A friend on Facebook suggested recently that we should explain to our readers how the heat mined during the geothermal power generation process is brought to the surface for conversion to electricity. It's really quite simple. Cold water travels down a supply pipe to a manifold or header. This water is then distributed to smaller lateral pipes for heat transfer (Click here for calculation). As it circulates, the heat from the surrounding rock is absorbed by the water. Thus heated, water then feeds into a return pipe for transport to the surface.

This new concept is dependent on the thermal diffusivity of the rock formation and the size/shape of that formation. We are not trying to find hot rocks close to the surface (the common practice with geothermal power generation). We are looking for rock formations that recharge very quickly and have massive reserves of heat.

Quartzite granite can have a thermal diffusivity as high as 146BTU/hr/square inch. Some of the granitic domes under the East Coast are quite massive. Geologists say some of these domes are "vertical risers", and can reach all the way down to the molten core of the planet.

Larger heat reservoirs are better for this new concept and make it economically possible for much larger power plants.   

The other geothermal models (E.G.S.) we have seen all use fractured rocks for heat transfer, not interconnecting underground pipes.This is why we think that the CLEM geothermal electric power generation concept is superior.

Click here for calculation