Numerical analysis of heat transfer in layered saturated soil

This paper presents numerical analyses of one-dimensional heat transfer in layered saturated soil with effective porosity and steady fluid flow using the numerical model HT1. The model characterizes the soil using separate columns to represent the solid matrix and mobile pore fluid components, and a series-parallel approach to model soil thermal conductivity. The model accounts for advection, conduction, and thermal mechanical dispersion assuming local thermal equilibrium between solid and fluid phases, and has the capability to analyze the effects of each mechanism separately. Numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the effects of effective porosity, discharge velocity, and layer heterogeneity on heat transfer behavior. Numerical solutions and analytical solutions are in excellent agreement.