Application Spotlight

Geothermal energy has become a focal point in generation company portfolio’s with the demand for renewable energy continuing to expand. Geothermal energy production is known for it’s reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as it can be extracted without burning any fossil fuels. Currently, geo-fields are producing about one-sixth of the carbon dioxide of a clean natural gas fueled plant, and unlike solar and wind power, geothermal energy is always available.

The focus is growing on Geothermal power as one of the most promising forms of renewable energy. Often referred to as limitless, reservoirs are found on fault lines and near volcanic active areas. Replenishing is natural through rain water and snow melt, in addition to leftover fluids injected back into the well.

In areas of the world where steam or two-phase flow are the dominant sources of geothermal energy, it is vital to remove the fluid portion of the mixture from the well. Otherwise, salts and dissolved solids will cause scaling and corrosion of the turbine and related equipment. Separators are installed to accomplish this task and are the most important component at a geothermal plant.

Within the last few decades, injection wells have become a necessity for maximum geothermal power generation and reservoir management. Fluid injection is one of the most important parts of this process, eliminating any environmental impact of surface disposal and providing pressure support to the well. More of a strategy now than in the past, injection encompasses many variables such as the number of required wells, locations, depths and any potential long-term effects on production.

The condenser is a key component in any power plant that uses a steam turbine. Its primary function is to increase power by maximizing the pressure drop across the turbine, where efficiency is directly related to the vacuum created by condensing steam. Geothermal condensers are fundamentally different than those found in fossil fuel plants, in that turbine exhaust steam is never recycled to a boiler.