fly-guy

3 ms·

1. 1.▲
   by fly-guy 5y ago

   Conventional boreholes are cased with steel and cement. Vitrified walls would theoretically save that material cost (if it actually worked)
2. 2.▲
   by fly-guy 5y ago

   Great start, but one important factor is missing from this analysis: The surface area (for heat exchange) of a closed-loop borehole is tiny compared to the surface area in a natural hydrothermal system. The walls of the borehole will cool
3. 3.▲
   by fly-guy 5y ago

   Another thing that should be considered: how do you keep the hole open while drilling? At extreme P and T, the hole will close in on the drillstring. Also, fluids turn very nasty in those conditions. You'll need some unobtanium and
4. 4.▲
   by fly-guy 5y ago

   ENergy conversion equipment can't easily be re-purposed for geothermal. The temperatures are usually much lower, and the working fluids are often hydrocarbons instead of steam.