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Appendices of an appraisal for the use of geothermal energy in state-owned buildings in Colorado. Section F. Steamboat Springs

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6594489· OSTI ID:6594489

The State Highway Department Building at Steamboat Springs has been evaluated in this appraisal for the use of geothermal energy in state-owned buildings. Evaluation of existing resource assessment data for Routt Hot Springs indicates a reservoir temperature of 200/sup 0/F to 250/sup 0/F, well depths of 2900 feet, flowrates of 100 gpm per well, and total dissolved solids of 550 mg/l. The data on Steamboat Hot Springs indicates a reservoir temperature of 150/sup 0/F, well depths uncertain but in the range of 800 to 6000 feet, flowrates of 500 gpm per well, and total dissolved solids of 100 to 6000 mg/l. The State Highway Department Building in Glenwood Springs is a combination office building and maintenance garage. It is presently heated by two suspended natural gas furnaces. Two geothermal options have been evaluated: (1) a heat exchanger coupled to a deep well on the geothermal side and to hot water fan coil heaters on the building side; and (2) water-to-air heat pumps supplied from a shallow warm aquifer. In the first case, space heating can be accomplished using 150/sup 0/F geothermal water at 30 gpm; in the second case, space heating can be accomplished with 80/sup 0/F to 100/sup 0/F warm water at 50 gpm. The geothermal energy economics are evaluated for both the heat exchanger/deep well and the heat pump/shallow well options. The principal institutional issue for a geothermal heating system for the Highway Department Building is the question of whether or not the state owns the geothermal rights on the state property.

Research Organization:
Colorado Geological Survey, Denver (USA)
OSTI ID:
6594489
Report Number(s):
NP-3901250; ON: DE83901250
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English