Geothermal power generation system and method therefor
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CAFE24 CORP
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-21
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-30
Smart Images
Figure KR2026001266_30072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Geothermal power generation system and method
[0001] The present invention relates to geothermal energy extraction and electricity production, and more particularly to a geothermal power generation system and method equipped with a pipeline structure that efficiently extracts ultra-high temperature thermal energy from a stratum adjacent to magma and maximizes the heat absorption area.
[0002] Generally, geothermal power generation is an eco-friendly method that produces electricity by utilizing heat from within the Earth, primarily using heat from high-temperature geological layers. Although deep geothermal power generation is a clean energy source with no carbon emissions, heat loss occurring during the process of transporting heat sources to the surface from the extremely high-temperature environment near magma, as well as the problem of thermal expansion failure in pipelines spanning several kilometers, have been obstacles to commercialization. Furthermore, simple vertical drilling methods have limitations, such as low energy production efficiency due to the narrow contact area with the heat source. Consequently, there is an urgent need for the development of new types of geothermal power generation systems based on pipe structures capable of easily extracting deep thermal energy and high-performance insulation technologies.
[0003] The present invention aims to solve these problems by providing a geothermal power generation system and method equipped with a pipeline structure that efficiently extracts ultra-high temperature thermal energy from a stratum adjacent to magma and maximizes the heat absorption area.
[0004] To achieve these objectives, one embodiment of the present invention provides a geothermal power generation system. The geothermal power generation system comprises: a vertical conduit section extending from the surface to a predetermined depth underground to provide a passage for the movement of a working fluid; a horizontal conduit section formed across a geological layer containing high-temperature heat from the end of the vertical conduit section and providing a path capable of extracting heat generated from magma; a heat exchanger section forming a closed fluid circulation structure that circulates a high-temperature working fluid that absorbs heat through the path provided by the horizontal conduit section, extracts heat from the high-temperature working fluid, and then reinjects an injection fluid, which is a working fluid that has become relatively low temperature, into the vertical conduit section; a power generation section that rotates a turbine based on the circulating working fluid and generates electricity based on a steam turbine system; and a transmission section that transmits the generated electricity to an external power grid through a transmission line.
[0005] The vertical conduit section may include a fluid injection conduit section which is a passage for transporting the injection fluid from the surface to the horizontal conduit section underground; and a fluid extraction conduit section which is a passage for transporting the high-temperature working fluid heated in the horizontal conduit section to the turbine on the surface.
[0006] The above vertical conduit section may include a first vertical conduit which is an outer tube and is formed in the form of a coaxial structure; and a second vertical conduit which is an inner tube and is formed in the form of an inner tube or a central tube, having a smaller diameter than the first vertical conduit and arranged along the path of the first vertical conduit within the first vertical conduit.
[0007] The first vertical pipe may be a fluid injection pipe section that is a passage through which the injection fluid flows, and the second vertical pipe may be a fluid extraction pipe section that is disposed inside the first vertical pipe and is a passage through which the high-temperature working fluid flows.
[0008] An insulating layer may be formed on the outer diameter of the second vertical pipe to block thermal interference between the injection fluid flowing through the first vertical pipe, which is at a relatively low temperature, and the working fluid flowing through the second vertical pipe, which is at a high temperature.
[0009] The insulation layer may include a vacuum insulated tubing (VIT) structure that blocks heat transfer by conduction and convection by creating a vacuum in the space between the two tubes. The insulation layer may include a double-wall structure comprising an outer pipe and an inner liner, and may form a vacuum layer by sealing the annular space between the two tubes by exhausting it to a high vacuum state, and may form a multi-layer insulation (MLI) layer inside the vacuum layer by wrapping multiple layers of aluminum foil or special reflective film to block the transmission of radiant energy. The insulation layer may also insert a getter, which is a chemical adsorbent, into the vacuum layer to maintain the vacuum level for a longer period.
[0010] The above vertical conduit section may form a bellows-shaped expansion joint at the end of the pipe to absorb the difference in length change caused by the temperature difference between the inner pipe and the outer pipe, and may place a central concentrating device made of a low-conductivity material to support the inner pipe while minimizing the contact area between the inner pipe and the outer pipe.
[0011] The above horizontal conduit section may include: a first manifold connected to the lower end of the fluid injection conduit section to disperse the injection fluid into a plurality of paths; a plurality of horizontal conduits branching from the first manifold and arranged to spread over a defined area within the high-temperature layer; and a second manifold that collects the high-temperature working fluid heated through the plurality of horizontal conduits back into one and delivers it to the fluid extraction conduit section.
[0012] The above horizontal conduit section may include a serpentine structure in which at least one pipe is formed in a winding manner to increase heat absorption efficiency, and a grid structure in which multiple pipes extend in parallel to reduce fluid flow resistance and simultaneously absorb heat over a large area.
[0013] The above working fluid may include at least one of water, steam, organic refrigerant, silicone oil, molten salts, and water-salt mixtures.
[0014] The heat exchanger may include: a sensing unit comprising a plurality of sensors installed at a plurality of locations in the vertical pipeline and horizontal pipeline sections to sense information data including temperature and pressure in real time; a control unit that generates a control signal based on a preset geothermal power generation operation schedule and information data transmitted from the sensing unit; a pump unit comprising a plurality of pumps installed on the ground and at least one part of the pipeline and operated to allow working fluid to flow according to a control signal generated by the control unit; and a valve unit that controls the flow rate at each branch point when the horizontal pipeline of the horizontal pipeline section branches into a plurality of branches in response to a control signal generated by the control unit.
