Energy and the Environment Energy Sources: Renewables Geothermal Energy

Lesson 4, Topic 4

In Progress

← Previous

Geothermal Energy

Abdulaziz July 15, 2020

Lesson Progress

0% Complete

Trekking Geothermal Pool In Iceland

Geothermal Activity and Geysers

Geothermal Power Plant

Geothermal (renewable or not??)

A USA agency estimates total energy available to be ~15,000 x energy in all known oil and gas reserves in the world
always be available when it is needed
not always available where it is needed

https://www.mpoweruk.com/geothermal_energy.htm

Geothermal Power

steam brought up from reservoir
directed past turbines
shaft of turbine turns generator
spinning magnets of generator convert rotational energy into electricity
depleted steam condensed and re injected

Hot steam from underground is piped directly into turbines, which powers the generator. — https://www.saveonenergy.com/how-geothermal-energy-works/

Direct heat energy: geothermal

Where sufficient accessible geothermal energy is present it can be used for:
- heating buildings (individually or whole towns)
- raising plants in greenhouses
- drying crops
- heating water (ie fish farms)
- industrial processes (ie pasteurizing milk)

Geothermal heat pumps

shallow ground (upper 3m) maintains a temperature between 10 -16°C
in certain countries this is:
- warmer than the air above it in winter
- cooler than the air above it in summer
heat exchange occurs via:
- a system of pipes buried in shallow ground
- a fluid (water and anti freeze) circulates through the pipes to absorb or relinquish heat within the ground

http://geothermalheatpumpconsortium.org/