• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.506-520
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• 2013

While geothermal energy provides the only base-load power among renewable energy sources, its development has been carried out predominantly in volcanic area. EGS (Enhanced Geothermal System) is a ubiquitous technology that can allow the geothermal power generation virtually in any area. This manuscript introduces the current state-of-the-art of EGS development in the world and presents the hydraulic stimulation technology and associated microseismicity which are key technical component in EGS. Finally this paper suggests the key research areas required in Korea for further development of EGS.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.144-144
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• 2011

We have estimated power generation potential in Korea following the recently announced EGS protocol. According to the protocol, we calculated the theoretical potential first, which assumes 30 year operation, minimum temperature being surface temperature+$80^{\circ}C$, depth range being from 3 km to 10 km. In this new assessment the in-land area was digitized by 1' by 1' blocks, which is much finer than suggestion of the protocol (5'by 5'). Thus estimated theoretical potential reaches 6,975 GWe which is 92 times of the total power generation capacity in 2010. In the estimation of technical potential, we limited the depth range down to 6.5 km, assumed recovery factor as 0.14 and also counted for temperature drawdown factor of $10^{\circ}C$ following the protocol. Accessible in-land area excluding steep mountains, residence and industrial region, wet area and others covers 40.7% of total area. Finally, we could come up with 19.6 GWe for technical potential, which would be 56 GWe if we do not account for the temperature drawdown factor. These are important results in that we made the first potential assessment for geothermal power generation.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.197.1-197.1
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• 2011

Target generation capacity of geothermal power generation pilot plant project through the Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) with a doublet system down to 5 km depth was estimated. Production and re-injection temperatures of geothermal fluid were assumed $160^{\circ}C$ and $60^{\circ}C$, respectively, based on reservoir temperature of $180^{\circ}C$ calculated from the geothermal gradient of $33^{\circ}C$ in Pohang area. In this temperature range, 0.11 of thermal efficiency of the binary generation cycle is a practical choice. Assuming flow rates of 40 kg/sec, which is possible in current EGS technology, gross power generation capacity is estimated to reach 1.848 MW. Net generation considering auxiliary power including pumping power for geothermal fluid and condensing (cooling) energy of working fluid can be 1.5 MW.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.521-537
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• 2013

While microseismicity induced by hydraulic stimulation carried out for EGS is useful means in estimating the range of permeability increase, it also affect surface structures and environments. In order to establish a mitigation plan for microseismicity triggered by hydraulic stimulation, we reviewed world-wide guidelines on the impact of ground vibration on the surface structure and human environment by blasting. Case studies from Europe and USA on the microseismicity by hydraulic stimulation are presented and suggestions are made for the guidelines on ground vibration by hydraulic stimulation for the ongoing Pohang EGS project.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.513-523
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• 2011

We estimated geothermal power generation potential in Korea through Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) technology following the recently proposed protocol which was endorsed by international organizations. Input thermal and physical data for estimation are density, specific heat and thermal conductivity measurements from 1,516 outcrop samples, 180 heat production, 352 heat flow, and 52 mean surface temperature data. Inland area was digitized into 34,742 grids of $1'{\times}1'$ size and temperature distribution and available heat were calculated for 1 km depth interval from 3 km down to 10 km. Thus estimated theoretical potential reached 6,975 GW which is 92 times total generation capacity of Korea in 2010. Technical potential down to 6.5 km and considering land accessibility, thermal recovery ratio of 0.14 and temperature drawdown factor of $10^{\circ}C$ was 19.6 GW. If we disregard temperature drawdown factor, which can be considered in estimating economic potential, the technical potential increases up to 56 GW.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Geothermal and Hydrothermal Energy
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.1-11
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• 2012

Mongolia has three(3) geothermal zones and eight(8) hydrogeothermal systems/regions that are, fold-fault platform/uplift zone, concave-largest subsidence zone, and mixed intermediate-transitional zone. Average temperature, heat flow, and geothermal gradient of hot springs in Arhangai located to fold-fault platform/uplift zone are $55.8^{\circ}C$, 60~110 mW/m2 and $35{\sim}50^{\circ}C/km$ respectively and those of Khentii situated in same zone are $80.5^{\circ}C$, 40~50 mW/m2, and $35{\sim}50^{\circ}C/km$ separately. Temperature of hydrothermal water at depth of 3,000 m is expected to be about $173{\sim}213^{\circ}C$ based on average geothermal gradient of $35{\sim}50^{\circ}C/km$. Among eight systems, Arhangai and Khentii located in A type hydrothermal system, Khovsgol in B type, Mongol Altai plateau in C type, and Over Arhangai in D type are the most feasible areas to develop geothermal power generation by Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS). Potential electric power generation by EGS is estimated about 2,760 kW at Tsenher, 1,752 kW at Tsagaan Sum, 2,928 kW at Khujir, 2,190 kW at Baga Shargaljuut, and 7,125 kW at Shargaljuut.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.3-32
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• 2008

The potential deep geothermal resources span a wide range of heat sources from the earth, including not only the more easily developed, currently economic hydrothermal resources; but also the earth's deeper, stored thermal energy, which is present anywhere. At shallow depths of 3,000~10,000m, the coincidence of substantial amounts heat in hot rock, fluids that heat up while flowing through the rock and permeability of connected fractures can result in natural hot water reservoirs. Although conventional hydrothermal resources which contain sufficient fluids at high temperatures and geo-pressures are used effectively for both electric and nonelectric applications in the world, they are somewhat limited in their location and ultimate potential for supplying electricity. A large portion of the world's geothermal resource base consists of hot dry rock(HDR) with limited permeability and porosity, an inadquate recharge of fluids and/or insufficient water for heat transport. An alternative known as engineered or enhanced geothermal systems(EGS), to dependence on naturally occurring hydrothermal reservoirs involves human intervention to engineer hydrothermal reservoirs in hot rocks for commercial use. Therefore EGS resources are with enormous potential for primary energy recovery using an engineered heat mining technology, which is designed to extract and utilize the earth's stored inexthermal energy. Because EGS resources have a large potential for the long term, United States focused his effort to provide 100GW of 24-hour-a-day base load electric-generating capacity by 2050.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.755-762
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• 2004