[0015] The control unit can analyze information data transmitted from the sensing unit and control the valve unit so that the injection fluid transmitted from the vertical pipeline unit flows uniformly into a plurality of paths of the horizontal pipeline unit.
[0016] The heat exchanger described above can utilize the heat generated during the shale gas extraction process as an auxiliary heat source by receiving heat generated during the shale gas extraction process in conjunction with a shale gas extraction system, preheating the working fluid based on the transferred heat, and then transferring it to the horizontal pipeline. The circulation path of the working fluid can pass through a heat source that generates heat during the extraction process of the shale gas extraction system.
[0017] Meanwhile, to achieve the objectives of the present invention described above, the present invention provides a pipeline device in another embodiment. The pipeline device is a pipeline device of a geothermal power generation system comprising a heat exchanger and a power generation unit, and includes: a vertical pipeline section extending from the surface to a predetermined depth underground to provide a passage for the movement of a working fluid; and a horizontal pipeline section formed across a geological layer containing high-temperature heat from the end of the vertical pipeline section and providing a path capable of extracting heat generated from magma. The pipeline device forms a closed fluid circulation structure in which a high-temperature working fluid absorbing heat is circulated through the path provided by the horizontal pipeline section by means of a heat exchanger, and an injection fluid, which is a working fluid that has become relatively low temperature after extracting heat from the high-temperature working fluid, is reinjected into the vertical pipeline section. Here, a turbine is rotated based on the circulating working fluid, and electricity is generated based on a steam turbine system.
[0018] The vertical conduit section may include a fluid injection conduit section which is a passage for transporting the injection fluid from the surface to the horizontal conduit section underground; and a fluid extraction conduit section which is a passage for transporting the high-temperature working fluid heated in the horizontal conduit section to the turbine on the surface.
[0019] The above vertical conduit section may include a first vertical conduit which is an outer tube and is formed in the shape of a concentric tube structure; and a second vertical conduit which is an inner tube and is formed in the shape of an inner tube or a central tube, having a smaller diameter than the first vertical conduit and arranged along the path of the first vertical conduit within the first vertical conduit.
[0020] The first vertical pipe may be a fluid injection pipe section that is a passage through which the injection fluid flows, and the second vertical pipe may be a fluid extraction pipe section that is disposed inside the first vertical pipe and is a passage through which the high-temperature working fluid flows.
[0021] An insulating layer may be formed on the outer diameter of the second vertical pipe to block thermal interference between the injection fluid flowing through the first vertical pipe, which is at a relatively low temperature, and the working fluid flowing through the second vertical pipe, which is at a high temperature.
[0022] The insulation layer may include a vacuum insulation pipe structure that blocks heat transfer by conduction and convection by creating a vacuum in the space between the two pipes. The insulation layer may include a double-wall structure comprising an outer pipe and an inner liner, and may form a vacuum layer by sealing the annular space between the two pipes by exhausting it to a high vacuum state, and may form a Multi-Layer Insulation (MLI) layer inside the vacuum layer by wrapping multiple layers of aluminum foil or special reflective film to block the transmission of radiant energy. The insulation layer may also insert a getter, which is a chemical adsorbent, into the vacuum layer to maintain the vacuum level for a longer period.
[0023] The above vertical conduit section may form a bellows-shaped expansion joint at the end of the pipe to absorb the difference in length change caused by the temperature difference between the inner pipe and the outer pipe, and may place a central concentrating device made of a low-conductivity material to support the inner pipe while minimizing the contact area between the inner pipe and the outer pipe.
[0024] The above horizontal conduit section may include: a first manifold connected to the lower end of the fluid injection conduit section to disperse the injection fluid into a plurality of paths; a plurality of horizontal conduits branching from the first manifold and arranged to spread over a defined area within the high-temperature layer; and a second manifold that collects the high-temperature working fluid heated through the plurality of horizontal conduits back into one and delivers it to the fluid extraction conduit section.
[0025] The above horizontal conduit section may include a meandering structure in which at least one pipe is formed in a winding manner to increase heat absorption efficiency, and a grid structure in which multiple pipes extend in parallel to reduce fluid flow resistance and simultaneously absorb heat over a large area. The above working fluid may include at least one of water, water vapor, organic refrigerant, silicone oil, molten salt, and aqueous salt.
[0026] Meanwhile, to achieve the objectives of the present invention described above, one aspect of the present invention provides a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is a heat exchanger of a geothermal power generation system having a pipe structure that includes a vertical pipe section extending from the surface to a predetermined depth underground to provide a passage for the movement of a working fluid, and a horizontal pipe section formed across a geological layer where high-temperature heat exists from the end of the vertical pipe section and providing a path for extracting heat generated from magma. It forms a closed fluid circulation structure that circulates a high-temperature working fluid that absorbs heat through the path provided by the horizontal pipe section, and after extracting heat from the high-temperature working fluid, re-injects an injection fluid, which is a working fluid that has become relatively low temperature, into the vertical pipe section. It includes a sensing unit comprising a plurality of sensors installed at a plurality of locations in the vertical pipe section and the horizontal pipe section to sense information data including temperature and pressure in real time; and a control unit that generates a control signal based on a preset geothermal power generation operation schedule and information data transmitted from the sensing unit. It may include a pump unit comprising a plurality of pumps installed in at least one part of the ground and the pipeline and operating to allow working fluid to flow according to a control signal generated by the control unit; and a valve unit that controls the flow rate at each branch point when the horizontal pipeline of the horizontal pipeline unit branches into a plurality of branches in response to a control signal generated by the control unit.
