Geothermal Power Station

Geothermal power stations are similar to other steam turbine thermal power stations – heat from a fuel source (in geothermal'scase, the earth's core) is used to heat water or another working fluid. The working fluid is then used to turn a turbine of a generator, thereby producing electricity.

The earth’s heat content is about 10^31 joules. This heat naturally flows to the surface by conduction at a rate of 44.2 terrawatts (TW) and is replenished by radioactive decay at a rate of 30 TW. These power rates are more than double humanity’s current energy consumption from primary sources, but most of this power is too diffuse (approximately 0.1 W/m² on average) to be recoverable. The Earth's Crust effectively acts as a thick insulating blanket which must be pierced by fluid conduits (of magma, water or other) to release the heat underneath.

POWER STATION:

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES:

Stations that experience high levels of acids and volatile chemicals are usually equipped with emission-control systems to reduce the exhaust. Geothermal stations could theoretically inject these gases back into the earth, as a form of carbon capture and storage.

TUTORIAL LINK: Can be made like the figure above as a model. Motors can be added along with LED's to make it a working project.