Geothermal Energy: Geothermal energy is defined as one that, by using the heat that can be extracted from the earth's crust, is converted into electrical or heat energy for human use, industry and agriculture.
Thermal manifestations: They have very singular characteristics that differentiate them sensitively to outcrops watering. Their names and characteristics:
- Fumarolas: Generic name given to the emission of gases and vapors at very high temperatures can sometimes reach 500 ° C. They are usually differentiated based on their chemical composition in carbonate, sulfur, clorhídricas, etc.
- Solfataras: Make up a variation of the above that is distinguished by its greater water vapor rich in substantially lower temperature (below 200 ° C) and for ejecting intermittent steam jets, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide and other gases.
- Geysers: real dispensers consist of a mixture of water and steam (at temperatures between 70 and 100 °C) with a large amount of dissolved salts and suspended.
Resource utilization: The oldest use of geothermal resources, more precisely from the hot springs, has to do with their healing properties (Greeks, Romans, Babylonians, etc.)
Are famous thermal baths of Vichy in France, Czechoslovakia Carlsbad, Carcalla in Italy. In our country there are many places with hot springs and some of them are used from the tourist point of view and healing. Copahue are famous in Neuquen, Rio Hondo in Santiago del Estero, Jujuy Reyes, Villavicencio in Mendoza, Rosario de la Frontera in Salta, etc. They are also usable from the standpoint of mining, recovering by various processes containing dissolved salts and in some cases are of high commercial value, such as salts of Boron, Lithium, Cadmium. Although, the most important use of hydrothermal resources is its use for energy purposes
DIRECT USE OF HEAT, applied to heat homes or other buildings; industrial processes that use heat such as pulp mills, paper, canned fish meal; for drying fruits and vegetables in general; heating of greenhouses, stables and farms for fish farming, soil for crop heating in cold areas, to melt the snow off the roads. Is required for each of these applications the temperature of the water is suitable.
FLUID ELECTRIC USE. It consists in the generation of electricity by facilities similar to conventional power plants. The difference is the origin of the steam that drives turbines supplying the electrical generator.
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Stages of Geothermal Exploration
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RECOGNITION
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PREFEASIBILITY
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FEASIBILITY
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EXPLOITATION
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Sup >10.000 km2
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Sup 550 a 2000
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Sup 10 a 15 km2
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Research and tasks
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geology
Geochemistry
Hydrology
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geology
Geochemistry
hydrogeology
geophysics
shallow wells
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Wells exploratory
Studies reservoirs
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wells exploitation
systems driving
Design plant
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Operation plant
Control field
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Objectives sought
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circumscribe
areas with better
possibilities
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determine geothermal model
preliminary and
select
location of the
wells
exploration
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verify
features
reservoir
and determining the
coexistence
technique and
economical
exploitation
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create
conditions
for
correct
exploitation
the
site
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A technology that, although it has been shown conclusively that operates flawlessly is rarely used, is the so-called "binary cycle". It consists of a plant in which the geothermal fluid produced by the wells vaporizes a 'working fluid "that is responsible for moving the turbine driving the generator. The secondary fluid meets a closed circuit.
Geothermal power in Argentina: While in Argentina there are over three hundred points of geothermal interest, only four of them could generate electricity with this resource: Copahue (Neuquén), Domuyo (Neuquén), Tuzgle (Jujuy) and Valley Cura (San Juan). In Copahue geothermal field, a central pilot generating electricity by using steam extracted from the earth's subsurface. It works by using isopentane binary cycle as intermediate working fluid
Law 26190 establishes "national scheme promoting the use of renewable energy for electricity production." The law declares of national interest the generation of electricity through the use of renewable energy bound for the provision of public service as well as research for technological development and manufacture of equipment for this purpose establishes objective of this scheme achieve the contribution of renewable energy sources up to eight percent (8%) of national electricity consumption within ten (10) years from the enactment of this regime.