[0027] The control unit can analyze information data transmitted from the sensing unit and control the valve unit so that the injection fluid transmitted from the vertical pipeline unit flows uniformly into a plurality of paths of the horizontal pipeline unit.
[0028] Meanwhile, to achieve the objectives of the present invention as described above, the present invention provides a geothermal power generation method. The geothermal power generation method, in a geothermal power generation method using a working fluid, comprises: (a) a step of applying shale gas extraction technology to perform vertical drilling and horizontal drilling from the surface to a high-temperature layer where magma exists, thereby forming a vertical pipeline section and a horizontal pipeline section including a plurality of branch pipelines; (b) a step of arranging an inner tube and an outer tube having a concentric tube structure within the vertical pipeline section and forming a vacuum insulation pipe (VIT) structure on the outer diameter of the inner tube to block thermal interference between the injection fluid and the extraction fluid; (c) a step of operating a pump section according to a control signal of a control unit to inject a relatively low-temperature injection fluid into the ground through the outer tube of the vertical pipeline section; (d) a step in which the injected injection fluid is dispersed into a plurality of branch pipelines through the manifold of the horizontal pipeline section and undergoes a phase change or heating into a high-temperature working fluid by absorbing heat from the magma; and (e) a step in which the heated high-temperature working fluid is extracted to the surface through the inner tube of the vertical pipeline section. and (f) a step in which the extracted high-temperature working fluid drives a turbine of a power generation unit to generate electricity. The geothermal power generation method may further include a step of preheating the injection fluid with waste heat from the shale gas extraction process prior to step (c).
[0029] As described above, according to the present invention, the heat absorption area is maximized by expanding the contact area with the magma heat source through a meandering and grid-shaped multi-branched horizontal pipeline, and energy loss can be minimized by blocking heat loss of the high-temperature fluid transported to the surface through a vacuum-insulated pipe (VIT) and a concentric pipe structure. In addition, structural stability is secured by absorbing pipe deformation caused by extreme high temperatures through bellows and slip joints, and overall energy efficiency can be increased through a hybrid geothermal power generation system by integrating waste heat from shale gas extraction as an auxiliary heat source.
[0030] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of a geothermal power generation system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a vertical conduit section according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0032] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the shape of a vertical conduit section according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the cross-section of the vertical conduit section shown in FIG. 1.
[0033] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a shape in which an insulating layer is formed on the outer diameter of the second vertical pipe to block thermal interference with the injection fluid flowing through the first vertical pipe.
[0034] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a shape having a vacuum insulation pipe structure for blocking thermal interference with the injection fluid flowing through the first vertical pipe (110) on the outer diameter of the second vertical pipe according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0035] FIG. 6 is a front perspective view showing a bellows joint formed to accommodate a change in length due to a temperature difference between the fluid injection conduit and the fluid extraction conduit.
[0036] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an exemplary shape having a medium-pressure concentrating device made of a low-conductivity material to support an inner tube.
[0037] FIG. 8 is a structural diagram illustrating, exemplarily, the structure of a horizontal conduit section according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0038] Figure 9 exemplarily shows that the horizontal conduit section includes horizontal conduits with a meandering structure.
[0039] Figure 10 exemplarily shows the horizontal conduit section forming a grid structure.
[0040] FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating the detailed configuration of the heat exchanger shown in FIG. 1.
[0041] Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating a geothermal power generation method for performing geothermal power generation based on the geothermal power generation system described above.
[0042] The present invention is capable of various modifications and may have various embodiments, and specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, and should be interpreted to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.
[0043] Terms such as "first," "second," etc., may be used to describe various components, but said components should not be limited by said terms. Such terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component. The term "and / or" includes a combination of a plurality of related described items or any of a plurality of related described items.
[0044] When it is stated that one component is 'connected' or 'connected' to another component, it should be understood that while it may be directly connected or connected to that other component, there may also be other components in between. On the other hand, when it is stated that one component is 'directly connected' or 'directly connected' to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between.
[0045] The terms used in this application are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates that they are singular. In this application, terms such as 'comprising' or 'having' are intended to specify the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.
[0046] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this application.
[0047] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings. In order to facilitate an overall understanding of the present invention, the same reference numerals are used for identical components in the drawings, and redundant descriptions of identical components are omitted.
[0048] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of a geothermal power generation system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0049] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the geothermal power generation system (10) includes a vertical pipe section (100), a horizontal pipe section (200), a heat exchange section (20), a power generation section (30), and a power transmission section (40). This geothermal power generation system (20) can come into contact with a high-temperature geological layer close to magma and use a working fluid to efficiently extract heat generated by the magma to perform power generation.
[0050] The vertical conduit section (100) extends from the surface to a predetermined depth underground to provide a passage for the movement of the working fluid. The horizontal conduit section (200) is formed across a geological layer containing high-temperature heat from the end of the vertical conduit section (100) and can provide a path for extracting heat generated from magma. The heat exchange section (20) forms a closed fluid circulation structure that circulates a high-temperature working fluid that absorbs heat through the path provided by the horizontal conduit section (200), extracts heat from the high-temperature working fluid, and then reinjects an injection fluid, which is a working fluid that has become relatively low temperature, into the vertical conduit section (100). The power generation section (30) rotates a turbine based on the circulating working fluid and can generate electricity based on a steam turbine system. The transmission section (40) transmits the generated electricity to an external power grid through a transmission line.
