Binary geothermal power plants

Main features and issues

Paola Bombarda
Gecos Group, Dipartimento di Energia
Politecnico di Milano

Pisa, October 9th, 2013

Presentation overview

Geothermal fluid loop

Thermodynamic cycles
Plant power balance
Case study: Soultz plant
High enthalpy and hybrid plant schemes
Main components
Operation and maintenance

Binary technology
Main features:
Power generation by means of closed thermodynamic
cycle
Geothermal fluid loop and power cycle are completely
separated
Nearly zero emission plant (for all-liquid geofluid)
Suitable for integration with other energy sources
(solar, biomass, waste....)

The geothermal fluid loop

Power plant

Geothermal fluid gathering

Doublet: (1 production well, 1 injection well)
is the typical layout
Triplet is also used
Multi-well, with several modules is being
discussed

The downhole pump:

lineshaft (LSP), submersible (ESP), hydraulically driven (HTP)

Source: TP-Geoelec) Strategic Research Priorities for Geothermal Electricity

Main issues: depth, pumping head, temperature,

reliability and availability

Power cycle: the reference ideal cycle

for all liquid heat source, with constant heat capacity

Q IN

Geothermal
fluid inlet
temperature

P = Q IN L

Geothermal fluid
reinjection
temperature
Ambient
temperature

Q OUT
Entropy

Lorenz cycle
REMIND:
the
cycle
efficiency depends only
on
the
geothermal
source and ambient
temperatures

Power cycle: the real cycle

ORC, pure fluid

Tap,PHE
7 8

Sh.

Tin,Geo

PHE

Tpp,PHE
45

Turb.

6
9

Eva.
3

5
4

Eco.

Tpp,Reg

2
1

11

Tap,Cond
3

Pump

T*pp,Cond

10

Reg.

Treinj,Geo

10

Air Cond.

11

Concepts for binary cycle design

Objectives:
- high efficiency
- => second law analisys: minimize second law
losses
- low cost, /kW
- => optimize component design
- Critical choice: the cycle working fluid

Concepts for binary cycle design

The heat introduction process

ORC working fluid selection

The fluid must be suitable for the selected
geothermal source and plant size (Fluid
critical temperature and pressure, molecular
complexity and mass are relevant)
Hydrocarbons
Refrigerants
Others
Important issues: environmental, toxicity, flammability,
material and lubricant compatibility, cost

ORC simple cycle optimization

Introduced thermal
power decreases with
evaporation temperature
Cycle efficiency increases
with evaporation
temperature
=> Maximum cycle power
for the optimum
evaporation temperature

Cycle selection: simple or recuperative

subcritical or supercritical

Kalina cycle

working fluid: ammonia-water mixture

Cost & component sizing

Turbine sizing
Selection of Tpinch point for the heat exchangers:
the smaller the Tpinch point , the higher the
efficiency but also the heat exchanger cost

Component sizing and performance

Example for heat recovery case (Diesel engine)

Source: C. Pietra et al. 2010

Binary plant performance

ORC preliminary evaluation

online ORC calculator
http://www.turboden.eu/en/rankine/rankinecalculator.php

The plant power balance

Net plant power = (turbine power pump power) -auxiliaries power consumption

Case study: Soultz, ideal cycle

Nominal conditions: ambient 10C;
geothermal fluid salt content 100 g/l
inlet temperature 175 C, reinjection 70 C

=
Thermal power:

= 33.57 3. 7 175 70.1

79.1 )K
= 13

=1
L

283.15

175 70,1
175+273,15

70.1+273.15

=0.28

= 13 0.28 = 3.64
=
L

Case study: Soultz , real cycle

recuperative cycle, isobutane (Tcr 134.9 C, pcr 36.48 bar)

T-s Diagram
150
140
130
120
110
100
90
T
80
[C]
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

0.5

1
s [kJ/kgK]

1.5

Case study Soultz : the plant power balance

nominal data

Turbine power, kW

1892

ORC feed pump, kW

242

Condenser fans & other auxiliaries, kW

169

ORC Net power, kW

1481

Downhole pump, kW

150

Plant net power , kW

1331

Thermal power from geoth. source, kW

13022

Cycle efficiency

11.38%

Plant efficiency

10,22%

Ideal power, kW
ORC second law efficiency
(real power/ideal power)

