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Group 4 LIQUID DOMINATED

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91 views6 pages

Group 4 LIQUID DOMINATED

Uploaded by

Rm Ot
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Hot water/ Liquid dominated geothermal system

Liquid-dominated geothermal systems, often referred to as liquid-dominated or wet geothermal


systems, utilize liquid-phase geothermal fluids to extract thermal energy from the Earth. Which
use liquid (typically water or a water-based solution) to transfer heat from the Earth's subsurface
to the surface for various applications, such as electricity generation, heating, or cooling.

How They Work?

In a liquid geothermal system, wells are drilled into geothermal reservoirs to access hot
water or steam trapped underground. This liquid can be either naturally occurring or injected
into the ground.

The extracted hot liquid is brought to the surface where it is used to transfer heat. For
electricity generation, the heat is used to produce steam that drives turbines connected to
generators.

After the heat is extracted, the cooled liquid is often reinjected back into the geothermal
reservoir to sustain the pressure and ensure the sustainability of the resource.

Hydrothermal Systems: This use naturally occurring geothermal fluids (hot water or steam)
found in high-temperature reservoirs. These are the most common and well-established type of
geothermal systems. It occurs in areas having high heat fluxes both on continents, near
convergent plate boundaries, and on the ocean floor, near the mid-ocean ridges. Their
formation requires the existence of three important components: fluids, heat, and permeability
through rocks so that fluids can circulate.
In liquid dominated plants, geothermal plants are built upon liquid reservoirs within the earth’s
surface. This liquid is sent through one or more separators in order to lower the pressure of the
water, creating steam. This steam then propels a turbine generator causing it to produce
electricity. This steam is then condensed back into a liquid and placed back into the liquid
reservoir it originated from. This type of geothermal plant is very common and provides a
sustainable, reusable form of energy.

Liquid dominated power plants are also referred to as flash steam power plants; as they conduct
flash steam by pressurizing hot water from the surface of the earth. Such power plants operate
using water reservoirs with temperatures greater than 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Liquid dominated
reservoirs are more common than others, causing them to produce more electricity and power
more stations. These reservoirs are found in specific locations including rift zones, mantle hot
spots, and near new volcanoes in the Pacific Ocean. The largest liquid-dominated system in the
world is found at Cerro Prieto.
Liquid-dominated reservoirs (LDRs) are more common with temperatures greater than 200 °C
(392 °F) and are found near young volcanoes surrounding the Pacific Ocean and in rift zones
and hot spots. Flash plants are the common way to generate electricity from these sources.

There are two types of geothermal field. The first is the wet (or "liquid dominated") field which
produces water under pressure at temperatures over 100°C. On reaching the surface, the
pressure is reduced, and part of the water is "flashed" to steam, leaving a larger fraction as
boiling water.

Hydrothermal reservoir is a geothermal system that has a fluid water, water vapor or a mixture
of both in the reservoir. Reservoir hydrothermal has two distinction that are liquid-dominated
and vapor- dominated. Liquid-dominated system, the reservoir has more dominant of liquid
phase than the vapor phase. Most geothermal systems are liquid-dominated. Liquid-dominated
reservoirs have maximum temperatures of ≤ 370 0C. When fluid is produced by wells, liquid
water will be depressurized (flashed) to produce steam for the turbines. This is done under
controlled conditions with large steam separators. Commonly, a well supplying liquid yield to
20% steam the remaining 80% of the fluid is liquid water that must be disposed of in some
manner, usually by reinjection,

Hot waters from the reservoir commonly leak at the earth’s surface. Many liquid-dominated
reservoirs are overlain by a low-pressure vapor zone that may extend hundreds of meters deep.
In this case fumaroles and acid hot springs occur at the surface as with true vapor-dominated
systems. Temperature rises gradually with depth, however, whereas Pressure remains relatively
low. Once the reservoir is encountered, pressure increases linearly because of the mass of liquid
in the reservoir while temperature remains at or below the boiling point curve (BPD).

Geothermal energy, particularly from liquid-dominated systems, is considered as a very reliable


energy due to constant base-load power, meaning it operates continuously, day and night,
regardless of weather conditions. Unlike solar or wind energy, which are intermittent, geothermal
energy generation is not affected by external factors like sunlight or wind speed. Liquid dominated
geothermal systems are commonly found: Liquid-dominated geothermal systems are often found
in regions with significant volcanic or tectonic activity.

Examples include: • Iceland • The Geysers in California, USA • Wairakei in New


Zealand • Indonesia and the Philippines are also rich in geothermal resources due to their
location along the Pacific Ring of Fire.

Advantages of Liquid-Dominated Geothermal Systems:


1. Renewable and Sustainable: These systems provide a continuous supply of energy
as long as the heat from the Earth's interior is maintained. Since the Earth
continuously generates heat, geothermal energy is essentially renewable.
2. Low Environmental Impact: Unlike fossil fuels, geothermal energy production has
very low greenhouse gas emissions. Most geothermal plants release minimal
carbon dioxide and other harmful gases into the atmosphere.
3. 24/7 Power Supply: Geothermal systems are not dependent on weather conditions
or daylight, making them highly reliable and able to supply base-load power
consistently throughout the day and year.
4. Direct Use Applications: Besides electricity generation, hot water can be directly
used for heating buildings, greenhouses, industrial processes, and even in some
types of aqua-culture, without the need for conversion into electricity.

Disadvantages:

High Initial Costs:


• The exploration, drilling, and development of geothermal reservoirs are capital-
intensive. Drilling wells several kilometers deep requires advanced technology and
can be expensive, particularly in regions where the resource is not well known.

Geographic Limitations:
• Geothermal systems, especially liquid-dominated ones, are limited to specific
regions with appropriate geological conditions such as volcanic or tectonically
active areas. This restricts their widespread use to certain parts of the world.

Resource Depletion Risk:


• Without proper management, there is a risk of thermal depletion or pressure loss
in the reservoir. This can reduce the efficiency of the system over time if the
extracted water is not re-injected or the resource is overused.

Mineral Scaling and Corrosion:


• The hot water from geothermal systems often contains dissolved minerals like silica,
calcium, and sulfur compounds. These minerals can precipitate out and form scales
in pipes, leading to clogging, or they can cause corrosion, requiring frequent
maintenance.

Environmental Impact Concerns:


• Although emissions are low, geothermal systems can still release small amounts of
gases such as hydrogen sulfide. Additionally, improper management of waste
geothermal fluids can cause contamination of surface and groundwater.

Seismic Activity:
• In some cases, geothermal drilling and re-injection have been linked to induced
seismicity (small earthquakes). While these are typically minor, they can raise
concerns in regions with existing seismic risks.

Liquid-dominated geothermal systems are characterized by the presence of liquid


water that plays a crucial role in heat extraction. These systems typically feature
higher thermal efficiency compared to vapor-dominated systems, making them
suitable for sustainable energy production. Their ability to provide a stable and
continuous source of heat contributes to their viability as renewable energy
sources. However, careful management is essential to prevent resource depletion
and environmental impacts, ensuring that these systems can sustainably contribute
to energy needs over the long term. Overall, liquid-dominated geothermal systems
represent a promising avenue for harnessing Earth's natural heat.

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