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 feature and a heat carrier within the geothermal formation;
• 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 the second heat transfer fluid within the secondary heat exchanger, vaporizing the secondary 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 to hold a heat transfer fluid;
• 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 cylindrical shell, wherein the arrangement of the casing and the return pipe form an annulus between the return pipe and the cylindrical 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.