More than Just Lines on a Map: Best Practices for U.S Bike Routes
Interactive Presentation
1. +
Choose an interactive tour:
Click
here to tour a
geothermal power plant
Click
here to take the
Geothermal Energy Quiz!
2. Click on any element of the diagram for a further explanation
+
Production
Well
3. +
The Production Well
The production well is a well that taps into
an underground reservoir of heated water
that was heated by geothermal sources
The hot water or steam is pumped to the
surface through this well to be used in the
later processes
Drilling the production well is the most
expensive part of building and running a
geothermal plant
GO BACK:
4. +
Separator
The separator allows the hot water from the production well to
separate into steam or water.
The steam rises into the next chamber where the turbine is,
and the water is either injected back into the ground or pumped
somewhere for direct heating uses, depending on the type of
power plant.
The type of separator also depends on the heat of the water
being pumped. If the water is pressured and superheated, then
the separator is the flash chamber. However, if the water has
relatively little heat and is use in a binary power plant, there is
not separator at all
5. +
Turbine and Generator
This is how the process generates electricity. The rising steam
spins a turbine, which is hooked up to a generator. The
mechanical energy that is produced by the turbine then runs
the generator, which produced electricity
Usually, multiple turbines can be used, increasing the quantity
of power generated
This part of the process is very similar to other electrical
generation systems, like coal power plants, nuclear power
plants, and natural gas power plants. However, geothermal
energy does not have most of the cons like the other systems
do.
6. +
Condenser
Here, the steam that passed through the turbine is not
condensed back into water so that it can be pumped around
This requires a large amount of cooling water, so geothermal
energy usually has to be near a river
This part of the cycle also is where any leftover steam is
released. This is the only thing emitted from geothermal power
plants: steam. Otherwise, geothermal produces no harmful
pollutants or greenhouse gases.
7. +
Injection Well
From here, the water is injected back into the well to be
reheated by the hot rocks below the surface
Sometimes, only water that was previously pumped from the
same aquifer can be pumped back in. However, foreign
sources of water can now be used in a process called hydro
fracturing. For more information on hydro fracturing, see our
science page on this website
The drilling of wells, again, is the most expensive part of
geothermal energy
8. +
Geothermal Reservoir
A geothermal reservoir is an aquifer of water that is heated by
surrounding hot rocks
It is the heated water that is used for electrical generation, not
the actual geothermal heat itself
Most geothermal reservoirs are a few miles below the earth’s
surface, but most are also not very hot. An area with intense
geothermal heat is ideal, because more power can be
harnessed
9. +
Geothermal Energy: Quiz
Test how much you know about geothermal energy! Click here
to start the quiz:
10. +
Question 1
In what ways can geothermal energy be used?
1. Electrical Generation
2. Heating Applications
3. Agricultural Applications
4. All of the above
5. Just answers 1 and 2
11. +
Wrong!
The correct answer was 4. All of the Above
Click here to continue on to the next question:
12. +
Correct!
Geothermal energy can be used for electrical generation,
heating, and agricultural applications
Click to continue on to the next question:
13. +
Question 2
Which type of geothermal field is the most common?
1. Dry Steam Fields
2. Wheat Fields
3. Hot Water Fields
4. Wet Steam Fields
14. +
Wrong!
The correct answer was 3. Hot Water Fields
Click here to continue to the next question:
15. +
Correct!
Hot water fields are the most common type of geothermal field.
Click here to continue to the next question:
16. +
Question 3
How do geothermal energy power plants produce electricity?
1. By harnessing natural electric currents under the earths’
surface
2. By harnessing geothermal heat in the form of steam that then
spins a turbine
3. By harnessing geothermal heat in the form of steam that
then passes directly through a generator
17. +
Wrong!
The correct answer was 2. By harnessing geothermal heat in
the form of steam that then spins a turbine
To continue on to the next question, click here:
18. +
Correct!
