Geothermal

Energy

 Locations of Geothermal Energy

 Thermal Gradient and Heat Flow

Technologies for Geothermal Energy

 Geo = Earth
Thermal = Heat
INTRODUCTION
The temperature of Earth increases
with depth in the Earth’s crust at a typical rate of 20K/km
above the surface ambient temp (called the Geothermal
Gradient)
Geothermal energy comes from the natural heat of the Earth
primarily due to the decay of the naturally radioactive isotopes of
uranium, thorium and potassium.

At the base of the continental crust, temperatures are believed to

range from 200 to 1000°C, and at the centre of the earth the
temperatures may be in the range of 3500 to 4500°C.The heat is
transferred from the interior towards the surface mostly by
conduction.
ABOUT GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

- Definition : The heat that generated/derived & stored from the

interior of earth.

- "Geo" means earth and "thermal" means heat

- The Earth has four main layers,  each layer has different
compositions, functions and temperatures

- The heat of the earth radiates outward and sometimes

melts the mantle at temperatures of 300°F - 700°F

- The heat come from

- Hot water and hot rock found

a few miles beneath the Earth's surface
- Molten rock called magma.
How does Geothermal Power is Produced?

• Resource – Natural heat of the earth.

• Heat comes from molten rock called magma
• Magma – located at earth’s core

• Magma heats water at high temperature –

superheated fluid
• Superheated fluid -> Steam -> Energy
Wellhead TURBINE
Separator
Hot Dry Rocks
 Process Flow
Magma heats
Rain Water
water – Production
seeps through 1 2
superheated Wells
earth cracks
fluid

Wellhead
Electrical Separator
5 Turbine 4
Generator (Fluid +
Steam)
6

Injection Well
Step-up (reheat the
transformer 7
fluid)
 Wellhead Separator
• The pressure of fluid is reduced - Result in
rapidly vaporize of fluid and flash into high
pressure steam
• Any fluid not flash into steam will moves to
standard pressure crystallizer – produce
standard pressure steam
• Remaining steam will flash at a lower
pressure to create low pressure steam
• All steam created by the plant will be send to
turbine
General concept

Top 6 Biggest Geothermal Power Plant in the

World??????
LOCATION OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

-Geothermal energy is generally

harnessed in areas of volcanic
activity.

- Largest producers :
- United States
- Philippines
- Italy
- Mexico
-Indonesia
- Japan
Drilling needed to
access the heat
 How to access heat?
- Drill 2 holes, one to inject cold water,
another to extract hot water.

- Circulate fluid.

- Use hot water to generate steam that turns

turbine of standard design.
Types Geopressurized
hot, high pressure brines with dissolved
methane (more to offshore)

Hot dry rock

Magma

Hydrothermal (convective)
hot water/ steam in confined
aquifers, under pressure
(commercial)
Classification of geothermal resources
 Geopressurized

hot, high pressure brines with

dissolved methane (more to offshore)
Hot dry rock

commonly referred to
as 'hot rocks', these
systems exploit the
heat stored in hot rocks
or called as
‘granite rocks’ deep
beneath the earth by
fracturing the rock to
create permeable
reservoirs.
Magma
 Hydrothermal

Geothermal energy uses the earth's natural

internal heat to generate electricity and heating.
Geothermal energy may be stored or trapped in
liquids such as water and brine (hydrothermal
process).
Directly for heating.
Indirectly to generate electricity.
Creil geothermal district heating (near Paris)
Electric Power Generation
- Generated using steam/ hydrocarbon vapour to
turn a turbine generator.
Direct Utilization
- Low intermediate temperature range.
- Economic drilling depths methods.
Geothermal Heat Pumps
- Ground sources heat pumps (GHPs) constant
temperature of the earth to provide heating.
- A small amount of electricity is required to run a
compressor.
ABOUT GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

Different types of Geothermal Energy Plant

Dry Steam Geothermal Steam from earth direct spin the turbine

Single Flash Steam Plant High-pressure hot water from earth, then transfer to
low pressure tank and turn to steam

Binary Circle transfer the heat from geothermal hot water to

another liquid. The heat causes the second liquid to
turn to steam, which is used to drive a generator
turbine.
 air and
water
generator vapour
turbine
condenser
cooling
steam tower
air air

water
hot
well
condensate

geothermal zone

production well injection well

(a) dry steam power plant

 air and
water
generator vapour
turbine
condenser
cooling
steam tower
air air
water
steam hot
condensate well
brine waste brine direct
heat
uses

geothermal zone

production well injection well

(b) single flash steam power plant

 air and
water
generator vapour
turbine
condenser
iso-butane
cooling
(vapour) tower
iso-butane air air

heat exchanger water

hot brine

geothermal zone

production well injection well

(c) binary cycle power plant

Environmental issues

CO2 emissions
 Impact of Geothermal Energy
Advantage Disadvantage
Significant Cost Saving(Maintenance) Not well known and less skilled man
power

Reduce dependability on Fossil Fuels High in Installation Cost

Zero pollution and environmental friendy Possible to run out of steam
Direct usability Only suit to particular region
(geological)
Job opportunity Possibility to purge harmful gases
Renewable source of energy The distance from source to user must
not far (transport)

No waste(residue) built in as no The energy obtained is too small

generation occured

Weather independent condition Possibility in volcano eruption

Implementation issues