RENEWABLE ENERGY : GIOTHERMAL ENERGY ACR 500

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................2

I. Geothermal Energy where does it come from?.....................................................................2

II. GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES .........................................................................................3

III. CHANGES GEOTHERMAL ENERGY ...........................................................................4

III.1. Dry steam ...................................................................................................................5

III.2 Flash steam .................................................................................................................5

III.3 Binary steam ...............................................................................................................6

IV. WHERE IS GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOUND ? ..........................................................6

V. FUTURE OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY .........................................................................7

VI.ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY ...................7

VI.1 ADVANTAGES .........................................................................................................7

VI.2 The DISADVANTAGES................................................................................................8

VII.ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF GIOTHERMAL ENERGY .......................................8

VIII.SOLUTIONS OF OUR RESEARCH ..............................................................................8

IX. Reliability of Geothermal Power Generation ....................................................................9

CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................10

REFERENCES .....................................................................................................................11

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INTRODUCTION

The word geothermal comes from the Greek words geo (earth) and thermal (heat). So,
geothermal energy is heat from within the earth. Geothermal energy is energy from the heat of
the earths core. but assigned to between these resources. Geothermal energy is possible use for
electricity generation, direct use of heat and ground source heat pumps. Direct use includes for
heating buildings and greenhouse heat buildings or generate electricity. Geothermal energy is
a renewable energy source because the water is replenished by rainfall and the heat is contin-
uously produced inside the earth. Geothermal has a higher capacity factor (a measure of the
amount of real time during which a facility is used) than many other power sources. Unlike
wind and solar resources, which are more dependent upon weather fluctuations and climate
changes, geothermal resources are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. While the carrier
medium for geothermal electricity (water) must be properly managed, the source of geothermal
energy, the Earths heat, will be available indefinitely.

I. Geothermal Energy where does it come from?

Geothermal means earth heat. The geothermal energy comes from under the ground and has its
source all the way from the earths core, as you go deeper into the earths ground the hotter it
is. The interior of the Earth is expected to remain extremely hot for billions of year to come,
ensuring an essentially limitless flow of heat. Geothermal power plants capture this heat and
convert it to energy in the form of electricity. The picture below shows the source of geothermal
electric power production, heat from the Earth. As depth into the Earths crust increases, tem-
perature increases as well. The earth has 5 layers: inner core, outer core, mantle, upper mantle
and the crust. The earths core is about 6000 Celsius, and if you start from the earths surface
and go down, the temperature rises about 17 to 30 Celsius per every kilometer.

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Figure 1: the earth layers

Geothermal energy is generated in the earth's core, about 4,000 miles below the surface.
Temperatures hotter than the sun's surface are continuously produced inside the earth by the
slow decay of radioactive particles, a process that happens in all rocks. The earth has a number
of different layers: The core itself has two layers: a solid iron core and an outer core made of
very hot melted rock, called magma. The mantle which surrounds the core and is about 1,800
miles thick. It is made up of magma and rock. The crust is the outermost layer of the earth, the
land that forms the continents and ocean floors. It can be three to five miles thick under the
oceans and 15 to 35 miles thick on the continents. The earth's crust is broken into pieces called
plates. Magma comes close to the earth's surface near the edges of these plates. This is where
volcanoes occur. The lava that erupts from volcanoes is partly magma. Deep underground, the
rocks and water absorb the heat from this magma. The temperature of the rocks and water get
hotter and hotter as you go deeper underground.

II. GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

Understanding geothermal energy begins with an understanding of the source of this

energy the earths internal heat. The Earths temperature increases with depth, with the temper-
ature at the center reaching more than 4200 C (7600 F) [1]. A portion of this heat is a relic of
the planets formation about 4.5 billion years ago, and a portion is generated by the continuing
decay of radioactive isotopes [1]. Heat naturally moves from hotter to cooler regions, so Earths
heat flows from its interior toward the surface is fed back into the transmission grid. Because
the geologic processes known as plate tectonics, the Earths crust has been broken into 12 huge
plates that move apart or push together at a rate of millimeters per year. Where two plates col-
lide, one plate can thrust below the other, producing extraordinary phenomena such as ocean

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trenches or strong earthquakes. At great depth, just above the down going plate, temperatures
become high enough to melt rock, forming magma [1]. Because magma is less dense than
surrounding rocks, it moves up toward the earths crust and carries heat from below. Sometimes
magma rises to the surface through thin or fractured crust as lava.

Figure 2: schematic diagram of power plant production and injection well [1].

However, most magma remains below earths crust and heats the surrounding rocks and
subterranean water. Some of this water comes all the way up to the surface through faults and
cracks in the earth as hot springs or geysers. When this rising hot water and steam is trapped in
permeable rocks under a layer of impermeable rocks, it is called a geothermal reservoir. These
reservoirs are sources of geothermal energy that can potentially be tapped for electricity gener-
ation or direct use. Figure 2 is a schematic of a typical geothermal power plant showing the
location of magma and a geothermal reservoir [2]. Here, the production well with draw heated
geothermal fluid, and the injection well returns cooled fluids to the reservoir.

