CHAPTER 4.

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
2019
Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

▷ Contents

4.1 Geothermal energy theory

4.2 Heat pump
4.3 Geothermal power generation status
4.4 Utilization of geothermal energy
4.5 Use of geothermal energy and environmental issues
4.6 Geothermal heat pump system education curriculum

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.1 Geothermal energy theory

Geothermal energy is generated heat from Earth's interior and release

through the outer surface of the Earth. The Earth temperature is
getting higher as along as get into center of the earths, the core
temperature reaches 4000 ℃. The thermal conductivity or by the gas,
hot spring and by volcanic eruptions, etc. The amount of different by
each location but featured all Earth surface. Strictly speaking,
geothermal energy is not renewable energy but it is the energy that
from Earth itself so it also energy has infinite potential depends on the
drilling depth.

Shallow geothermal 10~20 ℃

Deep geothermal 40~150 ℃

Fig. 4-1 Earth structure

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.1 Geothermal energy theory

Fig. 4-2 Net Capacity Factor (%) averages for selected renewable

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.1 Geothermal energy theory

In the field of power generation, far the United States occupies
first and in the field of direct use China is becoming to stand
out.

Table 4-1. Top 10 countries in Geothermal Energy Utilization

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.1 Geothermal energy theory

Fig. 4-3 Potential of 150,000 MW installed capacity

compared to ~ 9,000 MW installed today.

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.1 Geothermal energy theory

(a) show geothermal flow
distribution by applying a simple
kriging (b) show geothermal flow
distribution in Korea by applying the
exponential model by ordinary
kriging. Due to the simple kriging
use interpolation based on the
assumption that the average or the
tendency is constant throughout
measure regions, it cannot
represent exact spatiy distribution of
geothermal flow database. Hence,
reflect high geothermal mainly
around spring distribution area
extend to surrounding finally
resulted exaggerated distribution
data.
Fig. 4-4 Geothermal heat flow map of South Korea
by (a)simple kriging (b) ordinary kriging [Korea
Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources]

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.1 Geothermal energy theory

Table 4-2. Geothermal energy resources around the world technically

identified

Estimated minimum Estimated resource Estimated maximum

resource already identified resource

Resource capacity can be sued

0.05 TW 0.2 TW 1-2 TW
for power generation

Resource capacity for direct use 1.0 TW 4.4 TW 22-44 TW

The total capacity 1.5 TW 6.0 TW 30-60 TW

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.2 Heat pump

As direct use of geothermal energy accounts for the largest part is

the geothermal heat pump system. Heat pump is a machine that
remove heat from one side to another side. The common type of
heat pump works by exploiting the physical properties of an
evaporating and condensing fluid. For example, if rubbing alcohol
on hand will felt cool and heat away from the top is because the
alcohol evaporates. This is evaporation heat and the opposite with
the generate liquefaction heat. In other word, there are a medium
that absorbs heat in case of evaporation process and release heat
with liquefaction process.

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.2 Heat pump

Fig. 4-5 Classification of geothermal heat pump

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.2 Heat pump

 Soil source heat pump system

 Surface water heat pump system
 Groundwater heat pump system
 Hybrid geothermal system

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.2.1 Ground heat exchanger

soil bentonite plug

Upper limit line of penetration

clay
water level

sand, gravel U tube rock layer

aquifer
borehole wall

backfill

rock layer borehole diameter

U bend type

Fig. 4-6 Schematic diagram of vertical U tube type ground heat exchanger

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.2.1 Ground heat exchanger circulating fluid - Antifreeze

• Excellent heat transfer capability
• Low viscosity
• No impact on soil environment
• Low cost
• Available for a long term use
Antifreeze commonly used
Calcium chloride, CaCl2-water
Sodium chloride, NaCl-water
Potassium carbonate, K2CO3-water
Ethylene glycol, HOCH2C H2OH-water
Propylene glycol, CH3CHOHCH2OH-water
Methanol, CH3OH-water
Ethanol, C2H5OH-water
Potassium acetate, CH3CHOOK-water
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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.2.2 Heating and cooling cycle in geothermal

heat pump system

Fig. 4-7 Cooling cycle of geothermal heat pump system

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.2.2 Heating and cooling cycle in geothermal

heat pump system

Fig. 4-8 Heating cycle of geothermal heat pump system

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.2 Heat pump

Fig. 4-9 Heat pump supply aim in Japan

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.3 Geothermal power generation status

Fig. 4-10 Comparison of regional geothermal capacity

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.3 Geothermal power generation status

- Heating and cooling load calculations and
geotechnical investigation
- Geothermal exchanger design by simulation(1st)
- Test drilling and thermal test Design and construction process of
- Fix geothermal exchanger design geothermal system
- Drilling
- Geothermal exchanger construction
- Grouting
- Connect heather and heat pump
- Operating fluid injection
- System test operation

Advantages
• The operating cost is relatively inexpensive and technique is relatively simple.
• There is no pollution emission.
• The high operating rate and surplus heat can be used as local energy.

