What is Geothermal Engineering & Its Benefits To The Society?
What is Geothermal Engineering?
Geothermal as the name implies basically looks at the natural heat found within the earth’s crust and how possible it is to harness as well as tap from it as a natural resource. Geothermal Engineering, on the other hand, refers to the means by which this natural resource, in this case, heat can be trapped, tapped, and utilized for our everyday use to improve the quality of our lives. Heat as a natural resource could play the role of energy since engineers utilize it for many engineering processes.
DUTY OF A GEOTHERMAL ENGINEER
We must understand that a geothermal engineer is also a specialist in his own right and as such, doesn’t rely just on one thing. The geothermal engineer has the responsibility to prospect, explore as well as exploit this natural resource, heat, by utilizing improved technology and sophisticated equipment and machinery to profitably harness it. Furthermore, a geothermal engineer is equally saddled with the responsibility to experiment, analyze, develop geothermal technology and drilling techniques that aim at monitoring energy fields and reservoirs to put to the barest minimum risks or mishaps that may arise in the line of duty or course of operation.
WHAT ARE ENERGY RESOURCES?
An energy resource is referred to as anything that has the capacity and ability to produce heat, move objects from one point to another as well as produce electricity. As we may have learned in science, the matter is anything that has mass and occupies space, the matter that stores energy is known as fuel. It’s worthy of note that the energy consumption of humans has progressed tremendously. Most of the energy we make use of today comes from fossil fuels ie stored solar energy, but these fossil fuels have issues. They are nonrenewable! What that automatically means is that they deplete with the passage of time and with their being used regularly without being renewed.
ENERGY SOURCES
Below are the fundamental sources of energy there are. Viz:
- Nuclear fission in the sun(Solar energy)
- Gravity generated energy by the earth and the moon
- Nuclear Fission Reactions
- Energy in the interior of the earth.
• Solar energy -This is the energy we get from the sun through electromagnetic (EM) radiation and can be used directly for heat and converted to electricity and for other uses. This type of energy since e non-polluting, nearly unlimited, and renewable.
• Gravity generated by Earth and Moon- Tidal flow caused by earth and moon can be harnessed to power and drive turbines. It is also non-polluting and nearly unlimited, meaning it can be readily available.
• Nuclear fission reactions – Radioactive elements like Uranium is concentrated and made into fuel rods that generate a large amount of heat as a result of radioactive decay. Nuclear power plants are safe and clean but have the problem of disposing of radioactive wastes which pose a threat and are unsafe.
• Energy in the interior of the Earth- When radioactive elements decay, the end product is basically heat. And then, this heat causes an increase in temperature with respect to the depth of the earth which is primarily responsible for the melting of molten rocks (magmas) to form intrusive igneous rocks. Groundwater circulating within the vicinity of igneous intrusions usually carries heat back towards the earth’s surface which can be trapped and turned into steam for powering turbines to generate electricity.
SUMMARY
In summary, Geothermal Engineering is an engineering discipline that studies how heat can be trapped, tapped, harnessed from within the earth economically for human use or consumption. A geothermal engineer on the other hand is saddled with the responsibility of experimenting, analyzing, and developing geothermal technology and drilling techniques to be able to reach this trapped heat economically for human use.