III. CHANGES GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

Utility-scale geothermal power production employs three main technologies. These are
known as dry steam, flash steam and binary cycle systems. The technology employed de-
pends on the temperature and pressure of the geothermal reservoir. Unlike solar, wind, and
hydro-based renewable power, geothermal power plant operation is independent of fluctuations
in daily and seasonal weather. Today there are 3 types of geothermal power plants.

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III.1. Dry steam

Power plants using dry steam systems were the first type of geothermal power genera-
tion plants built. it uses direct steam from the ground and it generates the turbines or the gener-
ators just with the steam itself. The steam temperature is usually above 235. This is the oldest
method of using geothermal energy and the cheapest way also.

Figure 3: schematic of dry steam power plant [3].

III.2 Flash steam

Flash steam plants are the most common type of geothermal power generation plants in opera-
tion today. They use water at temperatures greater than 360F (182C) that is pumped under high pres-
sure to the generation equipment at the surface. Upon reaching the generation equipment, the pressure
is suddenly reduced, allowing some of the hot water to convert or flash into steam. This steam is then
used to power the turbine/generator units to produce electricity. The remaining hot water not flashed
into steam, and the water condensed from the steam, is generally pumped back into the reservoir. The
water that doesnt turn into steam is pumped back down to the well for reuse. This is the most
common way of power plants to do it [3].

Figure4: flash steam power plant [3].

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III.3 Binary steam

Binary cycle geothermal power generation plants differ from dry steam and flash steam
systems because the water or steam from the geothermal reservoir never comes in contact with
the turbine/generator units. In the binary system, the water from the geothermal reservoir is
used to heat another working fluid, which is vaporized and used to turn the turbine/generator
units. The geothermal water and the working fluid are each confined in separate circulating
systems or closed Binary cycle is a method when the water is not hot as the other methods. So
they use the hot water to heat up liquids that have a lower boiling point. These liquids are heated
up by the hot water and the liquids turn into steam and power the generators or the turbines and
make electricity. Then the hot water is pumped back down to be heated up again for reuse. This
method of using geothermal energy is going to be the most common way in the future because
you dont need as hot water to power the generators.

Figure5: binary steam power plant [3].

IV. WHERE IS GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOUND?

Most geothermal reservoirs are deep underground with no visible clues showing above
ground. Geothermal energy can sometimes find its way to the surface in the form of: volcanoes
and fumaroles (holes where volcanic gases are released) hot springs and geysers. The most
active geothermal resources are usually found along major plate boundaries where earthquakes
and volcanoes are concentrated. Most of the geothermal activity in the world occurs in an area
called the Ring of Fire. This area rims the Pacific Ocean. When magma comes close to the
surface it heats ground water found trapped in porous rock or water running along fractured
rock surfaces and faults. Such hydrothermal resources have two common ingredients: water
(hydro) and heat (thermal). Naturally occurring large areas of hydrothermal resources are called
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geothermal reservoirs. Geologists use different methods to look for geothermal reservoirs.
Drilling a well and testing the temperature deep underground is the only way to be sure a geo-
thermal reservoir really exists. Most of the geothermal reservoirs in the United States are lo-
cated in the western states, Alaska, and Hawaii. California is the state that generates the most
electricity from geothermal energy. The Geysers dry steam reservoir in northern California is
the largest known dry steam field in the world. The field has been producing electricity since
1960.

V. FUTURE OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

Steam and hot water reservoirs are just a small part of the geothermal resource. The
Earth's magma and hot dry rock will provide cheap, clean, and almost unlimited energy as
soon as we develop the technology to use them. In the meantime, because they're so abundant,
moderate-temperature sites running binary-cycle power plants will be the most common elec-
tricity producers. [4]

VI.ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF GEOTHERMAL

ENERGY

VI.1 ADVANTAGES

clean and efficient heat and energy production The advantages of a geothermal energy are
many but the biggest ones are, you do not need a big space for the power plant compared to
others like oil, nuclear, gas or coal power plants. So the cost of buying land for building a power
plant is reduced right there. It powers itself completely from its own electricity production
which is completely free. The resource is completely free; its just using the steam or the hot
water from underground, it does not need coal or gas from another place to run its generators.
And most importantly it does not pollute at all, there is no pollution from geothermal energy
power plants. It does not release any greenhouse gases either. And in some countries you will
get tax discounts because of your plant is not releasing any pollution into the air.

