IE GSI DIAS Geothermal Surface Heat Flow 100k Ireland (ROI) ITM View

Heat flow is a measure of the amount of heat energy that is transferred to or from an object, across an area through time. Heat energy flows or moves through an object by conduction. Conduction happens when heat moved through the body itself. Many things effect how the heat flows through the object. An important one is what material the object is made from. Copper, gold and iron are examples of good conductors but wood, rubber and glass are bad conductors of heat. The amount or strength of heat energy that travels through an object is used to measure the heat flow.

The amount of heat energy in an object can be measured using a piece of equipment called calorimeter. The heat flow can then be calculated by taking the amount of heat energy that flows through the object and dividing it by the area through which the heat flowed. Heat flow is calculated using the rock thermal conductivity multiplied by the temperature gradient. Thermal conductivity measures the ability of an object to conduct heat. The temperature gradient is the difference in temperature with distance, in this case how the temperature of the object changes as heat flows through it in a specific direction.

Rocks beneath the surface of the Earth have heat flows that can be calculated. The heat flow may be different depending on the rock type and how deep it is. Rocks closer to the surface are usually cooler than deeper rocks. This is because the heat from the centre of the Earth rises and is conducted by the rocks from below. This happens when heat moves through the body of the object itself. Rocks can conduct heat differently depending on the composition of the different types of rocks. Heat flow maps can show the heat flows of different rock types in an area and at different depths.

Geothermal energy is energy stored in the form of heat beneath the surface of the earth. It can be used to supply heat and hot water. It can also be used to cool a house by removing extra heat energy and putting it into the ground. It is a form of renewable energy....