9. Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is the primordial energy of the Earth, produced in the interior of the Earth by nuclear reactions. It is a thermal form of energy that is conveyed by the magma to the crust of the planet. In the crust, some of the Earth’s heat is advected by the water of deep aquifers to the surface. While, high-quality, high-temperature geothermal resources are met in regions that are close to the tectonic boundaries, other lower temperature resources are abundant in all geographic locations. Geothermal energy is primarily utilized by extracting dry steam or high-temperature liquid water from an aquifer and by using the steam or the vapor of another substance for the production of power with a turbine. Depending on the type and the characteristics of the geothermal resource, flashing or binary power plants are used for the production of steam and electricity. The geothermal electric power plants are simpler than fossil or nuclear power plants, i.e. they have a lesser number of components. Because the geothermal fluid emanates from the Earth’s interior and carries other substances, including solids and non-condensable gases, the design of the equipment of a geothermal power plant poses several challenges, such as the avoidance of scale in the well and flashing chambers; and the removal of non-condensable gases from the condenser.