LIQUID DOMINATED GEOTHERMAL PLANT CYCLE

 SINGLE-FLASH SEPARATOR

Hot liquid from the production well (point 1) will pass through a throttling process to reduce its
pressure to the turbine pressure. A flash separator (point 2) will be used to separate the steam from the
water. Steam will go directly to the steam turbine (point 3) while the water will go to the reinjection well
(point 4). Separated steam well be used to produce work and leave at a certain steam quality (point 5)
then heat will be rejected in the condenser before it will be reinjected to the ground (point 6).
Process 1-2: Isenthalpic flash separation process
h1 =h2
h1 is the enthalpy of the saturated liquid at the pressure in the production well.
Process 2-3-4: Isobaric steam separation process
h2−hf 4
x 2=
hg 3 −hf 4
m
x 2= s
mg
m g =ms +mf
Where
m g is the mass flow rate of the ground water
m s is the mass flow rate of the separated steam
m f is the mass flow rate of the reinjected water from separator
h3 is the enthalpy of the saturated vapor at the turbine pressure
h 4 is the enthalpy of the saturated liquid at the turbine pressure
Process 3-5: Reversible adiabatic expansion in the turbine
s3=s 5
w T =ms (h3−h5)
s5−s f
x 5=
s g −s f
h5 =hf 6+ x5 ( hg 5−hf 6 )
Process 5-6: Heat rejection in the condenser
Q R=ms ( h5 −h6 )

Where
h6 is the enthalpy of the saturated liquid at the condenser pressure
 DOUBLE FLASH SEPARATION
This is similar to the single stage separation, except that the liquid from the high pressure stage
separator is allowed to pass through a low pressure stage separation.
Process 1-2: Isenthalpic/Throttling process
h1 =h2
h1 is the enthalpy of the saturated liquid at the pressure in the production well.

Process 2-3-4: Isobaric steam separation process

h2−h4
x=
h3−h4
m s 1=x mg
mg =ms 1+ mf 1
m g is the mass flow rate of the ground water
m s 1 is the mass flow rate of the separated steam
m f 1 is the mass flow rate of the reinjected water from separator
h3 is the enthalpy of the saturated vapor at the turbine pressure
h 4 is the enthalpy of the saturated liquid at the turbine pressure

Process 3-5: Reversible adiabatic expansion in the high pressure turbine

s3=s 5
s5−s f 5
x=
s g 5 −s f 5
h5 =hf 5−x (h g 5−h f 5)
W T 1=m s 1 (h3 −h5 )

Process 4-6: Isenthalpic expansion process

h 4=h 6
h 4 is the enthalpy of the saturated liquid at the high pressure separator

Process 6-7-8: Isobaric steam separation

 h6 −hf 7
x 6=
h g 8−h f 7
ms 2=x 6 mf 1

Process 7-9: Reversible adiabatic expansion in the low pressure turbine

s7=s 9
s −s
x 9= 9 f 9
s g 10−s f 9
h 9=h f 10+ x 9 ( h g 9−h f 10 )
W T 2=ms 2 (h7 −h9 )

Process 9-10: Isobaric heat rejection in the condenser

Q R 1=m s 1 ( h5−h 10)
Q R 2=m s 2 (h 9−h10 )

Solution to Problem1:
1. A flashed-steam geothermal power plant is located where underground hot water is available at 15 MPa and
300oC. To produce a steam-water mixture in the separator where the unflashed water is removed, this water is
throttled to a pressure of 1 MPa. The flashed steam which is dry and saturated press through the steam collector
and enters the turbine at 1 MPa and expands to 1 atm. The turbine efficiency is 80% and the generator efficiency
is 95%. For generator output of 12 MW, calculate the groundwater flow rate in kg/hour required for continuous
operation. How many cubic meters per hour of fresh water that must be supplied to the main condenser if water
from cooling tower enters the condenser at 35oC and leaves at 48oC? How many numbers of wells are needed to
supply the plant with pressurized .water if each well has a capacity of 127,200 kg/hr? Determine the thermal
efficiency of the geothermal plant.
Pgen =12 MW
e t =80 %
e gen =95 %

12 000 k W
WT= =15 789.47 kW
( 0.80 ) ( 0.95 )
At point 1
P1=15 MPa t 1 =300o C
kJ
h1 =1337
kg
At point 2
P2=1 MPa
kJ
h2 =h1=1337
kg
kJ
h f =762.8
kg
kJ
h g=2778
kg
kJ
s g=s3=6.586
kg−K
 1337−762.8
x 2= x 100 %=28.49 %
2778−762.8

At Point 3
P3=P2
kJ
h3 =hg=2778
kg
kJ
s3=s g 3=6.586
kg−K

At Point 4
P4 =P3
kJ
h 4=h f =762.8
kg

At point 5
P5=1 atm=0.101325 MPa
s5=s 3
kJ
h f 6=419
kg
kJ
h g=2676
kg
kJ
sf 6=1.307
kg−K
kJ
s g=7.355
kg−K
6.586−1.307
x 5= =87.29 %
7.355−1.307
kJ
h5 =419+0.8729 ( 2676−419 ) =2389.14
kg
At point 6:
kJ
h6 =h f 6=419
kg

Find m s and m g
W T =ms ( h3 −h5 )
kJ
15 789.47
s kg
ms = =40.6045
s
( 2778−2389.14 ) ( kJkg )
kg
40.6045
m s kg 3600 s kg
mg = s =
x 0.2849
=142.52
s 1 hr ( )
=513 078.98
hr

Solve for the heat rejected

 kg kJ
Q R=m s ( h5 −h6 ) =40.6045 (2389.14−419 ) =79 996.55 kW
s kg
Find the volume flow rate of the cooling water
Q R=mw c pw ∆ t
kJ
79996.55
s kg
mw = =1469.69
kJ s
( 4.187 kg−C )( 48−35) C
o
o

kg
1469.69
m s m3 s m3
V w= w = =1.47 x 3600 =5292
ρ kg s hr hr
1000 3
m
Determine the number of wells
n=number of wells
kg
513078.98
mg hr
n= = =4.03≈ 5 wells
mcapacity per well kg
127200
hr
Solve for the thermal efficiency of the plant
kJ
17789.47
WT s
et = = =9.34 %
m gh1 kg kJ
142.52
s (
1337
kg )