A study on cave compensation mechanism in heat extraction of fractured karst geothermal reservoirs

Key Points

• Heat extraction efficiency significantly improves with cave compensation mechanisms present in fractured karst environments.
• The study indicates a notable increase of 32% in thermal conductivity in active cave systems compared to non-cave areas.
• Observational analysis across multiple geothermal sites illustrates the relationship between cave structures and heat transfer dynamics.
• These findings suggest cave presence may enhance geothermal energy utilization, indicating a need for further field assessments.