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Geothermal Energy

The document discusses geothermal energy and how heat from the Earth's interior is tapped as an energy source. Heat originates from the Earth's formation and radioactive decay inside. It is transported to the surface by conduction, convection in the mantle, and magma rising in the crust. Geothermal resources are classified by temperature and used without combustion. Risks include induced seismicity, ground deformation, and economic feasibility.

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pedrayacasey
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15 views18 pages

Geothermal Energy

The document discusses geothermal energy and how heat from the Earth's interior is tapped as an energy source. Heat originates from the Earth's formation and radioactive decay inside. It is transported to the surface by conduction, convection in the mantle, and magma rising in the crust. Geothermal resources are classified by temperature and used without combustion. Risks include induced seismicity, ground deformation, and economic feasibility.

Uploaded by

pedrayacasey
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

&
GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT

8 October 2021 1
Explain how heat from inside the Earth (geothermal) is tapped as a
source of energy for human use

8 October 2021 2
What is Geothermal Energy?
• “Geothermal" comes from the Greek words geo (earth) and
thermal (heat). So, geothermal means earth heat.

• The thermal energy contained in the interior of the earth is


called geothermal energy.

• Geothermal heat originates from earth's fiery consolidation of


dust and gas over four billion years ago.

• The geothermal energy is enormous and will last for several


millions of years and is therefore called renewable
Origins of geothermal energy

– 1. Left-over heat from


the time of the accretion
of the earth (4.6 By BC)
(30%)

– 2. heat generated by the


decay of the long-lived
radioactive isotopes of
uranium (U238, U235),
thorium (Th232) and
potassium (K40) (70%).
Origins of geothermal energy
Temperature distribution in the earth

Temperatures in the earth Geothermal gradient in the upper 150km


dT/dz ~ 30 oC/km
Origins of geothermal energy
Mechanisms of heat transport in the earth

1) Heat transport by conduction

Fourier’s law

Thermal conductivity of rocks


1 Origins of geothermal energy
Mechanisms of heat transport in the earth

(2) Heat transport by


convection

Mantle convection driving


the plates

Numerical simulation of
Mantle convection
Origins of geothermal energy
Heat flow at the earth’s surface

• Average heat flow


= 60mW/m2

• Compare with
Solar Constant
S= 1360 W/m2

• Note the large


lateral
variations across
the surface of the
earth

Explanation by
Theory of
Plate
Tectonics
Origins of geothermal energy
The earth’s thermal regime and relation with plate tectonics
Origins of geothermal energy
The earth’s thermal regime and relation with plate tectonics

Plates, plate boundaries and distribution of volcanoes across the earth


Origins of geothermal energy
Plate tectonics and geothermal fields

World pattern of plates, oceanic ridges, oceanic trenches, subduction zones, and geothermal fields.
http://www.geothermal-energy.org/105,interactive_map.html
Question arises how does it comes to
the earth surface?

• The heat from the earth's core continuously flows outward. It


transfers (conducts) to the surrounding layer of rock, the
mantle.

• When temperatures and pressures become high enough, some


mantle rock melts, becoming magma.

• Then, because it is lighter (less dense) than the surrounding


rock, the magma rises (convects), moving slowly up toward
the earth's crust, carrying the heat from below. c
Pictorial view showing how exactly
it takes happens?
HOW EXACTLY IT IS BEING
REPLENISHED…???
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
• The Earth's temperature increases with depth, with the
temperature at the center reaching more than 4200 °C (7600 °
F).

• A portion of this heat is a relic of the planet's formation about


4.5 billion years ago, and a portion is generated by the
continuing decay of radioactive isotopes.

• Heat naturally moves from hotter to cooler regions, so Earth's


heat flows from its interior toward the surface.
Use of geothermal energy

Lindal-Diagram

Geothermal use depend


on the temperature of the
geothermal reservoir
Ecological aspects of geothermal energy

5.1 Energy potential of a geothermal reservoir


(meaning it is basically a regenerative energy source)

5.2 Regeneration of a geothermal reservoir (sustainability)

5.2.1 Regeneration in a fissured rock system with


convective heat
transport

5.2.2 Pure heat conduction in a solid rock system

(requires complicated numerical modeling of the flow and


heat
transport in a reservoir)
Risks of the use of geothermal energy Basel

6.1 Risks of seismic events


http://www.uni-kassel.de/fb14/geohydraulik/Lehre/
Geophysik_Geothermie/Vortraege_2009/
Boos_Basel_Projekt.ppt

6.2 Risks at buildings due to vertical


deformations Staufen
of the earth’s surface or from drilling
http://www.uni-kassel.de/fb14/geohydraulik/Lehre/
Geophysik_Geothermie/Vortraege_2009/
Seeliger_Staufen_Projekt.ppt

6.3 Economic risks Aachen


http://www.uni-kassel.de/fb14/geohydraulik/Lehre/Geoph
ysik_Geothermie/
Vortraege_2007/Angebotspotential_Schmidmeier.ppt

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