3646
40.6%

Binary power plant schemes and

main features
The plant comprises two separate section: the geothermal
fluid loop and the power cycle
NCG and dissolved minerals are confined in geofluid loop
Power cycle arrangement depends on thermodynamic
cycle selected
Conventional heat rejection (water/ air cooled condenser
or hybrid system)
Cogeneration application and/or hybrid configuration is
eligible
Plant scheme tailored on the geofluid also possible

Mixed steam-binary plant

High enthalpy geofluid binary plant

scheme
STEAM

NONCONDENSABLES

evaporator

turbine-generator

separator

LIQUID

G
preheater
cooling system

pump
production well

reinjection well

Hybrid plant scheme

geothermal waste heat or biomass plant

Air condenser
Furnace

Production
well

ORC power
unit

District
heating

Reinjection
well

Main machinery
Heat exchangers (pre-heater, evaporator,
condenser, recuperator)
Turbine
Generator
Feed pump
Down-hole pump

Power plant view

Turbine
Turbine requirements:
Work extraction
Suitability to accomodate increasing volumetric
flow rate
High efficiency
Low cost (=> reduced stage number)
Remark: dry vapour expansion, no erosion of blades

Binary power plant turbine

Axial, possibly multistage
most common
Radial, inflow, usually single stage
sometimes used
Radial, outflow, multistage
recently proposed again

Turbine, axial, single stage

Low rotational
speed
Low peripheral
speed, low
mechanical stress
No reduction gear

By courtesy of
Turboden

Turbine, radial inflow - Soultz case study:

single stage, rotational speed 12400 rpm
High rotational speed
with reduction gear
High work extraction
per stage
(centrifugal force
potential increases
work extraction)
Adapt to
accommodate variable
inlet nozzles

Turbine, radial inflow - Soultz case study

Binary power plant turbine

radial, outflow, multistage

Fluid passage area naturally increases

along the expansion process
Low work extraction per stage (centrifugal
force potential acts against work
extraction)
High number of stages required
Low rotational speed, no reduction gear

Binary plant power cycle pump

Centrifugal,
multistage pump
Operated at variable
speed

Power Plant - Heat Exchangers

shell and tube or plate possibly with phenolic coating

Soultz heat
exchangers

Heat Exchangers Soultz case study

Soultz T-Q
diagram

Operation & Maintenance

Plant remote control

Monitoring of measured values
- Physical (p, T, flows, )
- Mechanical (vibrations)
- Electrical
Check of power plant pump and turbine sealing
Heat exchanger cleaning
Check of down hole pump and periodic pump substitution

brine acidification, scale inhibitors

Operation supplies (chemical for cooling water, inhibitors,
lubricating oil, filters )

Bibliography
Di Pippo, Ronald: Geothermal Power Plants: Principles, Applications, Case
Studies and Environmental Impact, Elsevier Science, Dartmouth,
Massachusetts, (2007).
Technology Platform on Geothermal Electricity (TP-Geoelec) Strategic
Research Priorities for Geothermal Electricity available on the Internet at:
www.egec.org
Technology Roadmap Geothermal Heat and Power, OECD/IEA, 2011
International Energy Agency, www.iea.org
Bombarda, P., Invernizzi, C., Pietra C., Heat recovery from Diesel engines:
A thermodynamic comparison between Kalina and ORC cycles Applied
Thermal Engineering 30 (2010) 212219
Di Pippo, R.: Second Law assessment of binary plants generating power
from low-temperature geothermal fluids, Geothermics, 33, (2004), 565586.

Bibliography
Bombarda, P., Gaia, M., Pietra, C., Integration of Geothermal Liquid
Dominated Sources and Waste Heat Sources for Electricity Production,
Proceedings of the World Geothermal Congress 2010, Bali, Indonesia
Pini, M., Persico, G., Casati, E., Dossena, V., Preliminary design of a
centrifugal turbine for ORC applications, Journal of Engineering for Gas
Turbines and power, vol. 135, n4, april 2013
Invernizzi, C., Closed power cycles. Thermodynamic Fundamentals and
Applications. Series: Lecture Notes in Energy, Vol. 11, Springer

Thank You!
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