Geothermal Heating

What is Geothermal Desalination? Though the idea behind geothermal energy has been around for a long time, there continue to be new applications that utilize this all but inexhaustible and non-carbon-producing method of energy production to drive specific processes that are very energy intensive on a large scale. Desalinisation certainly meets that bill and is a very important part of resource independence for what some might consider a rather large list of countries whose water supply is in danger, in many cases as a result of the likely effects associated with carbon-related climate change.

The technology to create a reliable method of removing the salt from seawater for use as drinking water is in its infancy, despite a money-push from various interested parties since prototype programs were first announced in 1995. It was not until nearly a decade later that a practical device was able to begin testing.

There is a great deal of interest from countries that live in arid areas and have the capital to invest in technologies that help them create potable water. In fact, a Saudi investment group is currently backing the project in the hopes it will help them meet their carbon emission reduction obligations to the Kyoto Protocol.

In essence, it works like a large still that forms a closed loop. Though the process is somewhat energetic, the abundant nature of geothermal energy is uniquely suited to this type of dedicated installation.

Generally there are two columns of water that are either heated or cooled. The unique way they are brought together is the secret of the Delta-T divide that is now part of a private business venture after having been part of the California University system for several years.

The geothermal system using heated and cooled water has several advantages over the traditional sort of system that uses great pressure to force the water through a membrane. First of all, there is no membrane required, so there's nothing to break or have to clean. The operation takes place at a single atmosphere of pressure, so energy is saved from having to bring pressurize an entire large volume of water.

A geothermal desalination plant that uses the heat of the Earth to drive the business end of the mechanism could make a huge difference in countries that are currently having difficulty meeting the basic needs of their populations, especially now that warmer temperatures mean there will be less freshwater to choose from.

Geothermal Heating |