L5.1: Geothermal Energy

• GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

  ● In the most volcanically and tectonically active regions of the world. Active Fault Line
• GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

  Advantages

  ● Reliable and consistent

  ● Environmentally friendly compared to fossil fuels.

  ● Sustainable source of energy due to its availability.

  ● Fossil fuel is not a requirement for plants to work.
• GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

  Disadvantages

  ● Location specific

  ● Release of CO2 and Hydrogen Sulfide; release of gases.

  ● Drawing heat from the Earth’s surface can lower the temperature of below the surface.

  ● Risky when there’s an earthquake.

  ● Cost is high due to expensive materials
• GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

  ● The heat of the earth came from the earth’s interior from the radioactive decay and from the continuous heat loss since the formation of the earth.

  ● Due to the heat, rocks, and water from the earth’s crust may produce some steam which we call an “electricity source”.
• GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

  ● Harnessing: Wells are dug 1-2 miles beneath the surface because these are the regions where the earth is especially heated.

  1. High-pressure hot water is pushed through a well from a very deep subterranean location.

  2. The pressure drops as the water reaches the surface, which causes the water to condense into steam.

  3. A turbine that is attached to a generator to generate energy is spun by steam.

  4. The steam condenses back into the water after cooling off in a cooling tower.

  5. Pumping the cooled water back into the Earth restarts the process.
• Types of Geothermal Power Plant

  ● Dry Steam Power Plant

  ● Flash Steam Power Plant

  ● Binary Cycle Power Plant
• Types of Geothermal Power Plant

  ● Dry Steam Power Plant

  ○ The unique process of this system is that the power plant uses the natural steam that rises from the earth’s interior and makes it flow to the pipes and runs the turbines and produces electricity.
• Types of Geothermal Power Plant

  ● Flash Steam Power Plant

  ○ This type of system uses hot water from the underground and then pumps it up to the surface through a vacuum that makes the water evaporate and produce steam, then the excess water shall be brought back to the source.
• Types of Geothermal Power Plant

  ● Binary Cycle Power Plant

  ○ It has a system that transfers heat from hot water sipped miles deep to other liquids. The exceedingly high temperature of geothermal water changes the other liquid into steam to drive the generator turbines.