solar thermochemical energy storage based on calcium looping(CaL)process is a promising technology for next-generation concentrated solar power(CSP)systems.However,conventional calcium carbonate(CaCO_(3))pellets suffer from slow reaction kinetics,poor stability,and low solar absorptance.Here,we successfully realized high power density and highly stable solar thermochemical energy storage/release by synergistically accelerating energy storage/release via binary sulfate and promoting cycle stability,mechanical strength,and solar absorptance via Al–Mn–Fe oxides.The energy storage density of proposed CaCO_(3)pellets is still as high as 1455 kJ kg^(-1)with only a slight decay rate of 4.91%over 100 cycles,which is higher than that of state-of-the-art pellets in the literature,in stark contrast to 69.9%of pure CaCO_(3)pellets over 35 cycles.Compared with pure CaCO_(3),the energy storage power density or decomposition rate is improved by 120%due to lower activation energy and promotion of Ca^(2+)diffusion by binary sulfate.The energy release or carbonation rate rises by 10%because of high O^(2-)transport ability of molten binary sulfate.Benefiting from fast energy storage/release rate and high solar absorptance,thermochemical energy storage efficiency is enhanced by more than 50%under direct solar irradiation.This work paves the way for application of direct solar thermochemical energy storage techniques via achieving fast energy storage/release rate,high energy density,good cyclic stability,and high solar absorptance simultaneously.

Development and technology status of energy storage in depleted gas reservoirs

Utilizing energy storage in depleted oil and gas reservoirs can improve productivity while reducing power costs and is one of the best ways to achieve synergistic development of"Carbon Peak–Carbon Neutral"and"Underground Resource Utiliza-tion".Starting from the development of Compressed Air Energy Storage(CAES)technology,the site selection of CAES in depleted gas and oil reservoirs,the evolution mechanism of reservoir dynamic sealing,and the high-flow CAES and injection technology are summarized.It focuses on analyzing the characteristics,key equipment,reservoir construction,application scenarios and cost analysis of CAES projects,and sorting out the technical key points and existing difficulties.The devel-opment trend of CAES technology is proposed,and the future development path is scrutinized to provide reference for the research of CAES projects in depleted oil and gas reservoirs.

Boosting Hydrogen Storage Performance of MgH_(2) by Oxygen Vacancy-Rich H-V_(2)O_(5) Nanosheet as an Excited H-Pump

MgH_(2) is a promising high-capacity solid-state hydrogen storage material,while its application is greatly hindered by the high desorption temperature and sluggish kinetics.Herein,intertwined 2D oxygen vacancy-rich V_(2)O_(5) nanosheets(H-V_(2)O_(5))are specifically designed and used as catalysts to improve the hydrogen storage properties of MgH_(2).The as-prepared MgH_(2)-H-V_(2)O_(5) composites exhibit low desorption temperatures(Tonset=185℃)with a hydrogen capacity of 6.54 wt%,fast kinetics(Ea=84.55±1.37 kJ mol^(-1) H_(2) for desorption),and long cycling stability.Impressively,hydrogen absorption can be achieved at a temperature as low as 30℃ with a capacity of 2.38 wt%within 60 min.Moreover,the composites maintain a capacity retention rate of~99%after 100 cycles at 275℃.Experimental studies and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the in-situ formed VH_(2)/V catalysts,unique 2D structure of H-V_(2)O_(5) nanosheets,and abundant oxygen vacancies positively contribute to the improved hydrogen sorption properties.Notably,the existence of oxygen vacancies plays a double role,which could not only directly accelerate the hydrogen ab/de-sorption rate of MgH_(2),but also indirectly affect the activity of the catalytic phase VH_(2)/V,thereby further boosting the hydrogen storage performance of MgH_(2).This work highlights an oxygen vacancy excited“hydrogen pump”effect of VH_(2)/V on the hydrogen sorption of Mg/MgH_(2).The strategy developed here may pave a new way toward the development of oxygen vacancy-rich transition metal oxides catalyzed hydride systems.

Thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) coupled simulation of the land subsidence due to aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) system in soft soils

Aquifer thermal energy storage(ATES)system has received attention for heating or cooling buildings.However,it is well known that land subsidence becomes a major environmental concern for ATES projects.Yet,the effect of temperature on land subsidence has received practically no attention in the past.This paper presents a thermo-hydro-mechanical(THM)coupled numerical study on an ATES system in Shanghai,China.Four water wells were installed for seasonal heating and cooling of an agriculture greenhouse.The target aquifer at a depth of 74e104.5 m consisted of alternating layers of sand and silty sand and was covered with clay.Groundwater level,temperature,and land subsidence data from 2015 to 2017 were collected using field monitoring instruments.Constrained by data,we constructed a field scale three-dimensional(3D)model using TOUGH(Transport of Unsaturated Groundwater and Heat)and FLAC3D(Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua)equipped with a thermo-elastoplastic constitutive model.The effectiveness of the numerical model was validated by field data.The model was used to reproduce groundwater flow,heat transfer,and mechanical responses in porous media over three years and capture the thermo-and pressure-induced land subsidence.The results show that the maximum thermoinduced land subsidence accounts for about 60%of the total subsidence.The thermo-induced subsidence is slightly greater in winter than that in summer,and more pronounced near the cold well area than the hot well area.This study provides some valuable guidelines for controlling land subsidence caused by ATES systems installed in soft soils.