Systems and methods of generating electricity using heat from within the earth

A method of generating electricity using geothermal energy comprising:

• moving a first heat transfer fluid into a primary heat exchanger positioned within a well, the well in contact with a geothermal formation and a heat carrier within the geothermal formation and the primary heat exchanger is supported within the well via a plurality of support collars, each of the plurality of support collars comprising a first and second end, wherein the first ends of the plurality of support collars are securely connected to an inner wall of the well, and wherein the second ends of the plurality of support collars contact an outer shell of the primary heat exchanger at a point higher in the well than the corresponding first ends of the plurality of support collars;
• absorbing, in the first heat transfer fluid, heat from the heat carrier in the well;
• moving the first heat transfer fluid out of the primary heat exchanger and out of the well and into a secondary heat exchanger;
• transferring heat from the first heat transfer fluid to a second heat transfer fluid within the secondary heat exchanger, vaporizing the second heat transfer fluid in the secondary heat exchanger;
• flowing the vaporized secondary heat transfer fluid into a turbine, the turbine connected to an electrical generator and the vaporized secondary heat transfer fluid moving the turbine;
• and
• generating electricity in the electrical generator using the movement of the turbine.

A heat exchanger for use in a geothermal application comprising:

• a casing disposed within a well, having an anti-scaling and/or anti-corrosion layer thereon configured to contain a heat transfer fluid, the casing forming a shell;
• a plurality of support collars disposed within the well, the plurality of support collars supporting the casing within the well, the plurality of support collars disposed at a generally upward angle from an inner surface of the well toward the casing;
• a return pipe disposed co-axially within the shell, wherein the arrangement of the casing and the return pipe form an annulus between the return pipe and the shell, the inner volume of the return pipe being thermally insulated from the annulus;
• a plurality of centralizers disposed within the annulus, each of the plurality of centralizers comprising a first end and a second end, the first end of the plurality of centralizers connected to an inner surface of the shell and the second ends of the plurality of centralizers connected to an outer surface of the return pipe, the centralizers having a low profile to minimize hydraulic resistance to flow within the annulus;
• and
• wherein the plurality of support collars are configured to allow flow of a heat carrier between the inner surface of the well and the casing.