Geothermal power plants produce electricity by harnessing
geothermal heat in the form of steam that then spins a turbine
To continue on to the next question, click here:
19. +
Question 4
The household heating and cooling system that uses
temperatures a few yards below the surface to control
temperatures is…
1. One common form of geothermal energy
2. An indirect form nuclear energy
3. An old, outdated form of geothermal energy
4. Not really geothermal at all
20. +
Wrong!
The correct answer was 4. Not really geothermal at all
To continue on to the next question, click here:
21. +
Correct!
That type of heating and cooling system, called geoexchange is
not a real form of geothermal energy, contrary to common belief
To continue on to the next question, click here:
22. +
Question 5
What is a binary power plant?
1. A power plant that uses conduction and a working fluid to
spin the turbine
2. A power plant that uses steam to spin the turbine
3. A power plant that exclusively specializes in binocular
production
4. A power plant that flashes steam which then spins the turbine
23. +
Wrong!
The correct answer was 1. A power plant that uses conduction
and a working fluid to spin the turbine
To continue on to the next question, click here:
24. +
Correct!
A binary power plant uses conduction from the hot
hydrothermal sources to heat a secondary, working fluid, which
vaporizes and spins a turbine
To continue on to the next question, click here:
25. +
Question 6
Pumping down pressurized water to crack a rock, then filling
the crack with small beads is a process called:
1. Fuel Fabrication
2. Hydrothermal locating
3. Water Injection
4. Hydro Fracturing
26. +
Wrong!
The correct answer was 4. Hydro Fracturing
To continue on to the next question, click here:
27. +
Correct!
Hydro fracturing is the process of pumping down pressurized
water to crack a rock, then filling the crack with small beads
To continue on to the next question, click here:
28. +
Question 7
Why is geothermal technology considered to be advanced?
1. Geothermal technology has gone through significant testing
and advances
2. Aliens gave us their geothermal technologies
3. Similar technologies from the petroleum industry have been
highly developed and then converted to geothermal uses
4. A great deal of people are interested in geothermal energy,
so they all try to improve its technologies
29. +
Wrong!
The correct answer was 3. Similar technologies from the
petroleum industry have been highly developed and then
converted to geothermal uses
To continue on to the next question, click here:
30. +
Correct!
Advances in petroleum drilling technologies have influenced
very similar geothermal drilling technologies
To continue on to the next question, click here:
31. +
Question 8
Which of the following is NOT a con to geothermal energy?
1. Drilling wells can be very expensive
2. Geothermal power emits harmful gases into the air
3. A large amount of cooling water is needed
4. Geothermal power plants can be an eyesore
32. +
Wrong!
The correct answer was 2. Geothermal power emits harmful
gases into the air
This statement is not a con, because geothermal only releases
mildly irritating gases if any, not harmful gases
To continue on to the next question, click here:
33. +
Correct!
That statement is not a con, because geothermal only releases
mildly irritating gases, if any, not harmful gases
To continue on to the next question, click here:
34. +
Question 9
Where can harnessable geothermal heat be found?
1. In places with significant geothermal activity only a few miles
below the surface
2. Only in places with a cold climate
3. In your own backyard!
4. The locations are random
35. +
Wrong!
The correct answer was 1. In places with significant geothermal
activity only a few miles below the surface
To continue on to the next question, click here:
36. +
Correct!
Geothermal heat is only found in places with geothermal
activity only a few miles below the surface
To continue on to the next question, click here:
37. +
Question 10
What was the first use of geothermal energy by people?
1. Electrical generation
2. Bathing and cooking in hot springs and geysers
3. Pumped heating systems
4. No one really knows
38. +
Wrong!
The correct answer was 2. Bathing and cooking in hot springs
and geysers
To finish the quiz, click here:
39. +
Correct!
The first use of geothermal energy by humans was bathing in
hot springs and cooking with geysers
To finish the quiz, click here:
40. +
That’s the end of the quiz
Feel free to retry it by clicking this button:
Or, go back to the homepage here: