Geothermal Energy

EE153/B12 Atienza, Jannela Pontanares, Sergio Rostata, Erwin

Geothermal Energy
Comes from the Greek roots (ge), meaning earth, and (thermos), meaning hot

Why use Geothermal Energy?

cost effective reliable sustainable environment friendly

Geothermal Energy Applications

district heating, space heating, spas industrial processes, agricultural applications

Geothermal Plant Designs

Dry steam Flash steam Binary cycle

Geothermal Plant Designs: Dry Steam

Geothermal Plant Designs: Flash Steam

Geothermal Plant Designs: Binary Cycle

Drilling
SEDIMENTARY ROCK
- most of the World's fossil fuels are formed in sedimentary rocks they have been drilled, assessed and mapped. - there is no need to introduce water and circulate it through the rock as it is already there.

HOT ROCKS
- Geothermal energy from hot dry rocks is recovered by drilling deep into the hot

crystalline rocks (usually granites) and forcing water down an injection well and through fractures forced open by the water pressure in the rocks and back to the surface through fractures connecting to other wells drilled nearby. The water gathers heat and becomes superheated as it flows through the hot rocks.

Worldwide Geothermal Uses and Potential

Environmental Impacts
Land
1. 2. 3. Vegetation loss Soil erosion Landslides Slight air heating Local fogging Reservoir cooling Seismicity (tremors) Watershed impact 2. 3. 4. 5. Damming streams Hydrothermal eruptions Lower water table Subsidence

Air
1. 2. 1. 2. 1.

Noise

Ground Water

Cost of Geothermal Power

Unit Cost (US /kWh) High Quality Resource Unit Cost (US /kWh) Medium Quality Resource 5.5-8.5 Unit Cost (US /kWh) Low Quality Resource

Small plants (<5 MW)

5.0-7.0

6.0-10.5

Medium Plants (5-30 MW) Large Plants (>30 MW)

4.0-6.0

4.5-7

Normally not suitable

2.5-5.0

4.0-6.0

Normally not suitable

Direct Capital Costs

Plant Size High Quality Resource Medium Quality Resource Low Quality Resource Small plants (<5 MW) Exploration : US$400-800 Steam field:US$100-200 Power Plant:US$1100-1300 Total: US$1600-2300 Exploration : US$250-400 Steamfield:US$200-US$500 Power Plant: US$850-1200 Total: US$1300-2100 Exploration:: US$100-200 Steam field:US$300-450 Power Plant:US$750-1100 Total: US$1150-1750 Exploration : US$400-1000 Steam field:US$300-600 Power Plant:US$1100-1400 Total: US$1800-3000 Exploration: : US$250-600 Steam field:US$400-700 Power Plant:US$950-1200 Total: US$1600-2500 Exploration : US$100-400 Steam field:US$400-700 Power Plant:US$850-1100 Total: US$1350-2200 Exploration : US$400-1000 Steam field:US$500-900 Power Plant:US$1100-1800 Total:US$2000-3700 Normally not suitable

Med Plants (5-30 MW)

Normally not suitable

Large Plants (>30 MW)

Operating / Maintenance Cost

O&M Cost (US c/KWh) Small plants (<5 MW) O&M Cost (US c/KWh) Medium Plants (5-30 MW) O&M Cost (US c/KWh) Large Plants(>30 MW)

Steam field

0.35-0.7

0.25-0.35

0.15-0.25

0.45-0.7 Power Plant

0.35-0.45

0.25-0.45

0.8-1.4
Total

0.6-0.8

0.4-0.7

Heat pump POOL Heater

What is a Heat Pump?

A heat pump is a device that is able to transfer heat from one fluid at a lower temperature to another at a higher temperature. Heat pumps owe their name to the fact that they allow heat to be carried from a lower to a higher temperature level, inverting natural heat flow which - as is well known - in nature tends to be from a higher to a lower temperature. The function of the heat pump may therefore be compared to that of a water pump positioned between two water basins that are connected to each other but which are located at different altitudes: water will naturally flow from the higher to the lower basin. It is, however, possible to return water to the higher basin by using a pump, which draws water from the lower one.

