A coaxial-flow heat transfer system installed in a geological environment
and facilitating the transfer of heat energy between an external heat
energy exchanging system and the geological environment. The coaxial-flow
heat transfer system includes aqueous-based heat transfer fluid that is
pumped through the external heat energy exchanging system so as to
transfer heat between the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid and the
external heat energy exchanging system. A coaxial-flow heat transfer
structure is installed within the geological environment and has a
proximal end and a distal end for exchanging heat between the source of
aqueous-based heat transfer fluid at a first temperature and a geological
environment at a second temperature. The coaxial-flow heat transfer
structure comprises a thermally conductive outer tube section, and an
inner tube section having an inner flow channel and being coaxially
arranged within the outer tube section. An outer flow channel is formed
between the inner and outer tube sections, and a helically-arranged fin
structure is disposed along the outer flow channel, so as to form at
least one helically-extending outer flow channel, for constantly rotating
the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid flowing between the inner and outer
flow channels, and thereby improving the transfer of heat energy between
the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid and the geological environment
along the length of the outer flow channel.