Geothermal energy device
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Geothermal power plants, particularly binary cycle plants, face inefficiencies due to the need for large-scale surface infrastructure, limited land resources, excessive water injection requirements, and the release of harmful gases, which hinder the widespread adoption and potential of geothermal energy generation.
Innovation Solution
A geothermal energy device with a binary, forced convection cycle using upward and downward pipes connected by a heat exchanger in the borehole, equipped with mechanical non-return valves and a controlled valve with a Laval nozzle, allowing for efficient phase transition and kinetic energy enhancement of the thermal agent, reducing the need for surface infrastructure and water injection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If large-scale surface infrastructure is used for heat exchange in binary cycle geothermal power plants, then the volume of the heat agent and power plant capacity increase, but land resources are significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions the heat exchange process from the surface dimension to the subsurface dimension by placing the heat exchanger at the bottom of the borehole. This vertical relocation allows the thermal water to exchange heat with the binary heat agent underground, eliminating the need for large surface infrastructure while maintaining or enhancing power plant capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger is nested within the borehole structure, with the downward and upward pipes containing the binary heat agent flowing through them. The thermal water flows around these pipes, creating a nested configuration where multiple functional elements are integrated within the confined borehole space, maximizing space utilization.
2Reliability
If excessive water injection is performed in the ground crust to renew the water cycle, then the water cycle is maintained, but the power plant must stop operation
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the geothermal thermal water itself as the heat transfer medium in the heat exchanger. The thermal water circulates through the heat exchanger, transfers its heat to the binary heat agent, and then returns to the reservoir. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate injection infrastructure and allows continuous operation without stopping for water cycle renewal.
Solution Approach 2:
The binary heat agent acts as an intermediary substance that receives heat from the thermal water in the heat exchanger and transports it to the surface for power generation. This intermediary system decouples the power generation process from the water injection requirements, allowing the power plant to operate continuously while the thermal water naturally circulates in the reservoir.
3Use of energy by moving object
If thermal water is pumped to the surface for heat exchange, then geothermal energy is extracted, but inflammable and toxic gases and minerals are released onto the ground surface
Solution Approach 1:
The binary heat agent serves as an intermediary that extracts heat from the thermal water underground without requiring the thermal water itself to be brought to the surface. The heat agent circulates in a closed loop system, absorbing heat from the thermal water through the heat exchanger and transporting it to the surface for power generation, thereby preventing the release of harmful gases and minerals associated with bringing thermal water to the surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts only the thermal energy from the geothermal reservoir by using the binary heat agent as a heat transfer medium. The thermal water remains in the reservoir, and only the heat energy is transferred to the surface through the heat agent circulation system, leaving the harmful gases and minerals contained in the underground reservoir.
4Power
If the volume of the heat agent is increased to enhance power plant capacity, then more energy can be generated, but the flow of rising thermal water and its surface temperature limit the maximum volume
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes the phase change parameter of the binary heat agent, which has a boiling point significantly lower than water at standard atmospheric pressure. This parameter change allows the heat agent to evaporate and condense efficiently in the heat exchanger, enabling a much smaller volume of heat agent to transfer the same amount of thermal energy compared to water-based systems, thereby overcoming the limitations of thermal water flow and temperature.
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 configuration increases the efficiency and capacity of geothermal energy generation, conserves land resources, eliminates the need for additional borehole drilling, and reduces harmful gas emissions, leading to more economical and environmentally friendly renewable energy production.
Implementation Method 1
The process of energy movement to the surface is conducted by means of the thermal exchange between the working fluids
Implementation Method 2
geothermal energy device with a binary, forced convection cycle
Implementation Method 3
allowing for efficient phase transition and kinetic energy enhancement of the thermal agent
Implementation Method 4
a controlled valve with a Laval nozzle, allowing for efficient phase transition and kinetic energy enhancement of the thermal agent
Data Source
AI summary
The technical outcome of the proposed geothermal energy device is to increase its efficiency (CE), to simplify and cheapen the construction. The geothermal energy device contains downstream and upstream pipes, which are filled with fluid thermal agent and placed in the borehole, which is unilaterally closed from the ground surface; the pipes are connected to each other with a heat exchanger in the depth of the borehole. The downstream pipe is equipped with several mechanical non-return valves; on the same pipe there is also installed a down pushing pump of the thermal agent (e.g. isobutane). The end of the upstream pipe on the ground surface is directed towards the condensation type steam turbine, equipped with the controlled (e.g. electromagnetic) valve, and turned towards the mentioned turbine by the Laval nozzle. The energy device additionally contains the device of the frequency/duration control to lock and unlock the mentioned controlled valve.