Professional Documents
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APPLICATIONS
Marianne Salomón
Outline
Background
Geothermal power generating systems
Single-flash steam power plants
Double-flash steam power plants
Dry steam power plants
Binary cycle power plants
Advanced geothermal conversion systems
Direct applications
Balneology
Agriculture
Aquaculture
Space heating
Space cooling
Heat Pumps
Environmental impacts
Selected case studies
Renewable Energy Technology Course 2
Worldwide outlook
Background
It aly
Renewable
Jord
Country
an
Current Status
Kore
a
Mace
d onia
Nepa
l
New
Z eal
and
Vene
Energy (TJ/yr)
zuela
4
Geothermal Regions
Temperature
at 100 m
depth
geothermal fluid
conditions.
Ideal where
geothermal fluids
contain low levels
of impurities
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Double-flash Steam Power Plants
Scaling and non-condensable problems
are minimum
Raises the efficiency up to 20-25% and
the plant cost only by 5%
Extremely large volumes of geothermal
fluid are required -> sometimes can be as
much as 5 times more fluid than for a dry
steam plant with the same power output.
Low temperature
resources can be
developed (not
possible with single-
flash systems.
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Binary Cycle Power Plants
The geofluid is compressed and
passed through the heat exchangers
and finally disposed in the injection
wells still in liquid phase
Binary plants constitute 33% of all
geothermal units in operation but
generate only 3% of the total power
Typical geofluid conditions: 150 C
η ranges between 10% and 13%
(ηcarnot =26% for Τ = 150 C )
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Environmental Impacts of Binary
Cycle Power Plants
Most benign of all power plants
Only thermal pollution (i.e. geothermal
plants of all types discharge more
waste heat per unit of power output
than other thermal power plants).
Reykjavik DHRenewable
system: installed capacity of 830 MWth
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serving 180’000 people
Space Cooling
Space cooling is a feasible option where
absorption machines can be adapted to
geothermal use.
insulating
properties of the
earth, can keep us
warm or cool
Cooling
mode
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Geothermal Heat Pumps
Different styles of pipes
are installed beside a
building. A liquid is piped
through the pipes to pick
up the heat FROM the
ground or to bring heat
from the building TO the
ground.
Ground source heat
pumps can be
categorized as having
closed or open loops,
and those loops can be
installed in three ways:
horizontally, vertically, or
in a pond/lake.
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Geothermal heating in IEA
countries (2004)
Source: http://www.canren.gc.ca/
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Geothermal Energy Benefits
Because there is no combustion, earth energy
systems cannot explode and there is no need to
store fuel. Insurance companies often provide a
discount on policies that use earth energy.
If you install an earth energy system in a
commercial or industrial building, you eliminate the
need for a flat roof and cooling towers. That allows
architects to increase the aesthetic appeal of the
building’s design.
Earth energy systems can deliver heat to one room
and simultaneously provide cooling to an adjacent
room. This is extremely useful in institutional
buildings such as schools.
Source: http://www.canren.gc.ca/
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Geothermal Energy Benefits
In commercial or industrial buildings,
earth energy systems reduce the need
for mechanical space. That allows
space to be used for more productive
purposes. In many cases, the cost
savings from reduced overhead space
in the ceiling and the mechanical room
can offset any increased cost for the
installation of the system.