ASSIGNMENT #04

NAME:

Muhammad Hassan Khan

REG #:

FA12-EPE-056

SUBJECT:

POWER GENERATION

TEACHER: SIR. SIFFAT ALI SHAH

DATE:

16TH December,2015

Geothermal energy
The term Geothermal originates from two Geek words 'GEO' and 'THERM'. The Greek
word geo meant the earth whilst their word for therm meant heat from the earth.
Geothermal energy is energy derived from the heat of the earth. The earths centre is a
distance of approximately 4000 miles and is so hot that it is molten. Temperatures are
understood to be at least 5000 degrees centigrade. Heat from the centre of the earth
conducts outwards and heats up the outer layers of rock called the mantle. When this type
of rock melts and becomes molten it is called magma. Magma can reach just below the
earths surface.
Rain water sometimes seeps down through geological fault lines and cracks becoming
super heated by the hot rocks below. Some of this super heated water rises back to the
surface of the earth where it emerges as hot springs or even geysers. Sometimes the hot
water becomes trapped below the surface as a geothermal reservoir.

One way of producing electricity from geothermal energy is by drilling wells into the
geothermal reservoirs. The hot water that rises emerges at the surface as steam. The steam
is used to drive turbines producing electricity. If the water is not hot enough to produce
steam, it can still be used to heat homes and businesses, saving gas/electricity.

The Sources of Geothermal Heat

Due to the conduction at 44.2 terawatts, the heat form the earth naturally flow to the
upper layer of earth. It is further reloaded by the radio active decay of minerals at about
30 terawatts. These energy power rates are more than enough to meet the energy needs of
entire population on earth. However the problem is that it is very difficult to recover them
form depth of the earth. The geothermal energy is not only present in the depth of the
earth resulting from the decay of minerals but it is also present in the upper surface of
earth. The upper surface of the earth absorbs the large quantity of sunlight in the summer
and then replenishes it back in winter. There are various ways to extract the geothermal
energy from the earth like production well, injection well and heat exchangers. The
internal temperature of earth is 31015 TW. This largely because of the deposits of
plantery accretion in earths surface. These renewable enrgy sources can expire which
would result in lower temperature and water levels.

Cost of Geothermal Power Plants

The capital cost of deploying geothermal power plants is high but it does not require any fuel in
order to operate therefore it is cost effective once deployed. The drilling cost is significantly
higher and so as the risk of correct location. The construction of an electric plant including the
drilling costs is estimated to require an initial investment of 2 to 5 million pounds per MW. The

cost of electricity production is higher but direct heating does not cost that much. The drilling
cost associated with direct heating projects is also low because shallow wells are enough to fulfill
the heating needs. District heating system has low capital cost because it is spread over the large
geographical are but the cost of pipes and their installation will overtake this incentive.

Applications of Geothermal Energy

There are unlimited applications of geothermal energy. Some of them are electricity
production, space heating, spas, industrial processes and agricultural application. Like all
renewable energy sources geothermal heat can be also used to generate electric current.
The capacity factor of geothermal energy to generate electric current is much more than
the other alternative sources of energy like solar heat and wind power. This capacity is
estimated to be 96%. USA possesses the largest geothermal power plant in the world
which is located in California. Moreover geothermal heating is also used for direct
heating functions as direct heating is considered most efficient because it puts less
heating pressure on thee heating source. Geothermal electric energy can be extracted
from the earth by installing heat exchangers into the earth. This geothermal energy can or
cannot be used with electricity in order to support heating applications. The energy for
the geothermal heat pumps can be pulled out by earth tubes and heat exchangers. The
heat from the earth can be directly transferred to the radiators for heating homes.

Advantages of Geothermal Energy

1) It is a renewable source of energy.
2) By far, it is non-polluting and environment friendly.
3) There is no wastage or generation of by-products.
4) Geothermal energy can be used directly. In ancient times, people used this source of
energy for heating homes, cooking, etc.
5) Maintenance cost of geothermal power plants is very less.
6) Geothermal power plants don't occupy too much space and thus help in protecting
natural environment.
7) Unlike solar energy, it is not dependent on the weather conditions.

Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy

1) Only few sites have the potential of Geothermal Energy.

2) Most of the sites, where geothermal energy is produced, are far from markets or cities,
where it needs to be consumed.
3) Total generation potential of this source is too small.
4) There is always a danger of eruption of volcano.
5) Installation cost of steam power plant is very high.
6) There is no guarantee that the amount of energy which is produced will justify the
capital expenditure and operations costs.
7) It may release some harmful, poisonous gases that can escape through the holes
drilled during construction.