Exploration of a geothermal system fully constructed from composite materials
article
Geothermal energy can substantially contribute to lower CO2 emissions for heating of greenhouses
and buildings. Geothermal production typically can be divided in High Temperature (HT) and Low
Temperature systems (LT). HT can serve as source for electricity production and LT (typically
below 100 °C, or 212 °F) for local direct heating. The geology of the Netherlands does not have
hot zones but can support the production LT geothermal water from sedimentary formation up to
a depth of 4000 meter. In the basis, the concept consists of two wells. Through the production well,
the formation water is pumped to the surface, after which the heat is extracted and the water is
reinjected back into the reservoir through the second well.
The main challenge for LT geothermal production from sedimentary formations is to reduce the
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of the installation, including the reservoir. Corrosion and scale
are mostly the reason of increased operational costs. The root cause is that steel used for
construction of the components is prone to corrosion and induces scale deposition. Composite
material such as Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP) are seen as a possible solution to bring the TCO
of geothermal systems down. Another advantage of these materials is that their density is typically
3-4 times lower and result in lighter structures. Furthermore, they have an ecological cost which
is 5-8 time lower compared to steel.
and buildings. Geothermal production typically can be divided in High Temperature (HT) and Low
Temperature systems (LT). HT can serve as source for electricity production and LT (typically
below 100 °C, or 212 °F) for local direct heating. The geology of the Netherlands does not have
hot zones but can support the production LT geothermal water from sedimentary formation up to
a depth of 4000 meter. In the basis, the concept consists of two wells. Through the production well,
the formation water is pumped to the surface, after which the heat is extracted and the water is
reinjected back into the reservoir through the second well.
The main challenge for LT geothermal production from sedimentary formations is to reduce the
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of the installation, including the reservoir. Corrosion and scale
are mostly the reason of increased operational costs. The root cause is that steel used for
construction of the components is prone to corrosion and induces scale deposition. Composite
material such as Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP) are seen as a possible solution to bring the TCO
of geothermal systems down. Another advantage of these materials is that their density is typically
3-4 times lower and result in lighter structures. Furthermore, they have an ecological cost which
is 5-8 time lower compared to steel.
Topics
MaterialsCompositeCorrosionDesign WindowLow-enthalpy GeothermalSystem AnalysisCorrosionEnthalpyFiber reinforced plasticsGeothermal fieldsGeothermal wellsSedimentologySystems analysisComposites materialDesign windowGeothermal systemsHighest temperatureLow enthalpiesLow-enthalpy geothermalLows-temperaturesNetherlandsSedimentary formationTemperature systemTemperature
TNO Identifier
977831
ISSN
01935933
ISBN
9781713871040
Source
Geothermal Resources Council - Transactions, 46, pp. 1467-1484.
Publisher
Geothermal Resources Council
Pages
1467-1484
Files
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