Flow in geothermal hot water wells

One of the basic conditions for planning the production of free flowing and airlifted wells is the ability to model correctly the pressure losses incurred in wells with single- and two-phase flows. Based on theories developed in the petroleum industry, as well as the data obtained in the course of Hungarian air-lift water pump tests, the present paper gives a survey of the laws governing vertical flow in high-yield hot water wells of small gas and air content. An explanation is given for the fundamental disagreement between the relationships used to simulate pressure losses in short and long tubing. Methods for calculating the pressure profiles of wells are included.