All Flashcards
What are the steps in geothermal electricity generation?
Deep well → Hot water/steam → Turbine → Electricity → Cooling → Back to Earth.
Outline the process of accessing geothermal energy.
Drill wells, pump hot water/steam to surface under pressure.
How is electricity generated from geothermal sources?
Steam spins a turbine connected to a generator.
What happens to the steam after it spins the turbine?
Cooled, condensed into water, pumped back into Earth.
What is geothermal energy?
Renewable energy from Earth's internal heat.
Define geothermal power plant.
Facility using underground hot water/steam to generate electricity.
Define geothermal heat pump.
System using stable Earth temperature to heat/cool buildings.
What is a renewable resource?
A resource that can be replenished naturally over time.
What is a closed-loop system (in geothermal context)?
Cooled water is pumped back into the Earth after use.
What are the steps in geothermal electricity generation?
Drill wells, extract hot water/steam, spin turbine, generate electricity, cool steam, return water to Earth.
Describe the process of using geothermal heat pumps for building climate control.
Circulate fluid through underground pipes, absorb/release heat from/to the Earth, transfer heat to/from building.