In our country, when the replacement for individual components of equipment in nuclear power plants is required, establishment of individual criteria i.e. Required Response Spectra(RRS) of seismic test/analysis for the component is very difficult because of the absence of Test Response Spectra(TRS) for the individual component to be replaced, from the existing qualification documents. In this case, it is required to perform the structural analysis for the nuclear equipment including the components to be replaced. After the structural analysis, Analysis Response Spectra(ARS) at the point of the component shall be generated and used for seismic test of the component. However, as of today, no standard program authorized for the response spectra generation by using the structural analysis exists in korea. Because of above reason, the STAR-Egs computer program was developed by using the method which calculates directly the expected response spectrum(frequency vs. acceleration type) of the selected points in the nuclear equipment with input spectrum(Required Response Spectra, RRS), based on the dynamic characteristics of the Finite Element(FE) model that is equivalent to the nuclear equipment. The STAR-Egs controls ANSYS/I-DEAS commercial software and automatically extract modal parameters of the FE model. The STAR-Egs calculates response spectrum using the established algorithm based on the extracted modal parameters, too. Reliance on the calculation result of the STAR-Egs was verified through comparison output with the result of MATLAB commercial software based on the identical algorithm. Moreover, actual seismic testing was performed as per IEEE344-1987 for the purpose of program verification by comparison of the FE analysis results.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.561-571
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• 2013

Various experiences on enhanced geothermal system (EGS) has been accumulated from the Soultz project through various scientific experiments and research activities for more than 20 years since it started in the year of 1984 until the 1.5 MW Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) binary power plant has been built up in Soultz-sous-$\hat{e}$ area, France. They have been applied to Cooper basin in Australia, Landau and Insheim in Germany and so forth. This report summaries the experiences from Soultz in the aspect of artificial reservoir creation, expecting to be helpful for reducing any trial and errors or unnecessary expenses in ongoing Korean EGS project in Pohang area, where the geological features are similar to Soultz area.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.196.2-196.2
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• 2011

지구온난화와 화석연료 고갈에 대한 우려로 전세계적으로 신재생에너지의 개발 및 활용이 본격화되고 있다. 특히, 다양한 신재생에너지원 중에서 날씨 및 계절에 의한 영향, 기저부하 담당, 지상 점유 면적, 소음 등 생활환경 영향, 경제성 등을 고려할 때 지열에너지는 미래 청정에너지원로서 기대와 관심이 집중되고 있다. 화산이 존재하지 않는 우리나라에서의 지열발전은 거의 불가능한 것으로 인식되어 지금까지의 심부 지열에너지 개발 프로젝트는 대부분 지역난방, 시설영농 등 직접이용을 목표로 추진되어 왔다. 그러나, 2003년부터 한국지질자원연구원에서 수행한 포항 심부지열에너지 개발사업의 결과로 얻어진 다양한 지질학적/지열학적 증거들을 토대로 분석한 결과, 국내 일부 지역에서는 지하 5 km 심도에서 최대 약 $180^{\circ}C$의 지온이 예상되어 국내에서도 심부 지열에너지를 이용한 지열발전에 대한 가능성이 제기되어 왔다. 여기에, 유럽과 미국 그리고 호주 등 선진국을 중심으로 비화산 지역에서 지하 심부에 인공적으로 지열저류층(파쇄대)을 생성하고 이를 통해 열매체(물)를 순환시킴으로써 생산된 증기를 발전에 활용하는 EGS (Enhanced Geothermal System) 기술이 개발되고 몇몇 성공사례가 발표되었다. 또한, 이러한 기술개발에 힘입어 EGS 지열발전에 대한 선진국의 과감한 연구비 투자가 이어졌다. 이러한 기술적 배경에 발맞추어 우리나라에서도 2010년 12월에 EGS 지열발전 과제가 착수되었다. 이 프로젝트는 아시아에서는 최초로 수행되는 EGS 기술 개발과제로서 2015년까지 약 480억원의 R&D 예산을 투입하여 MW급의 지열발전 pilot plant의 구축을 목표로 하고 있다. 프로젝트가 성공적으로 추진될 경우 국내외적인 파급효과는 매우 클것이다. 특히 2015년까지 1.5 MW의 pilot plant의 구축이 성공적으로 추진될 경우 국내에서는 2017년까지 3 MW 이상, 2020년까지 20 MW이상, 2030년까지 200 MW 이상의 지열발전이 가능할 것으로 기대된다. 또한 축적된 기술개발 경험을 바탕으로 인도네시아, 필리핀 등의 해외의 지열발전 사업에도 진출할 수 있는 계기가 될 것이다. 프로젝트는 넥스지오를 주관기관으로 하고 한국지질자원연구원, 한국건설기술연구원 및 서울대학교 등의 지질자원 관련 연구 및 교육기관과 포스코, 이노지오테크놀로지 등의 산업체가 참여하여 컨소시엄 형태로 추진하고 있으며, 향후 관심있는 여러 기관 및 산업체의 지원과 참여를 기대한다.