Geothermal+energy+-+Weslee

__**Geothermal Energy **__

**What is it?** The renewable  internal heat continuously  produced within the Earth's core . The produced steam  and water  are used for heating  and generating <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">electricity <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 200%;">**How does it work? Dry Steam - ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> 1) Holes drilled down to <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">hot <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> regions of molten rock i.e. <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">magma <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> in <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">volcanic <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> areas --> 2) <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Steam <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> rises from the <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">hot <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> water surrounding the magma --> 3) Steam <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">purifies <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> --> 4) Steam goes through the turbine --> 5) Turbine <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">spins <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> --> 6) <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Electricity <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> produced --> 7) Electric generator <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">starts <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> working --> 8) Steam travels through the <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">condenser <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> --> 9) Steam <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">condenses <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> into <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">water <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> which is still <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">very hot <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> --> 10) The hot water travels through the <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">injection <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> well --> 11) Steam from the water travels all the way up the <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">production <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> well --> 12) <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Cycle <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> starts again


 * Flash Steam -**
 * 1) Same as when using the Dry Steam --> 2) ** <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">Very hot <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> water goes through <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">flash tank <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> --> Water <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> de-pressurizes <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> i.e. <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">flashes <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> into <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">steam <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> --> 4) ~ 11) Same as when using the Dry Steam --> 12) The <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">hot water <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> travels all the way up the <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">production <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> well --> 13) <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">Cycle <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> starts again

1) Same as when Dry and Flash Steams --> 2) <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">Very hot <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> water passes through <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">heat exchanger <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> --> 3) <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">Heat <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> from the hot water proceeds a <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">second liquid <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> in order to give it <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">energy <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> --> 4) The second liquid travels through the <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">turbine <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> to make it <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">spin <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> --> 5) <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">Water exits <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">heat exchanger <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> --> 6)Second liquid <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">exits <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> turbine, passes through the heat exchanger again to <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">regain energy <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> --> 7) Travels through <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">injection <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> well --> 8) Travels up <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">production <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;"> well --> 9) <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">Cycle <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">starts <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">again
 * Binary Cycle -**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 200%;">**Examples Around the World -**
 * North California - <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">Hot Springs, Geysers
 * Japan - Hot Springs, Geysers, Bathing, Indoor Heating
 * Western US - Indoor Heating

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 200%;">**Energy Changes -

Dry Steam Type - Thermal --> Kinetic --> Electrical

Flash Steam Type - Thermal --> Kinetic --> Chemical --> Electrical

Binary Cycle Type - Thermal --> Kinetic --> Chemical --> Kinetic --> Electrical

**
 * Facts and Figures -**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; font-weight: normal;">The word "Geothermal" originated from the Greek words "Geo" meaning "earth", and "Thermal" meaning "heat" <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 200%;">
 * Has been around as long as the Earth had existed
 * The world resource base is greater than the resources bases of coal, oil, gas and uranium combined
 * The hot water is always refilled by rainfall, the heat is always produced by the earth, therefore the energy is forever renewable
 * Installed geothermal electric capacity (Megawatts) in different countries during 2007 -
 * 1) USA - 2687
 * 2) The Philippines - 1969.7
 * 3) Indonesia - 992
 * 4) Italy - 810.5
 * 5) Japan - 535.2
 * 6) Iceland - 421.2
 * 7) Kenya - 128.8
 * 8) China - 27.8
 * 9) France - 14.7

**Advantages -** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 80%;">
 * No pollution
 * Low maintenance costs since less land needed
 * Flexible systems as they can be easily and inexpensively be adjusted to fit into buildings
 * Alternative source of energy
 * Cost will never increase as it will always be in presence
 * It is renewable, it will never run out!

**
 * Disadvantages -
 * Low number of suitable places for power plant
 * Not easily transported
 * Harmful gases and minerals may come up along with the steam
 * Unfortunately, it can only generate a small amount of electricity
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; line-height: 29px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Sometimes the extracting location may temporarily run out of steam (may last for a month), therefore the power plant won't have enough enegy to genrate electricity

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 200%;">

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 200%; font-weight: normal;">

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 200%; font-weight: normal;">