As we drill down the rocks of earths crust, the temperature typically increases by 3°C for every 100 m of depth. Oil wells can be drilled to depth of 1830 m. If water is pumped into the shaft of the well it will be heated by the hot rock at the bottom and the resulting steam can be used as a heat engine. Assume that the surface temperature is 20°C A) using such a 1830 m well as a heat engine, what is the maximum efficiency possible? B) if a combination of such wells is to produce a 2.5×10^6 W power plant, how much energy will it absorb from the interior of earth each day?

As we drill down the rocks of earths crust, the temperature typically increases by 3°C for every 100 m of depth. Oil wells can be drilled to depth of 1830 m. If water is pumped into the shaft of the well it will be heated by the hot rock at the bottom and the resulting steam can be used as a heat engine. Assume that the surface temperature is 20°C A) using such a 1830 m well as a heat engine, what is the maximum efficiency possible? B) if a combination of such wells is to produce a 2.5×10^6 W power plant, how much energy will it absorb from the interior of earth each day?