geothermal energy
DESCRIPTION
Geothermal Energy. Presented by: William Murray March 28, 2007. What is Geothermal Energy?. Defined: Energy that is generated by converting hot water or steam from deep beneath the Earth’s surface into electricity. Unique renewable Natural Energy Flow Heat Mining Enthalpy. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Geothermal Energy
Presented by: William MurrayMarch 28, 2007
What is Geothermal Energy?
• Defined: Energy that is generated by converting hot water or steam from deep beneath the Earth’s surface into electricity.
• Unique renewable• Natural Energy Flow
– Heat Mining– Enthalpy
The Heat Source• Tiny quantities of radioactive isotopes
liberate heat as they decay• Core heat transfer through convection• Accessible in locations where heats
interior is brought within reach– Lithospheric Plates
• Significant heat flow• Volcanic activity
The Heat Source Cont’d• High enthalpy systems are divided
into two categories– Vapor Dominated
• Best and most productive• Free of liquids
– Liquid Dominated• Relies on water at boiling point• Often results in steam “flash”
• Two-phase zone
Geothermal Potential• Nature of the resource
– Fluid Temperature– Salinity– Fluid Pressure– Gas Content
• Economies of Scale• Maximum efficiency
Four Main Types• Dry steam power plant• Single flash steam power plant• Binary cycle power plant• Double flash power plant
Dry Steam Power Plant
Single/Double Flash Steam
Binary Cycle Power Plant
Ground Source Heat Pump
Global Capacity• Worldwide use of geothermal 9.3GW
– 28 GW used directly for heating– 100GWt through ground-source heat
pumps• Potential for 65-138GW• MIT claims 100GWe by 2050• 0.3% of US energy consumption
Environmental Impact• Gaseous emissions
– Less than 1/10th of coal-fired carbon emissions
– Dissolved gasses• Land use • Noise• Potential ground subsidence
Geothermal Usage• Iceland generates 26.5% of energy from geothermal
– .1% Fossil fuels– 73% Hydro
• In the US– Alaska (1 Plant)– California (4.8% of electrical energy, 2.4GW installed
capacity)– Hawaii (30MW on largest island, 20% of electrical energy)– Nevada(15 plants, 254MW)– Utah (reconstructed developing plants)
Applications in Belize• Belize is the only country in Central
America that does not have the potential for geothermal energy according to the US Department of Energy
QUESTIONS?!!