GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

INTRODUCTION :-Geothermal energy is primarily

energy from earths own interior. This energy source
has practically no intermittency, has highest energy
density and is economically not for removed from
conventional technology .Geothermal energy is
classified as renewable because the earth interior is
and will continue in the process of cooling for almost
indefinite future. This geothermal energy of earth has
manifested it self for thousands of year in the form of
volcanoes ,lava flows ,hot springs and geysers.
GEOTHERMAL FIELD :- A typical geothermal field is
shown in the following figure .
Hot molten rock called ‘magma’ is commonly present
at depths greater than 30-40 kms .The heat from this
magma is continuously conducted upwards through
the over laying rock layers .The hot magma (A) near the
surface solidifies into igneous rock (B) .The heat of
magma is conducted upwards through this magma
.The ground water that find its way to this rock through
ground fissures and cracks gets heated because of this
heat . The heated water then rises upward into a
porous and permeable reservoir (C) above the igneous
rock. This reservoir is capped by a layer of
impermeable solid rock (D) that traps the hot water in
reservoir .The huge heat of this trapped hot water
however comes out through the fissures & cracks in
the solid impermeable rocks layer in the form of hot
water and steam.
Geothermal Resource are mainly of three types:-
(1)Hydrothermal system; It is two types
(a)Vapour dominated system.
(b)Liquid dominated system.
(2) Petro-thermal or Hot dry rocks (HDR).
(3) Magma resources.
HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEM :- In this type reservoir heat
from the water which has got heated by contact with
hot rock is used. They are of two types:
(a)Vapour Dominated Hydrothermal Resources : In
these systems the water is vaporised into steam that
reaches the surface in a relatively dry condition at
about 2000c and at pressure about 8 bar .This steam is
most suitable for use in turbo electric plants .These are
the most attractive geothermal resources because they
are most easily developed at least cost and with
minimum problems. However there are very few of
such sites available in the world .The schematic and T-S
representation of vapour dominated power plant is
shown in following figures .
Plant working on this vapour dominated system use
much lower temperature and pressure steam and
higher condenser pressure than conventional plants
and hence they are much lower in efficiency. Because
of the low steam temperature the thermal efficiency is
only 15%, compared with 40% in modern fossil fuel
plant.
(b)Liquid Dominated Hydrothermal System:-In this
system the hot water trapped under ground is at a
temperature range of 1700c to 3150c. When tapped by
wells drilled in the right places the hot water reaches
surfaces through these wells which can be used for
power generation or other applications.
These systems are mainly of two types
1. Flashed steam system.
2. Binary cycle system.
There is third method also known as ‘total flow
concept’ which is still in development stage.
1. Flashed Steam System: The schematic and T-S
representation of this system is shown in the
following figure which is self explanatory.
 The flashed system has the following limitations as
compared with vapour dominated system.
(1)Large mass flow rates of steam are required and due
to large amount of flow there is greater surface
subsidence.
(2)Many times temperature and pressure of the water
may not be sufficient to produce flash steam.
2.Binary Cycle System : In order to isolate the turbine
from corrosive or erosive materials and to
accommodate higher concentration of
noncondensable gases ,the binary cycle has been
evolved .This is basically a Rankine cycle with organic
working fluid in the binary system low boiling point
organic fluid such as isobutane ,propane or freons can
be used. The flow diagram of the binary system is given
in the figure which is self explainotary .The heat
exchanger is shell and tube type so that no direct
contact between brine and the working fluid takes
place.
PETROTHERMAL RESOURCES OR HOT DRY ROCKS :
These are very hot solid rocks occurring at moderate
depths but to which water does not have access, either
because of absence of ground water or the low
permeability of the rock (or both).The temperature of
these dry rocks varies between 150-300 0c and this
energy of rocks is called as petrothermal energy and it
represents by far the largest resources of geothermal
energy. In principle the recovery of heat from such dry
rocks involves breaking up or cracking of rock to make
it permeable and then introducing water from the
surface, circulating it through the cracks and then
collecting the water back for utilising in various
applications. Rocks are fractured detonating explosives
at the bottom well drilled into the rock or by using
hydraulic fracturing techniques. Heat is then extracted
by circulating the water through the cracks. Extraction
of petrothermal energy is shown in the following
figure.

Additional beneficial feature of HDR is that as the heat

is extracted through the rocks, more thermal stresses
are developed and hence more cracks are developed
resulting in more useful crack area available for heat
transfer. It should be noted that two wells are to be
drilled and that these wells are drilled very deep and
into much harder rock. This makes petrothermal
exploitation very costly.
MAGMA RESOURCES:- These consists of partically or
completely molten rock with temperatures in excess of
6500c, which may be encountered at moderate depths,
especially in a recently active volcanic region. These
resources have large geothermal energy content but
they at very few locations furthermore, the very high
temperatures make extraction of energy a costly
technological problem.

ADVANTAGE OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY :

1. Energy density is high.
2. It is versatile in its use.
3. Practically no intermittency , practically
inexhaustible.
4. Economically not far away from present
technology.

DISADVANTAGE OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY :

1. Overall efficiency of the plant is 15-20%
compared to 30-40% of fossil fuel plants.
2. Geothermal brine is highly corrosive & erosive
and hence equipment life is very poor.
3. Withdrawal of large amount of geothermal
water causes surface subsidence.
4. Drilling operation is very noisy.
5. Geothermal water and steam contain lot of
noncondensable gases and solid particles which
create various problems in heat transfer
equipments.