GEOTHERMAL POWER GENERATION

AN OVERVIEW
Rajesh M Holmukhe
Electrical Bharati Vidyapeeth Assistant Professor Engineering Department, University, College of Engineering Pune, India e-mail:rajeshmholmukhe@hotmail.com Earth is made up of 3 layers namely, crust, mantle and metallic core. The crust, mainly composed of granites is split into 6 main plates which move away from each other at the rate of 2 to 20 cm per year. Relative motion of the plates occasionally gives rise to areas where internal heat of the earth reaches the surface and where most volcanoes and most of the world's geothermal fields are found. I) Water is the most important carrier of the energy in geothermal wells as it has a high heat capacity and latent heat of vaporization. 2) Impermeable rocks cover permeable layers which contain reservoir of hot water thereby preventing heat loss and maintaining water under pressure. Geothermal fields such as geysers require a combination of 3 geological factors-I) a natural underground source of water. 2) an impermeable layer that traps the water and permits formation of steam. 3) a mass of hot rock near the natural water system. Geothermal energy is derived from the hot interior of the earth. Crustal rock up to 70 km thick insulates it from earth's surface. Due to this insulation temperature at the surface is relatively cool but increases rapidly with growing depth inside the rock. A small portion of the rock is permeable so that over a long period of time it acquires a store of natural ground water which gets heated. In places where the heated water finds its way to the surface naturally, the geothermal energy can be extracted with relative ease. In other places it may be mined using deep bore holes. In Pacific Ocean lies the richest belt of geothermal energy known as 'RIM OF FIRE' stretching from New Zealand up through New Guinea, Philippines, Japan, Western Siberia and then down through Western United States, Mexico, Central America. Geothermal Gradient:- It is defined as the rate of increase of temperature with depth. In developing a program to use geothermal energy following factors need to be analyzedI. Variation of temperature with depths in different parts of the world. 2. Identification of location at convenient depths from which it is possible to approach water bearing rocks having water temperature higher than 50C.

ABSTRACTTHIS PAPER PRESENTS THE DEVELOPMENT, UTILISATION AND APPLICATION OF GEOTHERMAL POWER. THE FAST DEPLETING CONVENTIONAL RESOURCES HAVE COMPLETED US TO LOOK OUT FOR NEW AVENUES IN ENERGY GENERATION.THIS PAPER DISCUSSES IN GREATER DEPTHS DIFFERENT WAYS OF HARNESSING THIS NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY SOURCE. THE CLASSIFICATION AND OPERATION OF GEOTHERAMAL POWER PLANT AN LOG WITH SCHEMATIC DIAGRMS HAVE BEEN EXPLAINED IN DETAIL.IT GIVES AN OVERVIEW OF THE GEOTHERMAL POWER GENERATION IN INDIA AND ABROD AND ITS ECONIMIC FESIBILITY.FURTHER ACOMPARISION BETWEEN GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT AND THERMAL POWER PLANT HAS BEEN MADE .WE HAVE TRIED OUR LEVEL BEST TO COVER ALL THE ASPECTS OF GEOTHERMAL POWER GENERATION IN THIS PAPER.

Keywords- geothermal powert ,. renewable energy

I.

INTRODUCTION

Non-Conventional Energy Source (NECS) which comprise both renewable and non renewable source should play an increasingly important role in the coming periods in view of fast depleting fossil fuel reserves and growing concerns for environment protection. Perennial energy shortages and resulting inflation have adversely affected the balance of payment position in energy scare economies of developing countries. Renewable energy sources occur in nature in the form of energy flows of indefinite duration as opposed to non-renewable conventional fuels of finite values. Here we shall see about Geothermal Power Plants as product of clean energy concept and geothermal energy resource which of 1 or 2 orders of magnitude larger than the recoverable energy from uranium and thorium in same volume of rocks.

II.

ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

OF

Geothermal energy is present over the entire extent of the earth's surface. It varies only in its ease and cost of extraction. The need for developing the least expensive resource first has resulted in the exploration of geothermal resources primarily in these areas which have associated volcanic activity. However, by no means is the resource restricted only to volcanic areas.

3.

Identification of rocks that are sufficiently hot and impermeable which render extraction of heat and economically viable proposition.

