Geothermal is a term that does not appear in the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ), where the concept of geothermal is defined (which refers to the thermal phenomena that take place inside the planet Earth).
The notion, in any case, is used in our language to refer to a type of energy: geothermal energy , which is generated from the heat that comes from the heart of the globe.
The idea of geothermal or geothermal is formed with the compositional element geo- (which refers to the Earth or the earth) and the adjective thermal (linked to temperature or heat). When the natural internal heat of the planet is used, geothermal energy is produced.
This heat is transmitted by convection or conduction through hot rocks, which interact with each other and with some fluids, producing so-called geothermal systems. It is important to keep in mind that the Earth 's temperature increases with depth: the greater the depth of the Earth's layers, the higher the temperature. If groundwater is heated by a deep layer, it can boil and rise to the surface as liquid and vapor through hot springs or geysers .
In the previous paragraph, two very important concepts are mentioned in this framework: conduction and convection. The first is also known as energy transfer in the form of heat , and it is a process through which heat is transmitted between two bodies that come into direct contact. During heat conduction, on the other hand, bodies do not exchange matter. It should be noted that temperature travels from the hottest body to the coldest one.
Regarding convection, it is another mode of heat transfer . Its main feature is that it takes place through a fluid (whether liquid, plasma or gas) that carries heat from one area to another, as long as they are at different temperatures. In addition to fluids, convection can take place through the evaporation of water or the use of certain materials.
Through drilling and pumping work it is possible to exploit the planet 's geothermal energy. Geothermal energy deposits, in this framework, can be dry or hot water.
To exploit a dry deposit , water is usually injected into the hot stones. As for hot water deposits , they can be used as thermal baths or through drilling, pumping and injections.
It is important to highlight that geothermal energy is renewable energy since it is not depleted with its use. Its environmental impact, on the other hand, is reduced compared to other types of energy .
Let's look at some of the advantages of geothermal energy:
* makes the economy less dependent on the exploitation of non-renewable resources, such as fossil fuels, which has a positive impact on the environment ;
* similar to the previous point, its impact on the environment is lower because it generates a very low volume of waste compared to coal and oil;
* It is a system that saves energy and money;
* does not produce external noises;
* As mentioned above, geothermal energy is inexhaustible.
On the other hand, these are some of its disadvantages:
* in some dry deposits microseisms (low intensity earthquakes ) have taken place because the hot stones cooled suddenly;
* the emission of hydrogen sulfide, which cannot always be detected through smell, can be lethal;
* Geothermal energy cannot be transported unless a heat carrier and exchanger are used.