The diagram delineates the five principal stages involved in generating electricity within a geothermal power plant. Overall, the process is a continuous loop that harnesses heat from deep within the Earth to produce steam, which then drives a turbine and generator to create electrical power before the water is recycled underground. Initially, cold water from a surface reservoir (1) is channeled down into an injection well (2). This water descends to an approximate depth of 4.5 kilometres, where it then flows horizontally through a geothermal zone. In this subterranean region, the water is superheated by direct contact with hot rocks, transforming it into high-pressure hot water or steam. Subsequently, this superheated fluid is pumped upwards through a production well (3) back to the surface. Upon reaching the surface, the high-pressure steam is directed to a turbine, causing it to rotate. This rotational energy from the turbine then powers a generator (5), which is responsible for producing electricity. Following its passage through the turbine, the steam is condensed (4) back into cold water. This cooled water is then reinjected into the ground via the injection well, thereby completing the cyclical operation of the geothermal power plant.
Key Vocabulary