[0051] Below, the configuration of each part of the geothermal power generation system (10) and the interrelationships and operations between each part will be explained in more detail.
[0052] First, the vertical conduit section (100) extends from the surface to a predetermined depth underground to provide a passage for the movement of the working fluid. The working fluid flows through this vertical conduit section (100) to a horizontal conduit section (200) formed in an underground high-temperature and high-pressure environment.
[0053] This vertical conduit section (100) includes a fluid injection conduit section, which is a passage for transporting an injection fluid, which is a working fluid in a relatively low temperature state from the surface, to the horizontal conduit section (200) underground, and a fluid extraction conduit section, which is a passage for transporting a high-temperature working fluid heated in the horizontal conduit section (200) to a turbine on the surface.
[0054] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a vertical conduit section according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the fluid injection conduit section (105) and the fluid extraction conduit section (106) according to an embodiment may be formed as separate pipes and provided spaced apart from each other.
[0055] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the shape of a vertical conduit section according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a cross-section of the vertical conduit section (100) shown in FIG. 1.
[0056] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the vertical conduit section (100) may be formed in the form of a coaxial structure. That is, the vertical conduit section (100) may be composed of an outer tube and an inner tube, and may include a first vertical conduit (110) which is the outer tube and a second vertical conduit (120) which is the inner tube, having a smaller diameter than the first vertical conduit (110) and arranged along the path of the first vertical conduit (110) within the first vertical conduit (110) to form an inner tube or a central tube. In one embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the second vertical conduit (120) is formed in the form of a central tube.
[0057] In this embodiment, the first vertical pipe (110) may be a fluid injection pipe section that is a passage through which the injection fluid flows, and the second vertical pipe (120) may be a fluid extraction pipe section disposed inside the first vertical pipe (110) that is a passage through which the high-temperature working fluid flows. However, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the first vertical pipe may be implemented as a fluid extraction pipe section and the second vertical pipe may be implemented as a fluid injection pipe section.
[0058] In this embodiment, we will explain how the first vertical pipe (110), which is the outer pipe, is formed as a fluid injection pipe section, and the second vertical pipe (120), which is the inner pipe, is formed as a fluid extraction pipe section.
[0059] An insulating layer may be formed on the outer diameter of the second vertical pipe (120), which is the fluid extraction pipe section, to block thermal interference between the injection fluid, which is at a relatively low temperature and flows through the first vertical pipe (110), which is the fluid injection pipe section, and the working fluid, which is at a high temperature and flows through the second vertical pipe (120).
[0060] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a shape in which an insulating layer is formed on the outer diameter of the second vertical pipe (120) to block thermal interference with the injection fluid flowing through the first vertical pipe (110).
[0061] As illustrated in FIG. 4, an insulating layer (121) is formed on the outer diameter of the second vertical pipe (120) to block thermal interference with the fluid flowing through the first vertical pipe (110), i.e., the injected fluid. The insulating layer (121) can form at least one layer based on at least one insulating material.
[0062] For example, the insulation layer can be formed by using expanded polyurethane foam, which has very low thermal conductivity, to wrap the outer wall of the pipe or fill the space between two pipes. EPDM (ethylene propylene rubber), which has excellent flexibility and is easy to adhere to and insulate in curved structures or connections, can be used for the insulation layer. The insulation layer can also be formed by inserting aerogel sheets, which are thin yet possess extreme insulation performance, between narrow pipes. The insulation layer can also be implemented by adopting a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) double-pipe structure that forms an air layer inside the pipe or fills a separate insulation material.
[0063] Furthermore, the insulating layer can form a sealed layer of air between the pipes, and simply placing it can suppress convection and achieve a significant insulation effect. This can also be implemented through insulating grouting, which uses a special grout material with low thermal conductivity (e.g., a mixture of bentonite and insulating aggregate) when filling the area around the pipes to prevent heat loss to the surrounding soil and block thermal interference between the two pipes.
[0064] For example, an insulating layer for preventing heat conduction between an outer tube and an inner tube according to one embodiment of the present invention can be implemented by laminating an insulating material including foamed polyurethane, aerogel, etc., between a fluid injection tube and a fluid extraction tube, or by forming a closed air chamber between the tubes. That is, at least one insulating material or a closed air layer is formed on the outer surface of the inner tube.
[0065] Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the insulation layer may include a vacuum insulated tubing (VIT) structure that blocks heat transfer by conduction and convection by creating a vacuum in the space between two tubes.
[0066] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a shape having a vacuum insulation pipe structure for blocking thermal interference with the injection fluid flowing through the first vertical pipe (110) on the outer diameter of the second vertical pipe (120) according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0067] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the insulation layer comprises a double-walled structure including an outer pipe (124) and an inner liner (i.e., the outer surface of the second vertical pipe (120)), and forms a vacuum layer (123) by sealing the annular space between the two pipes by exhausting it to a high vacuum state. This vacuum layer (123) can be described as a key insulating space that physically blocks conduction and convection, two of the three elements of heat transfer, thereby preventing high-temperature heat from deep underground from escaping into the cold injection fluid outside.
