Methods to Harness Energy What exactly is Geothermal Energy?
Methods of Harnessing Energy What is Geothermal Energy?
Geothermal is derived of the Greek word geo (meaning earth) and (meaning warmth). Convective circulation plays an important role in bringing heat to the surface from heated interior of the Earth.
Our Earth’s crust is a consequence of millions of volcanoes that are active and huge amounts of magma, and plenty of cooling below the surface. This persistent and widespread volcanism has produced many valuable natural resources throughout the world.
Geothermal Energy produced by power plants is extracted through ground water that has been heated by large, hot magma bodies. Extract energy from Brantley 1994 Volcanoes in the United States. USGS General Interest Publication.
The deep circulation of groundwater in fracture zones can allow heat to be absorbed into lower levels. The heat is gathered over a large region and then concentrated near the surface storage tanks, or discharged as hot springs. The reservoirs could contain hot water or even a stream.
The reservoirs’ hot water or steam can be directly pumped onto the surface. This low-energy waste water is frequently reinjected into storage tanks or used for heating purposes. This technique can be utilized to produce electricity as well as heat for domestic and industrial uses.
The reliability, economy sustainable, green nature of geothermal energy have been demonstrated (World Bank Group, 2004).
There are generally two main types that are available: (1) high temperature resources and (2) moderate/low temperatures resources. Geothermal resources that are high temperature that can attain temperatures as high as 220 degrees Celsius or more They are mostly found in volcanic areas and islands chains.
Every continent has moderate-low temperature resources. High temperatures are used nearly exclusively for power generation, while the majority of the resources with low temperatures are used for direct heating or for agriculture and aquaculture.
What is the process behind Harnessing Geothermal Energy?
There are currently three kinds of geothermal power plants currently in use.
Steam power plants that use direct geothermal steam. The steam power plant that are dry use very heated steam (>455 degrees Fahrenheit or >235 degree Celsius) and only a small amount of reservoir water. The steam flows straight through a tube and is sent to a generator which spins a generator in order to produce electricity. This is the oldest form of geothermal energy station. It was first used in 1904 in Lardarello, Italy. Geysers located in North California are one example of dry steam production (Green Jobs 2002).
Flash Steam Plants use high pressure hot water to create steam when the pressure is lower. The flash steam plants make use of hot geothermal reservoirs at a temperature of >360degF or more than 182 degrees Celsius. The pressure in the reservoir can be released after the reservoir is transferred to a generator.
A sudden drop in pressure causes some water to evaporate and turn into steam. The steam spins a motor that generates electricity. Dry steam and flash steam emit very little carbon dioxide, sulfur oxideand Ox. But, this is fifty times less than traditional fossil fuel power plants.
Binary Cycle Plants use water at moderate temperatures (225 to 360deg For 107 to 182degC) from the geothermal reserve. Hot geothermal fluids get heated through moving through one end of the exchanger.
For electricity generation the fluid used is typically an organic compound that has low boiling points, such as Isobutane as well as Isopentane. Then it’s vaporized, and passed through turbines.
The Kalina Cycle also uses an ammonia-water fluid as a working fluid. As per Green Jobs 2002, the Kalina Cycle system increases geothermal plant efficiency and lowers construction costs. According to the company’s makers.
The station for geothermal energy, shown at right, is located in Casa Diablo’s geothermal field. Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory.
Geothermal Energy Applications
- Space/District Heating - Schemes which use geothermal energy to supply more than 80percent of Reykjavik’s central heating needs are in use in many other cities across the USA, Poland, and Hungary. The program of using hot water from{ failed|| a failed} oil-wells located in Poland to substitute district heating using coal is supported by the World Bank (World Bank Group 2004).
- Aquaculture and Agriculture - Plants, soils and fish ponds that exhibit geothermal energy can help boost plant and fish growth even in moderate temperatures and cooler climates. One successful example is the Oserian farm in Kenya (World Flowers 2005).
- Power Generation Geothermal power generation has a capability of more than 8000 megawatts and is an established technology. It is especially well-known in islands or countries which rely heavily on fossil fuels imported from abroad (World Bank Group 2004,).
