Enthalpy restoration in geothermal energy processing system
Abstract
A geothermal deep well energy extraction system is provided of the general type in which solute-bearing hot water is pumped to the earth's surface from a relatively low temperature geothermal source by transferring thermal energy from the hot water to a working fluid for driving a primary turbine-motor and a primary electrical generator at the earth's surface. The superheated expanded exhaust from the primary turbine motor is conducted to a bubble tank where it bubbles through a layer of sub-cooled working fluid that has been condensed. The superheat and latent heat from the expanded exhaust of the turbine transfers thermal energy to the sub-cooled condensate. The desuperheated exhaust is then conducted to the condenser where it is condensed and sub-cooled, whereupon it is conducted back to the bubble tank via a barometric storage tank. The novel condensing process of this invention makes it possible to exploit geothermal sources which might otherwise be non-exploitable.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sperry Corporation, New York, NY (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 864541
- Patent Number(s):
- 4380903
- Application Number:
- 06/247434
- Assignee:
- Sperry Corporation (New York, NY)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F01 - MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL F01K - STEAM ENGINE PLANTS
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F03 - MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS F03G - SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-79ET27131
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 1981 Mar 25
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- enthalpy; restoration; geothermal; energy; processing; deep; extraction; provided; type; solute-bearing; hot; water; pumped; earth; surface; relatively; temperature; source; transferring; thermal; fluid; driving; primary; turbine-motor; electrical; generator; superheated; expanded; exhaust; turbine; motor; conducted; bubble; tank; bubbles; layer; sub-cooled; condensed; superheat; latent; heat; transfers; condensate; desuperheated; condenser; whereupon; via; barometric; storage; novel; condensing; process; makes; exploit; sources; otherwise; non-exploitable; latent heat; geothermal energy; electrical generator; storage tank; thermal energy; hot water; tank via; energy extraction; solute-bearing hot; thermal source; geothermal deep; energy processing; /60/
Citation Formats
Matthews, Hugh B. Enthalpy restoration in geothermal energy processing system. United States: N. p., 1983.
Web.
Matthews, Hugh B. Enthalpy restoration in geothermal energy processing system. United States.
Matthews, Hugh B. Sat .
"Enthalpy restoration in geothermal energy processing system". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864541.
@article{osti_864541,
title = {Enthalpy restoration in geothermal energy processing system},
author = {Matthews, Hugh B.},
abstractNote = {A geothermal deep well energy extraction system is provided of the general type in which solute-bearing hot water is pumped to the earth's surface from a relatively low temperature geothermal source by transferring thermal energy from the hot water to a working fluid for driving a primary turbine-motor and a primary electrical generator at the earth's surface. The superheated expanded exhaust from the primary turbine motor is conducted to a bubble tank where it bubbles through a layer of sub-cooled working fluid that has been condensed. The superheat and latent heat from the expanded exhaust of the turbine transfers thermal energy to the sub-cooled condensate. The desuperheated exhaust is then conducted to the condenser where it is condensed and sub-cooled, whereupon it is conducted back to the bubble tank via a barometric storage tank. The novel condensing process of this invention makes it possible to exploit geothermal sources which might otherwise be non-exploitable.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1983},
month = {1}
}