[0068] A multi-layer insulation (MLI) layer (126) that blocks the transmission of radiant energy can be formed by wrapping multiple layers of aluminum foil or special reflective film inside the vacuum layer (123). This can prevent the loss of extremely high heat from the magma in the form of electromagnetic waves by reflecting and bouncing off radiant energy (i.e., thermal radiation).
[0069] A getter (125), which is a chemical adsorbent, may be inserted into the vacuum layer (123) to maintain the vacuum level for an even longer period. The getter (125) is a chemical adsorbent placed within the vacuum layer (123) that adsorbs fine gases or residual gases generated on the metal pipe walls over time, thereby contributing to maintaining a tight vacuum layer for a long period without the vacuum level dropping even at depths of several kilometers underground.
[0070] One embodiment of the thermal insulation structure between the outer and inner tubes of the present invention, that is, the thermal insulation structure between the fluid injection pipe section and the fluid extraction pipe section, can achieve significantly high thermal efficiency solely through the thermal insulation structure by means of a structure based on a vacuum layer (123), a radiation blocking layer (126), and a getter (125) which is a chemical adsorption means.
[0071] Meanwhile, the vertical conduit section (100) may form a bellows-shaped expansion joint at the end of the pipe to absorb the difference in length change caused by the temperature difference between the inner pipe and the outer pipe, and may place a centralizer made of a low-conductivity material to support the inner pipe while minimizing the contact area between the inner pipe and the outer pipe.
[0072] FIG. 6 is a front perspective view showing a bellows joint formed to accommodate a change in length due to a temperature difference between the fluid injection conduit and the fluid extraction conduit.
[0073] As shown in FIG. 6, a bellows joint (127) is installed on one side of the second vertical pipe (120), which is an inner pipe, and which is placed inside the first vertical pipe (110), which is an outer pipe. This bellows joint (127) absorbs structural displacement when the pipe expands due to the high-temperature working fluid, thereby allowing the circulation of the working fluid to continue.
[0074] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an exemplary shape having a medium-pressure concentrating device made of a low-conductivity material to support an inner tube.
[0075] As illustrated in FIG. 7, the centralizing device (128) supports the second vertical pipe (120), which is an inner pipe, within the vertical pipe section (100), thereby allowing the second vertical pipe (125) to be stably maintained at the center.
[0076] The injection fluid transported through the vertical conduit section (100) can be dispersed into multiple paths while moving to the horizontal conduit section (200). The horizontal conduit section (200) is formed across a geological layer where high-temperature heat exists from the end of the vertical conduit section (100) and provides a path capable of extracting heat generated from magma.
[0077] FIG. 8 is a structural diagram illustrating the structure of a horizontal conduit section (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0078] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the horizontal conduit section (200) includes a first manifold (210) connected to the lower end of the fluid injection conduit section of the vertical conduit section (100) to disperse the injection fluid into a plurality of paths, a plurality of horizontal conduits (230) branched from the first manifold (210) and arranged to spread over a defined area within the high-temperature layer, and a second manifold (220) that collects the heated high-temperature working fluid that has passed through the plurality of horizontal conduits (230) back into one and transmits it to the fluid extraction conduit section of the vertical conduit section (100).
[0079] These horizontal pipe sections (200) can be structured based on multiple horizontal pipes of various shapes to cover a large area of the high-temperature base layer and to increase the contact surface per unit area with the magma layer.
[0080] For example, the horizontal conduit section (200) may include at least one of a serpentine structure in which a plurality of horizontal conduits are each formed in a winding manner to increase heat absorption efficiency, and a grid structure in which a plurality of horizontal conduits extend in parallel to reduce fluid flow resistance and simultaneously absorb heat over a large area.
[0081] FIG. 9 exemplarily illustrates that the horizontal conduit section (200) includes horizontal conduits with a meandering structure. As shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of horizontal conduits each form a winding meandering structure to maximize the contact surface with the high-temperature stratum.
[0082] FIG. 10 exemplarily illustrates a horizontal conduit section (200) forming a grid structure. As shown in FIG. 10, a plurality of horizontal conduits are arranged in a grid shape to maximize the contact surface with the high-temperature layer. This grid structure is formed by arranging a plurality of branch conduits in parallel, thereby reducing fluid pressure loss and maintaining uniform heat exchange efficiency.
[0083] In one embodiment of the present invention, the working fluid may include at least one of water, steam, organic refrigerant, silicone oil, molten salts, and water-salt mixtures.
[0084] Meanwhile, the heat exchanger (20) forms a closed fluid circulation structure that circulates a high-temperature working fluid that absorbs heat through a path provided by the horizontal conduit (200), extracts heat from the high-temperature working fluid, and then reinjects an injection fluid, which is a working fluid that has become relatively low temperature, into the vertical conduit (100).
[0085] FIG. 11 is a block diagram for explaining the detailed configuration of the heat exchanger (20) shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 11, the heat exchanger (20) may include a sensing unit (24), a control unit (22), a pump unit (26), and a valve unit (28).
[0086] The sensing unit (24) may include a plurality of sensors installed at multiple locations in the vertical conduit unit (100) and the horizontal conduit unit (200) to sense information data including temperature and pressure in real time.
[0087] The control unit (22) can generate a control signal for operation commands to the pump unit (26) and valve unit (28) based on a preset geothermal power generation operation schedule and information data transmitted from the sensing unit (24).
