In-Ground Geothermal Generator With Closed-Loop Deep Heat Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional geothermal energy technologies are limited by the availability of shallow hydrothermal reservoirs and inefficiencies in harnessing heat from deep hot rocks and other sources like lava and flare stacks.
Innovation Solution
A self-contained in-ground geothermal generator and heat exchanger system that uses a closed-loop thermally insulated tube system to extract heat from deep hot rocks, convert it into electricity, and transmit it to the surface, while also utilizing an in-line pump for fluid circulation, enabling efficient energy production from geothermal sources beyond traditional reservoirs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional geothermal technologies use shallow hydrothermal reservoirs, then the system is simpler to implement, but the energy availability and sustainability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the geothermal energy extraction process into separate functional modules: a downhole heat exchanger unit for heat transfer, a separate fluid circulation system with pump, and a surface processing system. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates deployment in deep rock formations where integrated conventional systems cannot operate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a circulating fluid as an intermediary medium between the deep hot rocks and the surface system. The fluid circulates through the downhole heat exchanger, absorbs heat from the hot rocks, and transports it to the surface where it can be used for power generation or heating, enabling energy extraction from depths inaccessible to conventional direct-contact systems.
2Productivity
If heat is extracted from deep hot rocks using conventional methods, then the energy potential is increased, but the system complexity and implementation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The downhole heat exchanger unit is designed as a universal system that can extract heat from various deep sources including hot rocks, geothermal reservoirs, and even waste heat from industrial processes or nuclear reactors. The same basic configuration can serve multiple energy extraction applications, reducing overall system complexity despite operating in challenging deep environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs natural convection currents to drive fluid circulation through the heat exchanger loops embedded in the hot rocks. The temperature differential between the hot rocks and the circulating fluid creates buoyancy-driven flow that reduces or eliminates the need for powered pumps at depth, simplifying the overall system architecture.
3Use of energy by moving object
If fluid circulation is used to extract heat from deep rocks, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but the need for pumps and circulation systems increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes periodic thermal expansion and contraction of the circulating fluid as it passes through regions of different temperatures. This periodic density variation drives natural circulation patterns that enhance heat transfer efficiency while eliminating the need for continuous mechanical pumping, thereby maintaining efficient heat extraction without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This system provides continuous, cost-effective, and clean electric energy production, overcoming limitations of shallow reservoirs and enhancing energy extraction from deep hot rocks, lava, and flare stacks, with potential applications in various environments and industries.
Implementation Method 1
extract heat from deep hot rocks
Implementation Method 2
fluid circulation
Implementation Method 3
convert it into electricity
Implementation Method 4
geothermal generator
Implementation Method 5
in-line pump for fluid circulation
Implementation Method 6
thermally insulated tube system
Data Source
AI summary
A method of harnessing geothermal energy to produce electricity by lowering a geothermal generator deep into a pre-drilled well bore below the Earth's surface. The Self Contained In-Ground Geothermal Generator (SCI-GGG) includes a boiler, a turbine compartment, an electricity generator, a condenser and produces electricity down at the heat sources and transmits it up to the ground surface by cable. The Self Contained Heat Exchanger (SCHE) is integral part of (SCI-GGG) system and can function independently. It consists of a closed loop system with two heat exchangers. No pollution is emitted during production process. There is no need for hydro-thermal reservoirs although not limited to hot rocks. It can be implemented in many different applications. The SCHE also includes an in-line water pump operatively coupled to the closed loop system and can be used in many different applications.