Chris asks…
Does a geothermal double loop closed circuit system prevent earthquakes?
I know that some geothermal systems can cause tectonic instability but can double loop closed circuit systems prevent such instabilities and thus be rendered safe? Links provided for an answer would be great.
adminsta answers:
NO!!!
Hydraulic fracturing (or “fracking”) is widely used in the oil and natural gas sector to extract hard-to-get oil, gas deposits. Fracking is a technical term for hydraulic fracturing of deep rock deposits, developed and perfected by the oil & gas industry in which a high pressure fluid is injected into a deep (oil or gas bearing in the case of the Oil & Gas industry) geologic formation in order to fracture the rock and make it more permeable. In fracking the high pressure fluid spreads out from the bore hole creating a spreading fracture zone around it. The fractures are kept open by injecting sand or small ceramic beads – called poppants – into the spreading cracks that are mixed in slurry with the water.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Federal agencies, together with international groups such as the International Energy Agency, have developed monitoring protocols to address the risk of induced seismicity for GEOTHERMAL ONLY.
The problem is about induced seismicity because of the development of Engineered Geothermal Systems (EGS) technology. EGS can (but does not always) involve the deliberate fracturing of deep reservoir rock to create a permeable geothermal reservoir so that the Earth’s heat can be recovered more easily. Oil and gas companies have used deep fracturing to increase the production of fossil fuels since the 1950s, and today it is a routine practice in that industry.Earthquakes caused by oil and gas drilling are not unknown, as the map shows, and the study’s authors cite examples going back to the early 20th century, with unknown magnitudes.
Fracking causes earthquakes. Hydraulic Fracturing, This is Pennsylvania’s list of more than 80 chemicals and compounds used in hydraulic fracturing:
Source: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection:
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene
1,3,5 Trimethybenzene
2,2-Dibromo-3-Nitrilopropionamide
2.2-Dibromo-3-Nitrilopropionamide
2-butoxyethanol
2-Ethylhexanol
2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one
5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazotin-3-one
Acetic Acid
Acetic Anhydride
Acie Pensurf
Alchohol Ethoxylated
Alphatic Acid
Alphatic Alcohol Polyglycol Ether
Aluminum Oxide
Ammonia Bifluoride
Ammonia Bisulfite
Ammonium chloride
Ammonium Salt
Ammonia Persulfate
Aromatic Hydrocarbon
Aromatic Ketones
Boric Acid
Boric Oxide
Butan-1-01
Citric Acid
Crystalline Silica: Cristobalite
Crystalline Silica: Quartz
Dazomet
Diatomaceus Earth
Diethylbenzene
Doclecylbenzene Sulfonic Acid
E B Butyl Cellosolve
Ethane-1,2-diol
Ethoxlated Alcohol
Ethoxylated Alcohol
Ethoxylated Octylphenol
Ethylbenzene
Ethylene Glycol
Ethylhexanol
Ferrous Sulfate Heptahydrate
Formaldehyde
Glutaraldehyde
Glycol Ethers
Guar Gum
Hemicellulase Enzyme
Hydrochloric Acid
Hydrotreated light distillate
Hydrotreated Light Distilled
Iron Oxide
Isopropanol
Isopropyl Alcohol
Kerosine
Magnesium Nitrate
Mesh Sand (Crystalline Silica)
Methanol
Mineral Spirits
Monoethanolamine
Naphthalene
Nitrilotriacetamide
Oil Mist
Petroleum Distallate Blend
Petroleum Distillates
Petroleum Naphtha
Polyethoxylated Alkanol (1)
Polyethoxylated Alkanol (2)
Polyethylene Glycol Mixture
Polysaccharide
Potassium Carbonate
Potassium Chloride
Potassium Hydroxide
Prop-2-yn-1-01
Propan-2-01
Propargyl Alcohol
Propylene
Sodium Ash
Sodium Bicarbonate
Sodium Chloride
Sodium Hydroxide
Sucrose
Tetramethylammonium Chloride
Titaniaum Oxide
Toluene
Xylene
Thomas asks…
geothermal heating systems?
I would like to upgrade my heating system with this. I know about it. I just cannot find a company in my area that installs them. Is there a web page that the government has so I can get this done.
adminsta answers:
You did not state which country you were in. The 1st link will allow you to find an installer. The last two links will help if you are in the US.
Mary asks…
How much heat can geothermal systems produce?
We want to build a home with a geothermal heating and cooling system in northwest Pennsylvania. Typically, the soil makeup in our area is quite a bit of clay, rocky with shale type rock. The house will have a total square footage of around 2400. What are some good options for types of systems and what could we expect as far as energy production. The kind of answer that would be most helpful would be helping us understand what indoor temperature we could expect in the winter (avg temps: high 45 low -10) and in summer (high – 100 low- 65).
Please excuse the vernacular! Thanks!
adminsta answers:
To produce the necessary amount of geothermal energy you need a large area of land as you notice on the heat heat flux Q = w/m2
fourier law of geothermal heat transfer
Q = (k)(TD)
Q = heat flux watt per m2 area w/m2
k = thermal conductivity of rocks = 3.0 w/m/K
K = temp in K
TD = temp gradient temp K per meter deep underground
TD = 0.01 K/m for 0-35km crust
TD = 0.0003 K/m for 35-2890km mantle rocks
K = 273 + C
Q = (3)(0.01)
Q = 0.03 w/m2
for 2400Sqft (223m2) of land
Q = 0.03*223 = 6.69 watt
you produced only 6 watts of power
the geothermal plant in california has 78 km^2 of land to produce 750Mw power output
Lisa asks…
Geothermal heating systems in N.Georgia?
adminsta answers:
The term geothermal usually refers to extracting heat from water in the earth which is hot, as from hot springs. If that is your situation, look under geothermal on the Internet.
If you are thinking of extracting heat from earth which is cooler than the building structure, you would use a heat pump with a ground source system. Look up ground source heating on the Internet.
Ken asks…
Would developing geothermal energy systems help the effort? ?
adminsta answers:
Sure.
Sceptics often accuse AGW proponents of being anti-technology yet the converse is the truth; proponents tend to support a variety of technologies and systems.
One antiquated, even Victorian, system that needs a complete rethink is the idea of centralisation – huge centralised power generators (coal fired plants, dams, nuclear stations, etc) controlled by megacorporations who then transmit the power around the nation with significant power losses.
We need to move to a decentralised system wherein whatever is best suited – both for generation and transmission – in any area is what is used. In this way we will end up with wind and tidal power supplying coastal towns, traditional coal/oil/gas in some areas, solar in areas that get lots of sunshine and yes, geothermal where it is the optimal solution.
No one solution will be the panacea; we will need a mixed system to supply our energy needs. It is a shame that many sceptics cannot seem to keep more than one thought in their heads at a time so end up with statements such as “it isn’t sunny at night therefore solar is useless”.
If everyone had the same imagination and willingness to explore new ideas and technologies as you do, then the world would be a better place.
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