Disadvantages
• Geothermal available area is limited and eligible land is rare in Korea.
• It is a non-renewable energy because is cannot re-supplied
• There are concern of land crust and difficult to grasp the underground conditions

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

▷ Dry steam power plant

Fig. 4-11 Schematic diagram of a dry steam geothermal power plant

Dry steam power plant is applied when the geothermal resource produces
steam (180~350 ℃) directly from the well. The steam after through separators
(remove small sand and rock particles) is fed to the turbine for producing
electricity. This is suitable for geothermal steam do not mix with water.

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

▷ Flash steam power plant

Flash steam power plant is currently the most commonly used in geothermal
power plants. Use pumping the hot water above 182 ℃ with high pressure
and supplied to generator. This commonly applied where geothermal
resource as liquid form.

Fig. 4-12 Schematic diagram of a flash steam geothermal power plant

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

▷ Binary power plant

Unlike dry steam power plant and flash steam power plant, supplied from the store
directly without contact with the steam turbine and derived by second fluid in a closed
cycle is used to operate the turbine rather than geothermal steam. Geothermal fluid is
passed through a heat exchanger called a boiler or vaporizer (in some plants, two heat
exchangers in series the first a preheater and the second a vaporizer) where the heat
in the geothermal fluid is transferred to the working fluid causing it to boil.

Fig. 4-13 Schematic diagram of a binary geothermal power plant

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.3 Geothermal power generation status

Fig. 4-14 Share of worldwide geothermal

power generation classified by each type

Fig. 4-15 Market share of

geothermal power plants facilities

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 Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

▷ Advanced geothermal system The advantage of advanced geothermal systems:

- Supply water through injection well to get

geothermal sources
- Make ground fractures zone artificially in order to
expend generating capacity
- Long life plant
- Outstanding scalability of heat source
- Plant site selection and a minimum of restriction
on scale
- Eco-friendly benefits

The disadvantage of advanced geothermal

systems:
- Uncertainty about economic fractures zone
construction and drilling wells
- The possibility of earthquake

Injection well drilling

Feed water injection
Hydraulic fractures zone
Production well drilling
Expansion of generation capacity

Fig. 4-16 Advanced geothermal system

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.3 Geothermal power generation status

Fig. 4-17 Estimated worldwide capacity of geothermal power plant by 2010

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.4 Utilization of geothermal energy

Direct use
Heat pump, heat source of refrigerator, conditioning and
heating, road snow melting, hot springs, aquaculture and
agricultural facilities.

Indirect use
Geothermal power plant.

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.5 Use of geothermal energy and environmental issues

In order to develop a geothermal power plant it goes through the process of exploration,
production test, installing and operating. These processes occur in the environmental
impact of view, change of land use, inflow contaminants to atmosphere or geothermal
power and groundwater, noise, subsidence, seismic activity, the formation of solid
waste and so on.
In case of geothermal technology installed in conservation areas and clean areas that
natural landscape preservation and heritage conservation can be a problem further
solid waste disposal also have to be solved. Emissions of air pollutant are minimal or
close to zero compare to coal, oil and gas power generation. According to Lund’s
opinion, the noise by geothermal development mainly due to drilling operation and the
noise during operation is caused by rotation of cooling fan and turbine so that are
negligible. It must be consider important facts such as subsidence due to back of
groundwater, drop of groundwater table and seismic activity.

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.6 Geothermal Heat Pump System Education Curriculum

Educational Objectives
- Understanding the efficiency of burying system of Geothermal environment
- Understanding consists of soil heat exchanger, core component of Geothermal system
- Practice on the composition of the system based on the conventional vapor-compression cooling cycle and various
basic automatic controls

 Educational Contents
1. Measurement and analysis a Geothermal heat pump system using software
2. Performance analysis and diagnosis of Geothermal heat pump system
3. Configuration a self-holding STOP priority circuit heating and cooling sequence control circuit of Geothermal heat
pump system and operation
4. Configuration temperature automatic control cooling and heating sequence control circuit of Geothermal heat
pump system and operation
5. Configuration low pressure automatic control cooling and heating sequence control circuit of Geothermal heat
pump system and operation
6. Configuration manual control cooling and heating sequence control circuit of Geothermal heat pump system and
operation
7. Configuration cooling and heating temperature automatic control sequence control circuit of Geothermal heat
pump system and operation
8. Configuration cooling and heating temperature, pressure automatic control sequence control circuit of Geothermal
heat pump system and operation

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Chapter 4. Geothermal energy

4.6 Geothermal Heat Pump System Education Curriculum

Geothermal Heat Pump Cooling & Heating Experiment Equipment

DAQ Software

Mechanical Device
with Control panel

 Test and practice of the 4-way valve control sequence circuit

 Test on forced geothermal heat pump using artificial ground
 Education on the structure and principle of heat pump using geothermal
 Being practicable to operate on manual, temperature and humidity control with connecting
by sequence and drawing a p-h graph
 Saving of data in every sec by excel file on PC

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Thank You !

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