[0088] The pump unit (26) may include a plurality of pumps installed on the ground and in at least one part of the pipeline, and which operate to allow working fluid to flow according to a control signal generated by the control unit (22). The valve unit (28) can adjust the flow rate at each branch point when the horizontal pipeline of the horizontal pipeline unit (200) branches into a plurality of branches in response to a control signal generated by the control unit.
[0089] The control unit (22) can analyze information data transmitted from the sensing unit (24) and control the valve unit (28) so that the injection fluid transmitted from the vertical conduit unit (100) flows uniformly into a plurality of paths of the horizontal conduit unit (200).
[0090] Meanwhile, a geothermal power generation system (10) according to one embodiment of the present invention can be linked with a shale gas extraction system for extracting shale gas. For example, the geothermal power generation system (10) may be installed in an area adjacent to a shale gas extraction system (not shown). In this case, the geothermal power generation system may build a hybrid system by sharing equipment that can be shared with the shale gas system and linking information.
[0091] For example, the heat exchanger (20) may receive heat generated during the shale gas extraction process in conjunction with the shale gas extraction system, preheat the working fluid based on the transferred heat, and then transfer it to the horizontal conduit (200), thereby using the heat generated during the shale gas extraction process as an auxiliary heat source. For example, the geothermal power generation system may form a conduit to allow the circulation path of the working fluid to pass through a heat source that generates heat during the extraction process of the shale gas extraction system. In this case, the geothermal power generation system (10) can significantly increase energy efficiency by using the waste heat generated during shale gas extraction as an auxiliary heat source for preheating the injection fluid.
[0092] FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining a geothermal power generation method for performing geothermal power generation based on the geothermal power generation system (10) described above.
[0093] As illustrated in FIG. 12, a geothermal power generation method can first apply shale gas extraction technology to perform vertical drilling and horizontal drilling from the surface to a high-temperature layer where magma exists, thereby forming a vertical pipeline section (100) and a horizontal pipeline section (200) including a plurality of branch pipelines (step: S1).
[0094] Next, an inner tube and an outer tube of a concentric tube structure are arranged within the vertical conduit section (100), and a vacuum insulation pipe (VIT) structure is formed on the outer diameter of the inner tube to block thermal interference between the injection fluid and the extraction fluid (Step: S2).
[0095] The geothermal power generation method can inject a relatively low-temperature injection fluid into the ground through the outer surface of the vertical pipe section (100) by operating the pump section according to the control signal of the control section (22) (step: S3).
[0096] Then, the injected fluid is dispersed into a plurality of branch pipes through the manifold of the horizontal pipe section (200) and undergoes a phase change or heating into a high-temperature working fluid by absorbing heat from the magma (Step: S4).
[0097] Next, the heated high-temperature working fluid is extracted to the surface through the inner tube of the vertical conduit section (100) (Step: S5). The extracted high-temperature working fluid drives the turbine of the power generation section (30) to generate electricity (Step: S6).
[0098] According to one embodiment of the present invention described above, the present invention can increase energy production efficiency by approaching a base stratum where magma exists through a vertical pipe and expanding the contact area with the magma heat source through a multi-branched horizontal pipe in the form of a meandering and / or grid to maximize the heat absorption area.
[0099] In addition, energy loss can be minimized by forming the vertical conduit in a double-pipe form and blocking heat loss of the high-temperature fluid being transported to the ground through a vacuum-insulated pipe and a concentric pipe structure. Furthermore, beyond the double pipe, a vacuum-insulated pipe structure including a getter and a radiation shield (MLI) is provided to significantly block heat loss of the high-temperature fluid.
[0100] In addition, the geothermal power generation system can be implemented in magma-adjacent areas by including specific mechanical structures such as bellows and slip joints to absorb thermal expansion of several kilometers of pipelines, and structural stability can be ensured by absorbing pipe deformation caused by extreme temperatures through bellows and slip joints, and overall energy efficiency can be increased through a hybrid geothermal power generation system by integrating waste heat from shale gas extraction as an auxiliary heat source.
[0101] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and changes can be made to the present invention without departing from the technical details and scope of the invention as described in the following claims. Accordingly, future modifications to the embodiments of the present invention will not depart from the technical aspects of the present invention.
Claims
1. A vertical conduit section extending from the surface to a predetermined depth underground to provide a passage for the movement of a working fluid; A horizontal pipe section formed across a geological layer containing high-temperature heat from the end of the vertical pipe section above, and providing a path capable of extracting heat generated from magma; A heat exchanger forming a closed fluid circulation structure that circulates a high-temperature working fluid that absorbs heat through a path provided by the horizontal conduit section, extracts heat from the high-temperature working fluid, and then reinjects an injection fluid, which is a working fluid that has become relatively low temperature, into the vertical conduit section; A power generation unit that rotates a turbine based on the circulating working fluid and generates electricity based on a steam turbine system; and A geothermal power generation system characterized by including a transmission unit that transmits the generated electricity to an external power grid through a transmission line.
2. In claim 1, the vertical pipe section is, A fluid injection pipeline section which is a passage for transporting the injection fluid from the surface to the horizontal pipeline section underground; and A geothermal power generation system characterized by including a fluid extraction pipeline that is a passage for transporting the high-temperature working fluid heated in the horizontal pipeline to the turbine on the surface.
3. In claim 2, the vertical conduit section is formed in the form of a coaxial structure, and The first vertical pipe, which is the exterior; and A geothermal power generation system characterized by including a second vertical pipe, which is an inner pipe having a smaller diameter than the first vertical pipe and arranged along the path of the first vertical pipe within the first vertical pipe to form an inner pipe or a central pipe.