Geothermal Energy Costs
The cost of geothermal electricity generation amounts to 4.5-7 cents an hour. While this is comparable to other fossil fuel sources, however, it should be noted that geothermal electricity generation has a dramatic reduction in pollution.
The scope of the project and its quality, as well as the cost of financing, and ownership will all affect the costs of the project.
Geothermal energy plants need a lot of capital investment, yet they have relatively low variable costs and low fuel costs.
The financing structure is generally so that the capital costs of the project will be paid back within 15 years. It provides power at 5-10C/kWh.
The cost of running the facility for fifteen to thirty years is covered by operations and maintenance.
Geothermal Energy also has many benefits
- Air pollution can be reduced Geothermal fields currently emit approximately one-sixth of the amount of CO2 as a gas electricity generating power station, and produce no nitrogen (NOx) or sulfur (SOx).
The latest state-of-the-art integrated cycle plant produce virtually no air pollutants. Each 1,000 MW of geothermal energy will neutralize around 1.9 million pounds of harmful pollutant air pollutants in Western skies.
It will also offset about 8 trillion pounds climate changing CO2 emissions from gas power plants that are fired and a lot more from the fired coal power plants.
- Energy sources that are renewable: all kinds of geothermal heat are sustainable in the event that the heat exchangers derived from the earth aren’t more than the heat absorbed from the reservoir. Once it has been depleted, a geothermal reservoir utilized for power generation could be a long time to replenish.
Recovering the district heating system reservoir could take anywhere from 100 to 200 years. Recovery of a geothermal heat pump reservoir may take 30 years.
- Reduce reliance on imported electricity: Geothermal energy is produced locally, which decreases trade deficits. Trade deficits can be cut to ensure that wealth stays in the country and help promote more healthy economies. If oil imported from abroad was substituted with domestic resources, almost half of the annual U.S. trade deficit could be reduced (Green Jobs 2004).
Geothermal energy is a well-established source of energy from waves that has been in use for more than 100 years. But, it’s only now that we understand that it is a potential source of energy to replace and/or augment the existing renewable energy resources.
The United States has the majority of the geothermal resources located throughout the West, including [region] and [region]. Geothermal energy is efficient cheap, clean, and safe, but this limited use is its biggest drawback. Geothermal energy only accounts for just a small fraction of solar energy that is scattered on the earth’s surface, when compared with other options such as solar. It has the potential to be improved.
Although geothermal energy units can be developed, their techniques and techniques have remained static. It is important to consider the appropriateness for alternative sources of energy as we search for them.
Five methods to tap into the{ original|| first} source of energy renewable - human power
Wind-up phone charger
Mobile phone users who are dedicated should not wander too far from a power source or fear their battery draining. This “Reactor” iPhone case is equipped with an ultra-thin generator. It lets you charge your battery manually through the control plugged into its back. While this method of energy generation may not be new but it provides the possibility that human-power could be used to provide emergency power and is readily accessible when required.
Light powered by gravity
The design of a product powered by humans can be difficult since it requires less effort to produce energy. Gravity Light solves this problem by using the power of gravity. To lift the sandbag weight, all it takes is one burst of power. The weight gradually drops to spin a spur gear mechanism that powers the LED light for twenty minutes.
Human harvesting
Parasitic harvesting refers to the process that generates wind power through regular activities such as walking. The nPowerPEG is a tube-shaped handheld device that is able to be attached to your belt or backpack. It generates electricity from movement with a spring, magnet or inductive coil. While it’s not enough energy to run large-watt electronics such as laptops and tablets The concept is high performance in terms of energy and batteries.
Flywheel kitchen gadgets
Modern human-powered devices do not solely rely on the production of electricity. Christoph Thetard’s mechanical flywheel drive RB2B is a power source for the kitchen with a variety of appliances. The flywheel rotates at 10,000 RPM through an geared transmission that has a mechanical power supply of 350 W. The power of the wave can be used to power several attachments such as knives, slicing disks and whisk. While it isn’t clear how practical this device is however, the creator deserves praise for introducing a concept that challenges the notion that gadgets powered by humans have to be portable and battery-powered.
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