Geothermal Power

Introduction

What is geothermal energy? Geothermal energy- energy that comes from the ground; power extracted from heat stored in the earth
Geo:

earth Thermal: heat

How Geothermal Power Plant Works

Earths core heat Fluid steam drive Turbines Electrical generators Area specific
Geothermal

energy is localized

1. Heat

2. Permeability

3. Water

Contd.

Heat
Resource

temperature is good first indicator of economic viability. Pacific Ring of fire

Contd.

Permeability
Ability

of reservoir fluid to flow through the rock formation. Allows deep-seated geothermal heat sources to create a geothermal resource through the convection of hot water or steam.

Contd.

Water
motive

fluid for geothermal power production.

Types of Geothermal Power Plants

Main Types of Geothermal Power Plants:

Dry

Steam

Flash

Steam
Cycle Flash Steam

Binary

Double Hot

Dry Rock

Dry Steam Geothermal Plants

Uses Steam From Geothermal Reservoir Directly

Only Requires Removal of Rock Fragments From Steam Prior to Entering Turbines

Flash Steam Geothermal Power Plants

The steam once it has been separated from the water,it is piped to the powerhouse where it is used to drive the steam turbine. This is the most commonly used power plant today.

Binary Cycle Geothermal Power Plants

Use heat to vaporize organic liquid E.g., iso-butane Use vapor to drive turbine Causes vapor to condense Recycle continuously Typically 7 to 12 % efficient

Double Flash Geothermal Power Plants

Similar to single flash operation Steam drives a secondstage turbine Also uses exhaust from first turbine Increases output 20-25% for 5% increase in plant costs

Hot Dry Rock Technology

Wells drilled 3-6 km into crust Hot crystalline rock formations Water pumped into formations Water flows through natural fissures picking up heat Hot water/steam returns to surface Steam used to generate power

Combined Cycles Geothermal Power Plants

(Flash and Binary) Steam drives primary turbine Remaining heat used to create organic vapor Organic vapor drives a second turbine

Geothermal Power Plant

Advantages:

Useful minerals can be extracted from underground water.

Flash and Dry Steam Power Plants emit 1000x to 2000x less carbon dioxide than fossil fuel plants, no nitrogen oxides and little SO2.

Geothermal electric plants production in 13.380 g of Carbon dioxide per kWh, whereas the CO2 emissions are 453 g/kWh for natural gas, 906g g/kWh for oil and 1042 g/kWh for coal.
Binary and Hot Dry Rock plants have no gaseous emission at all. Geothermal plants do not require a lot of land, 400m2 can produce a gigawatt of energy over 30 years.

Geothermal Power Plant

Disadvantages:

Brine can salinate soil if the water is not injected back into the reserve after the heat is extracted.
Extracting large amounts of water can cause land subsidence, There is the fear of noise pollution during the drilling of wells.

Smelly gasses H2S, Ammonia, Boron

Release of steam and hot water can be noisy Limited # of High Temp. Resources Capable of Electric Generation Using Current Technology

Initial start up cost (expensive)