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Outline
Introduction
What is geothermal energy?
Utilization of geothermal energy
The Southampton CHP Scheme
Projections
Introduction
Developments in alternative energy sources
sparked by
Threats of traditional energy resource exhaustion
Drive to self-sufficiency
Growing concern for the environment
Traditional Utilization of
Geothermal Energy
Natural releases of geothermal energy have
been utilized for centuries:
Balneology
Healing
Hygiene
Mineral extraction
geothermal water can contain useful minerals
Boric acid, sulfur, vitriol or aluminum
Photo: www.geothermal.marin.org/
Geothermal Fields
Geothermal field - thermal area where permeable rock
formations below ground contain a working fluid without
which the area could not be exploited (Armstead, 1978)
Geothermal field characterizations:
Semi-thermal field- produces water up to 100oC from drilling
depths of 1-2 km
Wet hyper-thermal field (water-dominated)- produces pressurized
water > 100oC
Dry hyper-thermal field (vapor-dominated)- produces dry
saturated, or slightly superheated steam at P > Patm
Farming applications
Industrial usages
Geothermal Usages
Semi-thermal fields
District heating
Building/hot water heating
Sidewalk clearing
Farming applications
Ex. Greenhouses in Iceland
Industrial usages
Currently
Individual power plants operate at capacities
ranging between 100kW and 100MW (World
Bank, 2004)
Dependent on energy resource and power demand
2) Electricity production:
There are three types of power plant that
can convert geothermal energy to
electricity, depending on the temperature
of the geothermal fluid used. All three use
a turbine that is driven by steam, which
then drives a generator to produce
electricity.
Electricity Generation
Thermal energy associated with high temperature
fluids extracted from hyper-thermal fields may be
converted into mechanical work and then electricity
(Wahl, 1977)
Thermal energy is converted into mechanical work by
expanding hot fluid
Electrical energy generally produced by a generator
powered by an expansion machine producing
mechanical work in the form of a rotating shaft
Expansion machines
Steam turbines
Piston-driven engines
Solar or Geothermal??
While geothermal resources are not
spread uniformly, heat pumps can be used
nearly anywhere. This answers the
question that using a heat pump uses
solar energy, as they can be used in
places where no geothermal energy is
available!
Projections Explained
Values in GJ as PJ values too small to
graphically show.
The demand value for 2003 was 9914.8PJ so an
input of 0.00008208PJ from a possible
geothermal source proves insignificant and this
source is therefore not worth investing in!
References
Books
Armstead, H. C. 1978. Geothermal Energy. John Wiley and Sons: New York, p. 1-12, 39-41,
61-141
Carrington, G. 2002. Basic Thermodynamics. Oxford University Press: New York, p. 31-39.
Collie, M. J. 1978. Geothermal Energy: Recent Developments. Noyas Data Corporation: New
Jersey, p. 35-70, 98-104.
Gupta, H. K. 1980. Geothermal Resources: An Energy Alternative. Elsevier Scientific
Publishing Company: New York, p. 51-98
Veziroglu, T. N. 1977. Alternative Energy Sources: An International Compendium.
Hemisphere Publishing Corporation: New York, p.2577-2598
Veziroglu, T. N. 1980. Alternative Energy Sources III, Volume 4, Indirect Solar/Geothermal
Energy. Hemisphere Publishing Corporation: New York, p. 471-487.
Wahl, E. F. 1977. Geothermal Energy Utilization. John Wiley and Sons: New York, p. 170181.
Websites
The World Bank Group. 2004. Geothermal Energy. Available at
http://www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/energy/geothermal/. Last accessed April 7, 2004.
US Department of Energy. 2004. Geothermal Technologies Program. Available at
http://www.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/. Last accessed April 7, 2004.
Geothermal Education Office. 2001. Introduction to Geothermal Energy Slide Show. Available
at http://geothermal.marin.org/GEOpresentation/. Last accessed April 7, 2004