4. In Paragraph 3, The first vertical conduit above is the fluid injection conduit section, which is a passage through which the injection fluid flows, and A geothermal power generation system characterized in that the second vertical pipe is disposed inside the first vertical pipe and is a fluid extraction pipe section that is a passage through which the high-temperature working fluid flows.
5. In Clause 4, the outer diameter of the second vertical pipe includes, A geothermal power generation system characterized by having an insulating layer formed to block thermal interference between the injection fluid, which is at a relatively low temperature and flows through the first vertical pipe, and the working fluid, which is at a high temperature and flows through the second vertical pipe.
6. A geothermal power generation system according to claim 5, characterized in that the insulation layer includes a vacuum insulated tubing (VIT) structure that blocks heat transfer by conduction and convection by creating a vacuum in the space between two tubes.
7. In claim 6, the insulation layer is, A geothermal power generation system characterized by including a double-wall structure comprising an outer pipe and an inner liner, forming a vacuum layer by evacuating the annular space between the two pipes to a high vacuum state and sealing it, and forming a multi-layer insulation (MLI) layer inside the vacuum layer by wrapping multiple layers of aluminum foil or special reflective film to block the transmission of radiant energy.
8. In claim 7, the insulation layer is, A geothermal power generation system characterized by inserting a chemical adsorbent getter into the vacuum layer to maintain the vacuum level for a longer period.
9. In Clause 3, the vertical pipe section is, A bellows-shaped expansion joint is formed at the end of the pipe to absorb the difference in length change caused by the temperature difference between the inner and outer pipes, and A geothermal power generation system characterized by arranging a central device made of a low-conductivity material to support the inner tube while minimizing the contact area between the inner tube and the outer tube.
10. In Clause 2, the horizontal conduit section is, A first manifold connected to the lower end of the fluid injection pipeline and dispersing the injected fluid into a plurality of paths; A plurality of horizontal pipes branching from the first manifold and arranged to spread over a defined area within the high-temperature layer; and A geothermal power generation system characterized by including a second manifold that collects the high-temperature working fluid heated by passing through the plurality of horizontal pipes and delivers it to the fluid extraction pipe section.
11. In Clause 2, the horizontal conduit section is, A geothermal power generation system characterized by including at least one serpentine structure in which a tube is formed in a winding manner to increase heat absorption efficiency, and a grid structure in which multiple tubes extend in parallel to reduce fluid flow resistance and simultaneously absorb heat over a large area.
12. In claim 1, the working fluid is, A geothermal power generation system characterized by comprising at least one of water, steam, organic refrigerant, silicone oil, molten salts, and water-salt mixtures.
13. In claim 1, the heat exchanger is, A sensing unit comprising a plurality of sensors installed at multiple locations in the vertical and horizontal conduits to sense information data including temperature and pressure in real time; A control unit that generates a control signal based on a preset geothermal power generation operation schedule and information data transmitted from the sensing unit; A pump unit comprising a plurality of pumps installed on the ground and in at least one part of a pipeline, and operating to allow an operating fluid to flow according to a control signal generated by the control unit; and A geothermal power generation system characterized by including a valve unit that controls the flow rate at each branch point when the horizontal pipe of the horizontal pipe section branches into multiple branches in response to a control signal generated by the above-mentioned control unit.
14. In claim 13, the control unit is, A geothermal power generation system characterized by analyzing information data transmitted from the above-mentioned sensor and controlling the valve section so that the injection fluid transmitted from the above-mentioned vertical pipeline section flows uniformly into a plurality of paths of the above-mentioned horizontal pipeline section.
15. In claim 1, the heat exchanger is, A geothermal power generation system characterized by receiving heat generated during the shale gas extraction process in conjunction with a shale gas extraction system, preheating the working fluid based on the transferred heat, and then transferring it to the horizontal pipeline, thereby using the heat generated during the shale gas extraction process as an auxiliary heat source.
16. A geothermal power generation system according to claim 15, characterized in that the circulation path of the working fluid passes through a heat source that generates heat during the extraction process of the shale gas extraction system.
17. A pipeline device of a geothermal power generation system including a heat exchanger and a power generation unit, A vertical conduit section extending from the surface to a predetermined depth underground to provide a passage for the movement of a working fluid; and It includes a horizontal pipe section formed across a geological layer where high-temperature heat exists from the end of the vertical pipe section, and provides a path capable of extracting heat generated from magma. A closed fluid circulation structure is formed in which a high-temperature working fluid absorbing heat is circulated through a path provided by the horizontal conduit section by the heat exchanger, and an injection fluid, which is a working fluid that has become relatively low temperature after extracting heat from the high-temperature working fluid, is reinjected into the vertical conduit section. A pipeline device characterized by rotating a turbine based on the circulating working fluid and generating electricity based on a steam turbine system.
18. In claim 17, the vertical pipe section is, A fluid injection pipeline section which is a passage for transporting the injection fluid from the surface to the horizontal pipeline section underground; and A pipeline device characterized by including a fluid extraction pipeline that is a passage for transporting the high-temperature working fluid heated in the horizontal pipeline to the turbine on the surface.
