By combining sand tank tests with numerical simulations, this paper studies the temperature fields around constant heat sources to reveal the mechanism of the natural convection and its influence on the temperature fields in the process of energy storage. Using the "24-channel temperature auto acquisition system" developed by our research group in the tests, the temperatures are recorded at measuring points within the research area in the tests, the revised Brinkman equation and a transfer-convection balance model are used for solving the aquifer water-thermal coupling problems, and through comparison of the test results with the calcula- tion results, it is discovered that the influence ranges and the variations of the two temperature fields are consistent, which validates the mathematical model. On the basis of this, we also study the influences of the heat source positions and the boundary conditions on the temperature fields, and the results show that, under the natural convection, the heat source positions may influence the distri- bution of the temperature fields, thus affect the energy storage. For the same energy storage layer, the temperature field for the top energy storage is characterized by a smaller heat influence range and a relatively concentrated temperature distribution. However, when the heat source is at the bottom, the range of a temperature field, and the temperature is relatively dispersed, which is not favorable to heat recycle, with the same heat source position, the boundary conditions determine the size of the critical Rayleigh number, and thus have an influence on the occurrence and the strength of the natural convection, and accordingly, on the temperature fields.
In order to better understand the soil moisture dynamics during a drying process, a soil column experiment is conducted in the laboratory, followed by the numerical modeling with consideration of the coupled liquid water, water vapor and heat transport in the vadose zone. Results show that there are three distinct subzones above the water table according to the temporally dynamic variation of the water content profiles. Zone 1 sees a decrease in the water contents in the upper profiles(0 m-0.05 m) due to a negative net water flux in this zone where the upward isothermal water vapor flux becomes the main flow mechanism in the soils. In contrast, the water content within Zone 2 in the depth ranging from 0.05 m to 0.37 m sees an apparent increase over time, resulting from the positive net thermal water-vapor and isothermal liquid-water fluxes into this layer. Zone 3(0.37 m-0.65 m) also sees an apparent decrease in the water content since the isothermal liquid water flux carries the liquid water either upward out of this region for vaporization or downward to the water table as a recharge to the groundwater.
