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Renewable Energy 10

Systems
Buchla, Kissell, Floyd

Chapter Outline

Geothermal Power 10
Generation
Renewable Energy Systems
Buchla, Kissell, Floyd

10-1
10-2
10-3
10-4
10-5

TYPES OF GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES


GEOTHERMAL ELECTRICAL POWER
LOW-TEMPERATURE GEOTHERMAL HEAT
GROUND-SOURCE HEAT PUMPS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

10-1

Types of Geothermal Sources

Three attributes of a high quality geothermal source


are heat, water, and permeability of the ground.
Locations with these attributes are called highenthalpy resources.
Enthalpy is defined as the amount of energy in a
system capable of doing mechanical work; it is a
function of temperature, pressure, and volume.

Renewable Energy Systems


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10-1

Types of Geothermal Sources

The geothermal gradient refers to the increasing


temperature at increasing depths within the earth. The
thermal gradient varies widely according to location; it
is about 25 oC/km in most locations but can be as
much as 200 oC/km.

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David Buchla | Thomas Kissell | Thomas Floyd

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10-1

Types of Geothermal Sources

Three temperature classifications of geothermal


sources are:
1. High temperature sources are >150 oC. These
sources are useful for generating electricity.
2. Moderate temperature sources are between
90oC and 150 oC. These sources are useful for
space heating, drying, and industrial heat and in
some cases are used for electricity production.
3. Low temperature sources are <90 oC. Low
temperature sources are useful for heating
buildings, fish farms, and bathing.
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10-1

Types of Geothermal Sources

To exploit high temperature hot dry rock, water is


generally injected from nearby wells. The water boils
and the steam is used to drive a steam turbine.

Source: NREL

One plant at the 750 MW


Geysers in Northern CA, is
shown here. Recycled
water from nearby Santa
Rosa is piped in to be
injected to create steam
for the turbine.

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David Buchla | Thomas Kissell | Thomas Floyd

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10-1

Types of Geothermal Sources

Geopressurized reservoirs consist of high-pressure, hot


brine in deep underground reservoirs. They are
characterized by dissolved methane. The best known
areas for geopressurized reservoirs are along the Texas
and Louisiana Gulf Coast.

Coprid/Fotolia

Energy can be obtained


from the thermal energy,
from the hydraulic high
pressure, or from burning
the dissolved methane.

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10-1

Types of Geothermal Sources

Hot water reservoirs are natural steam reservoirs that


are typically found along fault lines in the earth. The
temperatures are high enough to create steam, which
can be used to drive turbines.

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Source: Courtesy of Chena Hot Springs

For moderate temperature


reservoirs, Organic Rankine
Cycle (ORC) generators
are used. ORC generators
are shown at the Chena
Hot Springs Resort in AK.

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10-1

Types of Geothermal Sources

Normal ground temperature sources are useful for


underground geothermal heat pumps. In most
locations in the world, the ground is a constant 10 oC at
relatively shallow depths. This is sufficient to keep heat
pumps working efficiently even when the outdoor
temperature is freezing.

Source: NREL

The photo shows drilling of a


geothermal well for a heat
pump in Klamath Falls, OR.

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10-2

Geothermal Electrical Power

Three methods for generating geothermal electricity:


1. Dry steam

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10-2

Geothermal Electrical Power

Three methods for generating geothermal electricity:


2a. Flash steam (single flash)

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10-2

Geothermal Electrical Power

Three methods for generating geothermal electricity:


2b. Flash steam (double flash)

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10-2

Geothermal Electrical Power

Three methods for generating geothermal electricity:


3. Binary-cycle

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10-2

Geothermal Electrical Power

An Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) is one in which a


geothermal site is made productive by artificial means
including fracturing networks to increase permeability
and improved drilling methods including horizontal
drilling and laser drilling.

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Source: David Buchla

EGS has successfully


produced an additional
1.7 megawatts from an
existing well field using
EGS fracturing methods
at Brady Hot Springs, NV
(shown here). Other
successes are at
Newberry, OR and Desert
Rock, NV.
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10-2

Geothermal Electrical Power

Another innovative proposal is to harness the heat in


underground coal seam fires. These fires represent an
ecological disaster as they can burn for tens of decades
in a very wide area and emit tons of pollutants as well as
consume a valuable resource. Most are caused by man
and they have been nearly impossible to extinguish.
One study has shown that there
is significant energy that can be
recovered by using standard
methods developed in
geothermal plants. The heat
would be used to drive ORC
turbines.

Renewable Energy Systems


David Buchla | Thomas Kissell | Thomas Floyd

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10-3

Low-Temperature Applications for


Geothermal Heat

Low-temperature sources can be used for space


heating and cooling. Cooling is accomplished with an
absorption type refrigeration system in four steps:
1

Generator: The generator


heats the refrigerant (lithium
bromide solution); this causes
the water in solution to boil,
creating water vapor at high
pressure.

Condenser: The high pressure


vapor is condensed to a liquid
at higher pressure. Heat from
compressing is removed.

Expansion valve: High pressure


liquid water passes through an
expansion valve and
becomes a cold liquid vapor
mix. The pressure (and the
boiling point) are reduced.

Evaporator and Absorber: The


cold water absorbs heat from
the space to be cooled and is
absorbed by the LiBr to form a
weaker solution. The solution is
returned to the generator.