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VI.2 The DISADVANTAGES

The disadvantages of a geothermal energy are not that many but there is one that is big. extract-
ing geothermal energy can disrupt the surrounding environment; not easily transported second
it takes often many years of surveying and researching the area and then starts the drilling pro-
cess which can also take some time and there is no guarantee that you will find enough well to
process steam, but that is becoming less of a problem due to todays technology in ground
surveying, but it can take even up to 10 years from surveying to actually producing electricity
in a power plant. The wells can also dry out for even 10 years and the ground is a factor too,
the bedrock can be so hard that it is almost impossible to drill down or too expensive. But the
main disadvantages are its location, these places where there is geothermal energy is often in
remote places and miles from any civilization or any structure at all. And many geothermal
power plants also need cold water to cool down the steam before pumping it back down.

VII.ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF GIOTHERMAL ENERGY

The environmental impact of geothermal energy depends on how it is being used. Direct
use and heating applications have almost no negative impact on the environment. Geothermal
power plants do not burn fuel to generate electricity, so their emission levels are very low. They
release less than 1 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions of a fossil fuel plant. Geothermal
plants use scrubber systems to clean the air of hydrogen sulfide that is naturally found in the
steam and hot water. Geothermal plants emit 97 percent less acid rain - causing sulfur com-
pounds than are emitted by fossil fuel plants. After the steam and water from a geothermal
reservoir have been used, they are injected back into the earth.

VIII.SOLUTIONS OF OUR RESEARCH

Geothermal power production represents predictable output and long-lasting resources.
Having no reliance upon transitory environmental states such as wind and sunlight, geothermal
facilities can produce electricity 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As a result, geothermal power
plants have a high capacity factor, demonstrating a level of consistency not found in other
sources. The EIA report lists geothermal power as having the highest capacity factor (92%) of
all the energy sources discussed, higher even than coal (85%), gas (87%), or biomass (83%).
For comparisons sake, the capacity factors for wind, solar and solar PV are listed as 34%, 20%,
and 25% respectively. 27 Geothermal powers reliability is also demonstrated by the longevity
of the resource and its history of successful exploitation. The first electricity from geothermal
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steam was produced in 1904 by Prince Piero Ginori Conti in Larderello, Italy, and it went into
operation as the first commercial geothermal power plant in 1913. This field is still producing
today. In fact, with the exception of a few years during World War II, this field has been pro-
ducing continuously for more than a century. Similarly, in California today 28 Examples such
as these demonstrate the dependability of the resource, and the technology used to exploit it.

IX. Reliability of Geothermal Power Generation

The source of geothermal energy, the Earths heat, is available 24 hours a day, 365 days
a year. Solar and wind energy sources, in contrast, are dependent upon a number of factors,
including daily and seasonal fluctuations and weather variations. For these reasons, electricity
from geothermal energy is more consistently available, once the resource is Capacity factor can
be influenced by changes in the resources, equipment or transmission variability, power market
fluctuations and other factors. For example, a facility may not be able to produce at fully rated
capacity because the resource is constrained a well might become clogged, subsurface condi-
tions might change, or water might not be available in sufficient quantities to support the same
level of resource production. Equipment or transmission problems can negatively influence the
capacity factor even if the resource itself is available. Also, in recent years, capacity factors
are being affected by the power market. While in the past geothermal facilities were almost
always operated as baseload plants, running at a nearly constant output 24hours a day, in recent
years a significant portion of U.S. geothermal facilities are being operated as merchant power
plants and may not have customers all of the time. But, despite all of these factors, geothermal
facilities retain high capacity factors. The table below provides national capacity factor infor-
mation for four renewable energy sources

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CONCLUSION

In this expose base on geothermal energy I asked myself various question and the first
of them was, what is geothermal energy? Geo means earth and thermal means heat so thats
where the word geothermal comes from and geothermal energy comes from under the ground.
It can be in different depths depending on where you are in the world, or geothermal areas and
its energy or source goes as deep as the earths core which is 6000 Celsius. Geothermal energy
has many advantages. Geothermal energy neither produces any pollution, nor does it add to the
greenhouse effect. Besides, it does not need any fuel. Geothermal energy impacts soil very
minimally since the cooler water is re-injected into the ground. But geothermal energy has
some disadvantages. Unfortunately, there arent many places where you can set up a geothermal
power station. Besides, hot rocks of a certain kind are needed that can go down a particular
depth where they can be drilled. The earth may also throw up certain hazardous gases and min-
erals from underground that are difficult to dispose of.

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REFERENCES

[1] REPP Mission: http://www.repp.org/geothermal/geothermal_brief_geothermal_re-

sources.html 2010.
[2] U.S. Department of Energy: http://www. eia.doe. gov/kids/renewable/geothermal.html,
2010
[3] INL Biofuels and Renewable Energy: https://inlportal.inl. gov/portal/server.pt/commu-
nity/geothermal/422/what_is_geothermal_energy.2010.
[4] U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Geothermal Tech-
nologies-Program,http://www1.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/powerplants.html;accessed
03/22/2006.

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