Patent ID: 8677752
Filing Date: 2014-03-25
Classification: F03D,F03G,F05B,F24T,Y02E,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A geothermal power generation system comprising: a man made underground mine; an air inlet located at the surface of the earth; air entering said air inlet at an ambient temperature; a subterranean cavern located beneath the surface of the earth in said underground mine; a heat exchanger located in said subterranean cavern; said subterranean cavern having a naturally occurring geothermal temperature; a first mine shaft defining a flow path for fluidly connecting the air inlet to said heat exchanger in said subterranean cavern whereby the air entering said air inlet passing through the heat exchanger is heated substantially to the geothermal temperature; and a second mine shaft for fluidly connecting the air passing through the heat exchanger and an exhaust outlet at the surface of the earth; said ambient temperature is substantially cooler than said geothermal temperature; whereby a fluid flow is induced between the air entering said air inlet at said cooler ambient temperature, and the air passing through the heat exchanger that is heated to said geothermal temperature and said second mine shaft to an exhaust outlet at the surface of the earth; and a power plant located in said flow path between the air inlet and the exhaust outlet that is powered by said induced fluid flow; said system further including a subterranean source of water, a first fluid passageway connecting said source of water to a hot rock formation located beneath the mine, wherein said water is converted to steam, and, a second fluid passageway directing said steam to one or more steam turbine generators located above said hot rock formation.