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David Buchla | Thomas Kissell | Thomas Floyd

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10-3

Low-Temperature Applications for


Geothermal Heat

Snow melting is an application for low-temperature heat


in areas with ample geothermal sources like Iceland. The
idea is being tested also in other locations on bridges
and overpasses.

Source: NREL

Tubing for snow melting is


installed before concrete
is poured. This installation
is in Klamath Falls, OR. The
city has more than 50,000
sidewalks and crosswalks
with district heating.

Renewable Energy Systems


David Buchla | Thomas Kissell | Thomas Floyd

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10-3

Low-Temperature Applications for


Geothermal Heat

Greenhouses and fish farms are another application for


low-temperature geothermal heat. Farming operations
include aquatic plants and animals as well as certain
food drying applications (including onion, garlic, carrots,
and celery dehydrators).

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Source: NREL

Alligators are raised in


Colorado at an elevation of
over 7500 ft (2300 m). These
are part of the Colorado
Gators Reptile Park, which
also has other reptiles and
birds on display. A geothermal
well keeps the water warm
year round.
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10-4

Geothermal Heat Pumps

A conventional heat pump operates in a standard


refrigeration cycle. Here it is operating in the heat cycle:

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David Buchla | Thomas Kissell | Thomas Floyd

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10-4

Geothermal Heat Pumps

A geothermal heat pump uses the same principle of


operation but absorbs heat from the ground into a
glycol solution.

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David Buchla | Thomas Kissell | Thomas Floyd

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10-4

Geothermal Heat Pumps

The coefficient of performance (COP) is a measure of


efficiency for heat pumps and is the ratio of heat energy
delivered to energy supplied to the heat pump.
Geothermal heat pumps are very efficient.
A heat pump rated for 5 kW is on for 30 min and delivers
40,000 BTU of heat in that time. What is the COP?
The energy supplied in 30 min is (5 kW)(0.5 h) = 2.5 kWh
The energy delivered = 40,000 BTU/(3413 BTU/kWh) = 11.7 kWh
The COP = 11.7 kWh/2.5 kWh = 4.69

Renewable Energy Systems


David Buchla | Thomas Kissell | Thomas Floyd

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10-5

Environmental Impact

Water
Geothermal plants use steam and need to recycle
water to maintain the source, so monitoring of the
quality of injected water and flow is important. Plants
like the Geysers use treated wastewater for injection.

Renewable Energy Systems


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Source: NREL

Monitoring of ground water can


be done by injecting chemical
tracers. Tracer tests are used to
evaluate the injected water flow
through the reservoir and the
amount of injection-derived steam
that is produced.

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10-5

Environmental Impact

Source: NREL

Air
Air pollution from geothermal
plants is minor and is less that 1%
of an equivalent fossil-fueled
plant. Small amounts of
hydrogen sulfide (H2S) may be in
the steam; most can be
removed at the plant. Other
gases include small amounts of
CO2 and NOx.

Renewable Energy Systems


David Buchla | Thomas Kissell | Thomas Floyd

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Selected Key Terms


Binary-cycle plant

Coefficient of
performance
(COP)
Double-flash
steam plant

Dry-steam plant

A geothermal power plant that uses the brine


water or steam from the geothermal reservoir to
heat and vaporize a secondary fluid with a lower
boiling point to drive the turbine and generator.
A measure of efficiency for a heat pump; it is the
ratio of the heat produced to the energy
consumed and it varies with the outside
temperature.
A geothermal plant with two pressure reducing
stages to create high pressure and low pressure
steam. The high and low pressure steam is routed
to two different turbines, which turn a generator.
A geothermal electrical plant that uses
superheated dry steam from a geothermal
reservoir and routes it directly to a steam turbine
and generator to produce electricity.

Renewable Energy Systems


David Buchla | Thomas Kissell | Thomas Floyd

Copyright 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc.


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Selected Key Terms


Enhanced
Geothermal
System
Enthalpy
Solar module
Flash steam
plant

A system in which a geothermal site that is


deficient in water or permeability is made to be
productive by artificial means.
The amount of energy in a system capable of
doing mechanical work; it is a function of
temperature, pressure, and volume.
A geothermal plant that creates steam from high
pressure hot water (brine) using a special control
valve or orifice plate to reduce the pressure and
cause some of the liquid to boil (or flash) into
steam, which is used to drive a steam turbine and
generator to produce electricity.

Renewable Energy Systems


David Buchla | Thomas Kissell | Thomas Floyd

Copyright 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc.


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true/false quiz

1. A high enthalpy site for geothermal


power is one that has high heat,
water, and permeability.

true/false quiz

2. Low-temperature geothermal
sources are useful for generating
electricity.

true/false quiz

3. Hot water reservoirs are not found in


cold climates.

true/false quiz

4. Most locations in the world can use


geothermal energy for heat pumps.

true/false quiz

5. An advantage of a flash power


plant is that it isolates underground
water from the turbines.

true/false quiz

6. The Organic Rankine cycle is used


with double-flash power plants.

true/false quiz

7. Enhanced Geothermal Systems do


not use artificial means to improve
output.

true/false quiz

8. Low-temperature geothermal
sources can be used to cool
buildings.

true/false quiz

9. Geothermal heat pumps tend to be


more efficient than standard heat
pumps.

true/false quiz

10. Tracers can track the flow of water


through a reservoir and the amount
of steam that is produced.

true/false quiz

Answers:
1.T
2.F
3.F
4.T
5.F

6.F
7.F
8.T
9.T
10. T

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