I suppose the particle size of condensed rock could theoretically be smaller than RAB particles and thus require a lower pressure drop, but that’s not necessarily the case.
Particle size seems like an important factor here. You don’t know it and I don’t know it either.
But presumably that’s one of the factors that QUAZE will be working on. Possibly something fancy like injecting a small electrostatic charge so the hot rock specks repel each other.
When rock gets hot and pressures get high, a hole will slowly close as rock flows inward.
When rock gets very hot in a microwave beam, it expands. Pressure could get very high. Will it quickly flow outwards, meaning that removing the dirt isn’t needed?
With a single hole, thermal conductivity is a limiting factor. The rock around the hole cools down before much power is produced.
Are you assuming that QUAZE, with their microwave tech, will use a less efficient form of 1 hole geothermal when you know that most geothermal plants use something more efficient?
In general, this is the sort of article that can be written, whether a tech is feasible or not.
You name engineering problems, and don’t discuss whether they are show stoppers or manageable. You guess at a way things might be done, do calculations, and declare it impractical. (The calculations are for a naive / stupidly designed version of the tech that is indeed impractical.)
When rock gets very hot in a microwave beam, it expands. Pressure could get very high. Will it quickly flow outwards, meaning that removing the dirt isn’t needed?
I’m not sure what that’s supposed to mean.
will use a less efficient form of 1 hole geothermal when you know that most geothermal plants use something more efficient?
You’re suggesting fracking between 2 holes? With supercritical water? In rock that’s hot and pressurized enough to have a little plastic flow?
You guess at a way things might be done, do calculations, and declare it impractical. (The calculations are for a naive / stupidly designed version of the tech that is indeed impractical.)
I am probably better at designing drilling systems than the people at Quaise Energy. In general, my problem has been overestimating how competently startups are doing something. I’ve actually designed multiple things for drilling, such as electric DTH hammer systems; I just don’t post such things on my blog.
Particle size seems like an important factor here. You don’t know it and I don’t know it either.
But presumably that’s one of the factors that QUAZE will be working on. Possibly something fancy like injecting a small electrostatic charge so the hot rock specks repel each other.
When rock gets very hot in a microwave beam, it expands. Pressure could get very high. Will it quickly flow outwards, meaning that removing the dirt isn’t needed?
Are you assuming that QUAZE, with their microwave tech, will use a less efficient form of 1 hole geothermal when you know that most geothermal plants use something more efficient?
In general, this is the sort of article that can be written, whether a tech is feasible or not.
You name engineering problems, and don’t discuss whether they are show stoppers or manageable. You guess at a way things might be done, do calculations, and declare it impractical. (The calculations are for a naive / stupidly designed version of the tech that is indeed impractical.)
I’m not sure what that’s supposed to mean.
You’re suggesting fracking between 2 holes? With supercritical water? In rock that’s hot and pressurized enough to have a little plastic flow?
I am probably better at designing drilling systems than the people at Quaise Energy. In general, my problem has been overestimating how competently startups are doing something. I’ve actually designed multiple things for drilling, such as electric DTH hammer systems; I just don’t post such things on my blog.
Why lift dirt when you can push it sideways.