A third-year PhD student from the Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Márk Szijártó was attended to an exchange program at the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK). His study focused on the technique and the method of the low enthalpy energy utilization. At the first part of the scheduled program, two ATES (Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage) system and a mixed energetic construction, used for heating and cooling, were visited in Lahti, Pori and in Finn Spring Oy. The most important instruments, such as the TR–Temperature Retraction Test and the DTS–Disturbed Temperature Sensing were presented in Kokkola. During the exchange, Márk has joint to the scientific life of COMSOL Modelling Team, where the effect of advective heat transfer mechanism induced by the topography-driven groundwater flow have been studied in the cases of the ATES systems. This 3D numerical investigation has revealed the importance of using the basin-scale groundwater flow method in order to solve local-scale problems with unexpected effects. As the main result of the exchange, both institutes (GTK and ELTE) were able to develop their experiences in numerical modelling.
