Prospects for Advances in Energy Conversion Technologies for Geothermal Energy Development.

摘要

Events during the last few years have focussed worldwide attention on the increasing need for clean,inexpensive energy supplies with particular emphasis on development of non-fossil sources. Geothermal energy is currently receiving wide interest as one such alternate energy source,particularly for electric power generation. During the next decade geothermal energy development in the U.S.A. will likely emphasize exploitation of the water dominated resource. Although these resources constitute a significant energy resource,there are two major technical constraints that will influence the rate of development. First,the range of chemical conditions encountered will likely require special conversion systems. In some cases,economic utilization of high-temperature,high-salinity brines has not yet been proven feasible. Second,economic considerations will require development of conversion machines with highest efficiencies in order to minimize the number of wells per unit of electrical power output. Consequently,new conversion systems are needed to increase opportunities for utilization of hostile fluids and for improved economics. The purpose of this paper is to examine some of the prospects for advances in conversion technologies uniquely suited for development of hydrothermal resources. The discussion will emphasize technical aspects,and no attempt will be made to produce explicit economic evaluations. Future costs,material availability,and financial factors are speculative at best,but more importantly,any reliable economic analysis requires design data and proven system components which do not yet exist. We will attempt here to take only a broad view in order to illustrate the spectrum of prospects for advances.