19. In claim 18, the vertical conduit section is formed in the form of a concentric tube structure, and The first vertical pipe, which is the exterior; and A pipe device characterized by including a second vertical pipe, which is an inner pipe having a smaller diameter than the first vertical pipe and arranged along the path of the first vertical pipe within the first vertical pipe to form an inner pipe or a central pipe.
20. In Paragraph 19, The first vertical conduit above is the fluid injection conduit section, which is a passage through which the injection fluid flows, and A pipe device characterized in that the second vertical pipe is disposed inside the first vertical pipe and is a fluid extraction pipe section that is a passage through which the high-temperature working fluid flows.
21. In Clause 20, the outer diameter of the second vertical pipe comprises: A device characterized by having an insulating layer formed to block thermal interference between the injection fluid, which is at a relatively low temperature and flows through the first vertical pipe, and the working fluid, which is at a high temperature and flows through the second vertical pipe.
22. A pipeline device according to claim 21, characterized in that the insulation layer includes a vacuum insulation pipe structure that blocks heat transfer by conduction and convection by creating a vacuum in the space between two pipes.
23. In Clause 22, the insulation layer is, A conduit device characterized by including a double-wall structure comprising an outer pipe and an inner liner, forming a vacuum layer by evacuating the annular space between the two pipes to a high vacuum state and sealing it, and forming a multi-layer insulation (MLI) layer inside the vacuum layer by wrapping multiple layers of aluminum foil or special reflective film to block the transmission of radiant energy.
24. In Clause 23, the insulation layer is, A pipeline device characterized by inserting a chemical adsorbent getter into the vacuum layer to maintain the vacuum level for a longer period.
25. In Clause 3, the vertical pipe section is, A bellows-shaped expansion joint is formed at the end of the pipe to absorb the difference in length change caused by the temperature difference between the inner and outer pipes, and A conduit device characterized by arranging a central concentrating device made of a low-conductivity material to support the inner tube while minimizing the contact area between the inner tube and the outer tube.
26. In claim 18, the horizontal conduit section is, A first manifold connected to the lower end of the fluid injection pipeline and dispersing the injected fluid into a plurality of paths; A plurality of horizontal pipes branching from the first manifold and arranged to spread over a defined area within the high-temperature layer; and A pipeline device characterized by including a second manifold that collects the high-temperature working fluid heated by passing through the plurality of horizontal pipelines and delivers it to the fluid extraction pipeline section.
27. In claim 18, the horizontal conduit section is, A pipe structure characterized by including at least one pipe formed in a meandering manner to increase heat absorption efficiency and a grid structure in which multiple pipes extend in parallel to reduce fluid flow resistance and simultaneously absorb heat over a large area.
28. In claim 17, the working fluid is, A pipe structure characterized by comprising at least one of water, steam, organic refrigerant, silicone oil, molten salts, and water-salt mixtures.
29. A heat exchanger of a geothermal power generation system having a pipe structure comprising a vertical pipe section extending from the surface to a predetermined depth underground to provide a passage for the movement of a working fluid, and a horizontal pipe section formed across a geological layer where high-temperature heat exists from the end of the vertical pipe section to provide a path for extracting heat generated from magma, A closed fluid circulation structure is formed by circulating a high-temperature working fluid that absorbs heat through a path provided by the horizontal conduit section, extracting heat from the high-temperature working fluid, and then reinjecting an injection fluid, which is a working fluid that has become relatively low temperature, into the vertical conduit section. A sensing unit comprising a plurality of sensors installed at multiple locations in the vertical and horizontal conduits to sense information data including temperature and pressure in real time; A control unit that generates a control signal based on a preset geothermal power generation operation schedule and information data transmitted from the sensing unit; A pump unit comprising a plurality of pumps installed on the ground and in at least one part of a pipeline, and operating to allow an operating fluid to flow according to a control signal generated by the control unit; and A heat exchanger characterized by including a valve section that controls the flow rate at each branch point when the horizontal pipe section branches into multiple horizontal pipes in response to a control signal generated by the above-mentioned control section.
30. In claim 29, the control unit is, A heat exchanger characterized by analyzing information data transmitted from the above-mentioned sensor and controlling the valve section so that the injection fluid transmitted from the above-mentioned vertical conduit section flows uniformly into a plurality of paths of the above-mentioned horizontal conduit section.
31. In a geothermal power generation method using a working fluid, (a) A step of applying shale gas extraction technology to perform vertical and horizontal drilling from the surface to a high-temperature layer where magma exists, thereby forming a vertical pipeline section and a horizontal pipeline section including a plurality of branch pipelines; (b) A step of arranging an inner tube and an outer tube of a concentric tube structure within the vertical conduit section, and forming a vacuum insulation pipe (VIT) structure on the outer diameter of the inner tube to block thermal interference between the injection fluid and the extraction fluid; (c) a step of operating a pump unit according to a control signal from a control unit to inject a relatively low-temperature injection fluid into the ground through the outer surface of the vertical pipeline unit; (d) A step in which the injected fluid is dispersed into a plurality of branch pipes through the manifold of the horizontal pipe section and undergoes a phase change or is heated into a high-temperature working fluid by absorbing heat from the magma; (e) a step in which a heated high-temperature working fluid is extracted to the surface through the inner tube of the vertical conduit section; and (f) A geothermal power generation method comprising the step of using an extracted high-temperature working fluid to drive a turbine in a power generation unit to generate electricity.
32. In Paragraph 31, A geothermal power generation method characterized by further including, prior to step (c) above, a step of preheating the injection fluid with waste heat from the shale gas extraction process.