Geothermal+1

 GEO THERMAL ENERGY     By Monica Klein & Evan Dunn

 __  **Definition:** __  Geo" means earth, and "thermal" means heat. So, geothermal means earth-heat. Geothermal power is energy generated by heat stored in the earth.

Below the crust of the world is magma. Above the magma, water reaches the rocks which boils the water creating steam which can reach temperatures of 300*F. It comes through geysers or hot springs or volcanoes.
 * __Source:__**

Drills are used in wells into the geothermal reservoirs to bring the hot water to the surface. Geologists, geo-chemists, drillers and engineers explore and test to locate underground areas that contain this geothermal water, so they know where to make geothermal production wells. Then, once the hot water and/or steam travels up the wells to the surface. It can be used to make electricity in geothermal plants. There are to types of plants; Steam and Binary. **Steam**: steam plants directly use geothermal steam to turn turbines. Steam plants pull deep, high-pressure hot water into lower-pressure tanks creating steam. A turbine is hooked up to a generator to make electricity. The water is then cooled off in a cooling tower. The cooled water is then pumped back into the ground to be reheated. **Binary**: Binary-cycle plants pass moderately hot geothermal water by a secondary fluid with a much lower boiling point. This causes the secondary fluid to turn into vapor. The secondary water has hydrocarbons such as isobutane or isopentane. The hydrocarbon is vaporized to turn the turbine. The remaining fluid is recycled in the heat exchanger and the extra water is condensed and put into a reservoir **__Equipment Needed:__** **__Real Life Example:__** Geothermal energy can be used to heat water facilities, such as swimming pools. It is directly used in hot springs. It can also be used to heat buildings.
 * __Conversion into Energy:__**
 * Drill
 * Pipes
 * Turbine
 * Generator
 * Cooling tower
 * Pump

**__Advantages & Disadvantages:__**
 * 1) Geothermal energy Is always available.
 * 2) Steam plants half the emissions of carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, and sulfur regular fossil fuel plants. Binary plants give off no emissions of anything.
 * 1) It is very difficult to find land that can support geothermal power plants.
 * 2) Gas that leaks up to the surface can sometimes be very dangerous

** __Unusual Fact:__ ** Steam plants produce about 8,000 megawatts (MW) of geothermal electricity currently around the world, including about 2,800 MW of capacity in the United States.

__**Further Reference:**__ http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter11.html