Classification of Shallow and Deep Geothermal Energy
- Key words
- Classification; Geothermal Resource; Energy; Renewability; Heat Pump
- Conference
- Geothermal Resources Council Transactions
- Year
- 2008
- Session
- Industry standards; Renewable energy; Geothermal heat pumps
- Language
- English
Abstract
The difference between shallow and deep geothermal energy is clarified based on the second law of thermodynamics. We try to answer what the shallow geothermal energy is and its difference from the conventional geothermal energy and geothermal resources. The role of shallow geothermal played in ground source heat pumps is discussed. For the ground source coupled heat pump (GSHP) systems, we are believed that the heat (or the cold) comes from the seasonal variation of the sun, and the large heat storage capacity of soil or shallow aquifers rather than the low enthalpy resources.
Copyright 2008, Geothermal Resources Council. Readers who download papers from this site should honour the copyright of the original authors, and may not copy or distribute the work further without the permission of the original publisher.