ASTM E957-02
(Terminology)Standard Terminology Relating to Geothermal Energy
Standard Terminology Relating to Geothermal Energy
General Information
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An American National Standard
Designation: E 957 – 02
Standard Terminology Relating to
1
Geothermal Energy
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 957; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
aquifer, n—a water-bearing, permeable body of rock or mixture of these phases that exists within or has been emitted
granular material below the surface of the earth. from a geothermal reservoir, together with any entrained or
binary cycle plant, n—a facility that generates electric power dissolved substances.
by transferring heat from produced geothermal fluids to a geothermal gradient, n—the change in temperature of the
non-aqueous working fluid that vaporizes and causes a earth with depth, expressed either in degrees of temperature
turbine to rotate the shaft of a generator. per unit depth, or units of depth per degree.
brine, n—in geothermal, fluids in a liquid phase that have been geothermal power plant, n—a facility for the production of
produced from geothermal wells or from hot springs and that electricity using geothermal energy, typically including a
contain appreciable amounts of sodium chloride and other turbine, a generator, and associated surface equipment.
salts. geothermal heat pump, n—a heat pump that transfers energy
capacity, n—the power which a component of a geothermal to or from the earth.
facility (e.g., a well, a reservoir, a power plant, or a geothermal reserves, n—the amount of energy anticipated to
direct-use facility) is capable of supplying at a point in time, be economically recoverable from a geothermal facility over
assuming that other required components of the geothermal a specified time period (e.g., the project life) using existing
facility are available. Capacity is expressed in units of power technology. Geothermal reserves are expressed in units of
(e.g., Megawatts, kilowatts). energy (e.g., terajoules in SI units), which are dimensionally
direct-use facility, n—a facility which uses geothermal energy equivalent to units of power multiplied by units of time (e.g.,
for purposes other than the generation of electricity (e.g., Megawatt-years or kilowatt-hours). Geothermal reserves
space heating, greenhouses, bathing, and industrial pro- may also be expressed as an equivalent amount of another
cesses). energy source (e.g., barrels of oil equivalent).
fumarole, n—a vent at the earth’s surface that emits steam or
DISCUSSION—Geothermal reserves can also be characterized as to the
gaseous vapor.
degree of certainty of recovery. By analogy to usage in the mining and
petroleum industries, reserves may be qualified as proved, probable, or
DISCUSSION—Such vents are usually found in volcanic areas.
possible.
geochemistry, n—the study of the chemistry of the rocks and
Example of Usage:
fluids of the earth for the purpose of understanding their
This facility has geothermal reserves of 4,000 Megawatt-
composition, their temperature, and their origin.
years, recoverable over a project life of 30 years.
geothermal, adj—relating to or derived from the natural heat
geothermal reservoir, n—an aquifer of sufficient temperature
of the earth.
and permeability to support the economic use of geothermal
geothermal anomaly, n—a conspicuous deviation of the
energy.
earth’s temperature, geothermal gradient, or heat flow from
average values; an area where such a deviation exists.
DISCUSSION—The extent of a geothermal reservoir is determined by
geothermal energy, n—the thermal energy contained in the
the degree of hydrologic interconnection. When an aquifer contains
rocks and fluids of the earth.
both hot portions and portions that are too cool for economic use, those
portions that are sufficiently interconnected to have a significant
geothermal facility, n—the physical components necessary
hydrologic or thermal impact on each other are considered part of the
for the utilization of geothermal energy, including the
same geothermal reservoir.
reservoir, production and injection wells, pipelines, and the
power plant or direct-use facility.
geothermal steam, n—a geothermal fluid in the vapor phase.
geothermal fluid, n—water in a vapor or liquid phase or in a
geothermometer, n—a method of estimating the temperature
of a geothermal reservoir based on the minerals in the
1 reservoir rock or the concentration of chemical species in
This terminology is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E44 on Solar,
Geothermal, and Other Alternative Energy Sources and is the direct responsibility of geothermal fluids that have come from the reservoir.
Subcommittee E44.01 on Terminology.
geyser, n—a spring
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