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Fig. 10 | Geothermal Energy

Fig. 10

From: Thermally driven fracture aperture variation in naturally fractured granites

Fig. 10

Fracture closure rates. Comparison between the rates of hydraulic aperture reduction, \(\text{d}b_{\text{hyd}}/\text{d}t\), and the chemical rates of aperture reduction, \(\text{d}b_{\text{chem}}/\text{d}t\), for four different estimated fractional contact areas: 1% (black diamond), 5% (black circle), 15% (black star), and 40% (square). a Step-wise heating experiments (\(\#\)N14-S1, \(\#\)N14-S2, and \(\#\)N14-S3), with Specimen N14 under 3 different stresses (20, 30, and 40 MPa). b Constant-rate heating experiments (\(\#\)N19-C1, \(\#\)N19-C2), with Specimen N19 under 2 different stresses (20 and 30 MPa). Only the cycles that represent closure (i.e., originally negative rate) are compared

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