A system for generating electricity and/or providing potable water. The system includes a subterranean shaft that extends into a geothermal reservoir and a volume of heat transfer fluid. Heat from the geothermal reservoir is transferred through a wall of the shaft and into the heat transfer fluid. The system includes a water intake conduit extending from the surface of the earth into the shaft interior. The water intake conduit includes proximal and distal ends and downward, return and upward portions. At least the return portion is positioned in the heat transfer fluid. Liquid water received through the proximal end of the water intake conduit moves downwardly along the downward portion and below the heat transfer fluid level. The liquid water is converted to steam via heat transfer from the heat transfer fluid through a wall of the water intake conduit. The steam moves upwardly along the upward portion of the water intake conduit and into the electrical generation stage, where electricity is generated.

A method for enhancing geothermal recovery in a subterranean heat reservoir is disclosed. The method comprises determining a thermal pathway stress load and a pore pressure; selecting a target thermal conductivity and target dimensions of the thermal pathway; selecting a volume of thermal particles; selecting a volume of carrier fluid; mixing the selected volume of thermal particles and the selected volume of carrier fluid to produce the slurry; injecting the slurry into the openings in the subterranean heat reservoir; and closing the openings containing the slurry to form the thermal pathway. Also disclosed are methods for producing a slurry for enhancing geothermal recovery in a subterranean heat reservoir and for preparing a volume of thermal particles for enhancing geothermal recovery in a subterranean heat reservoir. The resulting thermal pathway according to the embodiments of the present disclosure can enhance the geothermal energy recovery over a long period of time.

A method for removing scale that is precipitated from geothermal fluid containing dissolved silica and becomes adherent in a geothermal power plant including: a water supply pump for pumping the geothermal fluid from a production well; a gas-water separator for separating the geothermal fluid into geothermal water and geothermal steam; and a turbine for rotating by being supplied with the geothermal steam separated by the gas-water separator includes: forming a surface of a location in the geothermal power plant contacted by the geothermal fluid from diamond-like carbon in a first region extending from the production well to the turbine; forming at least the surface of the location in the geothermal power plant from at least one selected from diamond-like carbon, polytetrafluoroethylene, and polyvinyl chloride in a region other than the first region; and injecting a scale removing liquid into a flow path including the surface of the location.

Systems and methods are presented for enhancing energy production and storage by integrating solar energy with geothermal processes. In certain embodiments, a hybrid geothermal/solar system increases energy yield from a closed loop geothermal system, stores heat in a wellbore, enhances power generation from geothermal brine, and/or facilitates carbon dioxide sequestration or conversion to fuel, all preferably utilizing solar energy as a supplemental heat source.

A system and process for direct lithium extraction from geothermal brines, and more particular to the sequential combination of a binary cycle geothermal plant, a direct lithium extraction circuit, a lithium chloride concentration and purification circuit, and a lithium battery chemical processing circuit, for the production of battery-quality lithium hydroxide monohydrate, lithium carbonate or both from geothermal brines. The processing circuits are powered by the electricity and heat produced by the binary cycle geothermal plant without the use of carbon-based fuels. Non-condensable gases that may come out of solution from the geothermal brine are not emitted into the atmosphere.

The process comprises recovering heat power from a geothermal fluid emitted at a hydrothermal active site at the bottom of a body of water, in particular at a bottom of a lake, a sea or an ocean; converting the recovered heat power into electricity in the body of water or at the surface of the body of water; powering at least an equipment with the electricity obtained from converting the recovered heat power; simultaneously injecting a carbon dioxide containing stream, in particular a stream of carbon dioxide dissolved in water, in a ground formation at a carbon dioxide injection site next to the hydrothermal active site to carry out a carbonation of the carbon dioxide in the ground formation.

A geothermal power generation system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: gas-liquid separator; first pipe; first valve to open and close a flow path of the first pipe; second pipe; analyzer; controller to determine at least one chemical agent from a plurality of chemical agent candidates based on an analysis result of the analyzer and control supply of the chemical agent; chemical agent supply port provided in the first pipe, to which the chemical agent is supplied; third pipe branched from the second pipe; chemical agent recovery line branched from and connected to the second pipe; provided in order from an upstream side of the chemical agent recovery line, waste liquid recovery section; scale separator; first chemical agent recovery section; impurity separator; second chemical agent recovery section; chemical agent purifier; recycled chemical agent tank; and waste liquid adjusting device.

A geothermal power generation system includes: gas-liquid separator; power generator; retention tank; re-injection line; re-injection pump; chemical agent injection port in the re-injection line between the retention tank and the re-injection pump; first chemical agent adding device to inject a chemical agent into the chemical agent injection port; branching section in the re-injection line on a downstream side relative to the re-injection pump as well as on a vertically upper side of the re-injection well, and to branch a flow of geothermal brine; first liquid analyzer; scale-piece collector; dissolving agent adding device; and controller to switch between an injection operation and injection stoppage of the chemical agent by the first chemical agent adding device and to switch between an injection operation and injection stoppage of the dissolving agent by the dissolving agent adding device, based on an analysis result of the first liquid analyzer.

A geothermal power generation system to control deposition of silica scale may include a steam separator that separates a geothermal fluid from a production well, into steam and hot water, such that the geothermal fluid passing through the steam separator and/or a turbine rotated by the steam is returned to a reinjection well. A pH measurement system measures a pH of the hot water. A first thermometer measures a temperature of the hot water. An injection device injects an alkaline chemical into the geothermal fluid. A second thermometer measures a temperature of the geothermal fluid at a pH estimation point selected from an injection portion for the alkaline chemical, an outlet of the steam separator, and an inlet of the reinjection well. A control device controls injection of the alkaline chemical based on measurement results of the pH measurement system, the first thermometer, and the second thermometer.

A method for inhibiting corrosion of a corrodible metal surface that contacts a water stream in a geothermal well system. The method includes introducing into the water stream a corrosion inhibitor composition comprising: (i) a cationic surfactant, such as an imidazoline and/or a fatty amine ethoxylate, and (ii) an anionic surfactant.