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Alternative Energy Source: Digging Deep for Geothermal Heat
from:One way to produce energy is by using the existing ones. This is what a geothermal power plant is all about; they dig for heat underneath to be used as an alternative energy source to fossil fuels.
The heat of the earth’s surface can be tolerated by humans, but underneath lays the stored power of the earth in the form of heat.
The earth’s core is 60 times hotter then boiling water. This produces an enormous pressure on the earth, and even just some miles down, heat can already be felt. Thus, the geothermal heat can be extracted without digging right through the earth’s core. In fact, digging 3 miles down can achieve 100 degrees Celsius, enough to produce steam which is an essential factor to produce power.
The process goes this way: Instead of using coal or oil or other fossil fuels, a geothermal power plant uses superheated fluids geothermal source to produce energy that is then converted to electricity.
The heat comes from the earth’s core in the form of magma or molten rock.
The superheated fluids that are extracted underneath come from rainwater that seeps through the earth for a long period of time. This becomes underwater reservoirs.
The magma heats these fluids until they become superheated. This is then reached by production wells drilled miles below the earth’s surface. These wells bring the superheated fluid on the surface where it will be used to move the generators.
Fluids then pass through several pipes that will remove all the solid components that came with them. Other pipes will force these fluids to produce steam in different pressure levels. These steams will then be brought to the turbines. Steams will move the turbines that would then enable the generator to store energy. The generator will then bring the power to the transformer that will send it to power lines.
The utilization of geothermal heat has been around for quite sometime, but it hasn't yet gained its full potential to provide what could be a good alternative energy source. Although the United States has tapped power underneath, geothermal heat may remain one of the side options.
This is influenced by several factors:
1. Utilizing geothermal heat requires delicate studies since not all areas can become geothermal site.
2. Geothermal sites may not produce steam for the long time that is necessary to run generators to produce power heat.
3. Building a geothermal power plant is expensive and may not guarantee a good return.
4. Hazardous minerals and gases may come up with geothermal heat, which can't be easily disposed of properly.
The question right now: Is the gamble worthwhile considering these factors just to provide an alternative energy source in one location?
On the other hand, Geothermal power plant, although limited by these factors, can bring several benefits:
1. Because geothermal energy uses natural heat, it doesn't produce pollution or contribute to the greenhouse effect.
2. Bringing up geothermal heat does not require energy. The pressure allows itself to travel all the way up and therefore eliminating the use of extra energy.
3. Fuel is saved.
4. It doesn't require a lot of room to build one power station.
Weighing these two factors, geothermal energy can bring both good and bad effects. Nonetheless, if the process becomes more beneficial than detrimental, geothermal heat may one day become the main alternative energy source of fuel.
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