What it is and how it works?

A heat pump consists of a closed circuit through which a special fluid (refrigerant) flows. This fluid takes on a liquid or gaseous state according to temperature and pressure conditions. This closed circuit consists of:

Electric Heat Pump

a compressor a condenser

Gas Absorption Heat Pump

a generator an absorber a condenser

an expansion valve
an evaporator

a series of restrictors
an evaporator

The condenser and the evaporator consist of heat exchangers, During operation, the refrigerant, inside the circuit, undergoes the following transformations: Electric Heat Pump Condensation: refrigerant flowing from the compressor passes from a gaseous to liquid state, giving off heat to the outside Expansion: passing through the expansion valve, the liquid refrigerant cools and is partially transformed into vapour Evaporation: the refrigerant absorbs heat and evaporates completely Gas Absorption Heat Pump Condensation: refrigerant flowing from the generator passes from a gaseous to liquid state, giving off heat to the external fluid (water or air) Expansion: passing through the restrictors, i.e. suitably calibrated narrowings, the refrigerant is cooled

Evaporation: the refrigerant absorbs heat from the external fluid (water or air) and evaporates completely, returning to a gaseous state Absorber: the refrigerant is absorbed by an absorbing Compression: the refrigerant, in a gaseous state and at fluid, making it liquid once more low pressure, coming from the evaporator, is taken to Generator: the liquid solution of the refrigerant and a high pressure; during compression it is heated, absorbing is heated in the generator by means of a gas absorbing a certain amount of heat burner, separating the refrigerant, which evaporates, increasing in temperature and pressure

Heat Pump Efficiency

During its operation, a heat pump:

Electric Heat Pump Consumes electrical energy for the compressor

Gas Absorption Heat Pump Consumes natural/LPG gas in the generator

Absorbs heat in the evaporator from the Absorbs heat in the evaporator from the surrounding medium, which may be air or water surrounding medium, which may be air or water Gives off heat to the medium to be heated in the Gives off heat to the medi condenser (air or water)

Electric Heat Pump

Gas Absorption Heat Pump

The efficiency of an electric heat pump is measured by its C.O.P., or coefficient of performance, which is the ratio of the energy it supplies to the electrical energy it consumes. The C.O.P. varies according to the type of heat pump and operating conditions, and generally has a value of approximately 2.5. This means that for each kWh of electrical energy consumed, it will supply about 2.5 kWh of heat energy to the medium to be heated.

The efficiency of a gas heat pump is measured by its G.U.E. (Gas Utilization Efficiency), which is the ratio of the energy it supplies to the energy consumed by the burner. The G.U.E. varies according to the type of heat pump and operating conditions, and generally has a value of approximately 1.5. This means that for each kWh of electrical energy consumed, it will supply about 1.5 kWh of heat energy to the medium to be heated.

Applications of Heat Pumps

Possible applications of heat pumps are: AIR CONDITIONING OF ENVIRONMENTS The application of heat pumps for air conditioning of environments in the residential and industrial sectors is by now a reality, as an alternative to conventional systems made up of a chiller plus boiler. The same machine, in fact, by means of a simple inversion valve, is able to swap the functions of the evaporator and the condenser, thus supplying heat in the winter and cold in the summer (reversible type). The application of heat pumps to the temperature regulation of internal environments (heating+cooling) is the most economical, as it entails a shorter timescale for the amortization of the initial cost of the system, thanks to greater savings in energy costs. HEATING OF INTERIOR ENVIRONMENTS Heat pumps may be used also solely for heating the internal environment. In such cases the economic aspects must be carefully weighed up, in comparison with traditional systems such as high-efficiency water and condensation boilers.

Thank you!