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The Kola Superdeep Borehole reached temperatures of 500 degrees at the bottom. If you could dig down to where the temperature reaches just over 212 degrees, would you be able to run a steam engine by putting water in the hole and letting it boil to create steam to power the engine. As long as the heat remained the same and was able to properly run the steam engine, it would seem like a very renewable energy source as the water could be collected and dumped back down the hole to repeat the process indefinitely.

Kola Superdeep Borehole, https://archive.is/0zuzE Steam engines, https://www.mpoweruk.com/steam_turbines.htm

The Kola Superdeep Borehole reached temperatures of 500 degrees at the bottom. If you could dig down to where the temperature reaches just over 212 degrees, would you be able to run a steam engine by putting water in the hole and letting it boil to create steam to power the engine. As long as the heat remained the same and was able to properly run the steam engine, it would seem like a very renewable energy source as the water could be collected and dumped back down the hole to repeat the process indefinitely. Kola Superdeep Borehole, https://archive.is/0zuzE Steam engines, https://www.mpoweruk.com/steam_turbines.htm

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[–] • 3 pts 3y

A piece of pipe full of steam at 500F is one thing. Putting a generator and all the associated equipment at that level would be problematic, and servicing would be impossible.

Countries with high volcanic activity already do this, so it's just a matter of finding an area where you can pipe the water around. In the USA, the Yellowstone region would probably be perfect for this.

[–] • 0 pt 3y

Plus wouldn't boiling water like that below sea level at a higher atmosphere up the boiling temp?

[–] • 0 pt 3y

The boiling point would depend on the pressure in the tube, since it's not exposed to atmosphere. If you're pumping it into a geological area and collecting it with another tube, the calculations change. I don't have any real experience here.