Geothermal Energy

Introduction

 What is geothermal energy?

- It is simply the heat energy of the earth,
generated by various natural processes, such as:
a. Heat from when the planet formed and
accreted, which has not yet been lost
b. Decay of radioactive elements
c. Friction
Where is geothermal energy found?

 Found along major plate boundaries where earthquakes and volcanoes are
concentrated
 Geysers
 Hot springs
 Fumaroles
 Geothermal reservoirs
Geothermal Reservoirs

 The rising hot water and steam is

trapped in permeable and porous rocks to
form a geothermal reservoir.

 Reservoirs can be discovered by

a. Testing the soil
b. Analyzing underground temperature
Energy Utilization
Energy utilization

 The heat energy can be brought to earth’s surface by the following ways
a. directly from hot springs/geysers
b. geothermal heat pump

 It has 2 uses:
a. direct use
b. indirect use
Direct Use

 Hot springs, used as spas

 Heating water at fish farms
 Provide heat for buildings
 Raising plants in greenhouses, dying crops
 Provides heat to industrial processes
Indirect Use

 Electricitygeneration is the only process involved in the

indirect use of Geothermal Energy
Electricity Generation

 There are 3 types of Power Plants involved in Geothermal Energy

Dry:

a. Dry Steam power plant

b. Flash Steam power plant
c. Binary Cycle power plant
Dry Steam Power Plant

 The oldest type of Geothermal power plant used

 Uses steam directly from a geothermal reservoir to turn generator turbines
 Geothermal reservoir containing pure steam is required
 Very rare type of geothermal power plant
Flash Steam Power Plant

 Commonly used geothermal power plant

 Takes high-pressure hot water from deep inside the earth and convert it to steam
to drive generator turbines. When the steam cools, it condenses to water and is
injected back into the ground to be used again. Most geothermal power plants are
flash steam plants.
 Geothermal reservoirs containing both hot water and steam is required
 Pressure changing system is required
Binary Cycle Power Plant

 Does not use steam directly to spin turbines

 Transfers 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.
 Only the heat of the underground water is used
 Vaporized hydrocarbons are used to spin the turbine
 Hydrocarbons having lower boiling point such as isopentane, isobutane and
propane can be used
 No harmful gas is emitted to the atmosphere because the underground water is
never disclosed to outside
 The world’s most accepted geothermal powerplant
Advantages

 Significant cost saving

 Reduce reliance on fossil fuels
 Environmental benefits
 Independent of Weather
 Sustainable Resource
Disadvantages

 High installation cost

 Suited to a particular region
 May release harmful gases