Geothermal Energy

Dong Kim
Chemical Engineering
Energy Technology and Policy
What is Geothermal Energy?
 Utilize temperature
of the earth’s core.
 Direct use: District
Heating System
 Electricity
generation
 Heat pumps
Locations
 Ring of Fire
 Over 20 countries:
Iceland, U.S., Italy,
France, China, Japan,
ect.
 The United States is
the country with the
greatest geothermal
energy production
Direct District Heating System
 Use hot water from
springs or reservoirs
near the surface.
 Hot water near the
earth's surface can be
piped directly into
buildings and industries
for heat.
Electricity Generation
 Dry Steam Power Plant: Uses the
superheated, pressurized steam (180°-
350°C)
Electricity Generation
 Flash Steam Power Plant: use hot water
above 182°C (360°F) from geothermal
reservoirs.
Electricity Generation
 Binary Cycle Power Plant:
 Insufficiently hot resource to efficiently
produce steam
 Too many chemical impurities to allow
flashing.
Heat Pumps
 Utilizes constant
temperature of upper
10 feet of the Earth’s
surface.
 Similar to ordinary
heat pumps, but they
rely on more stable
source than air.
Geothermal Energy
 Almost no negative
impact on the
environment.
 Release about 1 to 3
percent of the carbon
dioxide emissions of
a fossil fuel plant.
References
 1:http://www.worldbook.com/wb/images/content_spotlight/ear
th/insideearth.jpg
 2:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Pacific_Ring_of_Fire.png
 3:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:2005-08-30-district-
heating-pipeline.jpg
 4:http://www.geothermal.nau.edu/about/generation.shtml
 5:http://www.inhabitat.com/images/steamystuff2.jpg
 http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/renewable/g
eothermal.html
 6:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_power#_note-
USGeo