3 ms·

Much more at wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kola_Superdeep_Borehole http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kola_Superdeep_Borehole

• Theodores 12y ago
  If it is that hot down at the bottom - ~200 degrees C depending on where the bottom is, is there no way to economically generate power with some type of steam turbine dropped down the hole? If you could get the steam turbine to power the drill then you could make it all the way to 'China' by teatime...
  • dignati 12y ago
    That would be a heat pump: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pump http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pump
    • darkmighty 12y ago
      Not a heat pump, simply a heat engine (if you're taking the work) or heat source (if you're using the heat). "Pumping" implies going against the gradient.
  • unspecified 12y ago
    Doing it at all, economically or otherwise, is something that is being worked on this very year: http://iddp.is/ http://iddp.is/ Summary article here: http://theconversation.com/drilling-surprise-opens-door-to-volcano-powered-electricity-22515 http://theconversation.com/drilling-surprise-opens-door-to-v...
  • ars 12y ago
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_power https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_power > If you could get the steam turbine to power the drill then you could make it all the way to 'China' by teatime... You can't because to generate power you need both a hot side and a cold side, and this drill would only have a hot side.
  • curiousDog 12y ago
    Isn't that what Geo-thermal energy is :) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_energy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_energy ? Hot springs are the same thing, only the conductor is water.
  • ChuckMcM 12y ago
    I believe the last time something like that was contemplated the analysis was that the energy you could extract would make for very very slow going (not surprisingly it requires a lot of energy to bore through rock and remove the excess). Assuming a return pipe to the surface the deeper it is the higher the boiler pressure you can support since you can use the cold water return column to pressurize the feed. Of course at some point your at the limit of your boiler as well.