IV. VAPOUR DOMINATED (STEAM) GEOTHERMAL ELECTRIC POWER PLANT: The geothermal fluid for such plants is dry steam at temperature between 180 C to 240 C with low content of particulate impurities and dissolved solid impurities. Mass flow rate per well is around 10 kg/see with power rating per well at rate of 6 MWe. SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM: Figure (3) gives a typical schematic of a vapour dominated geothermal power plant. Dry steam from the geothermal reservoir I) flows upwards through the production well (2) and is admitted in the centrifugal separator (4) The temperature and pressure of the steam at the bottom of the well are 280 C and 35 bar. As steam flows towards the ground surface, it expands and cools. Temperature and pressure at the well head is about 250 C and 8 bar. The centrifugal separator (4) removes particulate matter (13) from the steam. The steam is admitted into the steam turbine (5) The steam expands in the turbine buckets producing rotary kinetic energy. The low pressure steam at the exhaust of the turbine is condensed in condenser (8) the condensated is reinjected into the earth via the reinjection wall. (9) Cooling water for condensing the steam is circulated through the cooling tower (12) by means of cooling water pump. (13) The synchronous generator (6) generate electrical power at high voltage 50 Hz A.C. The turbine and generator form one unit. Complete power plants has several units. Geothermal energy in the form of dry steam (1) is converted into mechanical energy by the turbine (5) The mechanical energy is converted to electrical energy by the generator. The electrical power is transmitted by electrical transmission system and fed to 30 AC supply network. Steam geothermal power plant are grid connected and operated continuously as base load power plants. PRODUCTION WELL: Are located at a distance of about05. km. Life of a steam power production well is 6 to 15 years. Thereafter new well should be used. Steam production from a well declines by about 20% in about 6 years. REINJECTION WELLS: The reason for reinjection of condensate into the earth are :1) To ensure supply of fresh water from production well for several years. The earth acts as a steam generator. 2) To prevent environmental pollution. The condensate contains certain pollutants for e.g. The steam at the geysers contains Hydrogen Sulphide up to 200 ppm. If condensate is let out on ground level, it causes environmental hazard. V. COMPARISION BETWEEN GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT AND STEAM THERMAL POWER PLANT: The main difference between conventional steam thermal power plant and geothermal power plant are:-

III. CLASSIFICAITON OF TYPES OF GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANTS: Geothermal Power Plants are of several types. They are classified on basis of Geothermal fluid used Thermodynamic cycle adopted I. STEAM GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT: It is called vapour dominated geothermal power plant. Geothermal fluid is steam. PETRO THERMAL GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT: It is also called Hot Dry Rock geothermal power plant. Thermal energy in hot dry geological rock is extracted by circulating water through artificial fracture in hot dry rock. Steam turbine is used as prime mover. FLASHED STEAM GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT:- It is a type of Liquid Dominated geothermal power plant. Production well produces mixture of water and steam at temperature more than 180 C and with low content of dissolved minerals. Steam turbine is the prime mover. Geothermal fluid is flashed to obtain steam. BINARY LIQUID DOMINATED GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT: The geothermal fluid is mixture of water and steam at temperature less than 150 C. The geothermal fluid cycle is different from the working fluid cycle. The geothermal heat is exchanged with the working fluid of low boiling point in a heat exchanger gas turbine drives the generator shaft. BINARY CYCLE GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT WITH HOT BRlNE: When geothermal fluid is liquid with high mineral content, binary cycle similar to (4) is preferred. TOTAL FLOW GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT" The entire geothermal fluid is passed through the special turbine. Such system is used when the geothermal fluid has very high content of mud, dissolved minerals etc.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Geothermal Power Plants are operated continuously as base load power plants. Production wells require a few hours from start to reach the rated level of delivery. Thermal equipment are loaded gradually. In the beginning, the geothermal fluids contain excessive particulate and dirt. After a few hours the quality of production fluid is improved. Hence frequent restarts must be avoided.

Geothermal power plants have smaller units sizes (S MW, 10 MW, IS MW) whereas the thermal steam power plants have large unit sizes (200MW, SOO MW,800MW) A Variety of systems are used in geothermal power plant for extraction of steam from geothermal energy source. geothermal power plants need a large flow of geothermal fluids (due to lesser temperature and pressure) Geothermal power plants need a large flow of geothermal fluids (due to lesser temperature and pressure) Geothermal power plants are located on geothermal field. it is not technically feasible to transport hot geothermal fluid over long distance due to drop in pressure and temperature. the energy conversion sequence in vapour dominated geothermal power cycle is as following:-

VI. SCOPE FOR GEOTHERMAL ENERGY SYSTEM IN INDIA: India has I SO known geothermal sites having geothermal fluid
of moderate and low temperature that is <160 C. the geothermal fields in India are in the form of hot water springs (40 C to 98 C) and shallow water reservoir temperatures are less than 160 C. The important hydro-geothermal resource locations are:-

FIELD PUGAJ&K

DRY STEAM GENERATOR SEPERA TOR

CENTRIFUGAL CONSUMER TURBINE

STEAM STEAM
WEST COAST MAHARASHTRA GUJARAT FIELDS, AND

Geothermal power plant requires much larger flow of steam per kWh of electrical energy generated. Power available per well is relatively small.

VAPOUR DOMINATED GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT UNIT SIZE OF TURBINE GENERATOR STEAM TEMPERA TURE STEAM PRESSURE STEAM PER kWh (relative) VOLUME OF STEAM ( relative) SMW-IOMW

COAL FIRED STEAM THERMAL POWER PLANT IOOMW-600 MW

AND PARTICULARS LlKEL Y APPLICATIONS -Geo-hydrothermal -I IS springs SO to 80 C - total discharge 18 kllh - field area 3 sq. meter -Appl ications -green house cultivation - space heating - drying of wool -binary cycle power plant -geo-hydrothermal - 18 springs 34 to 72 C - locations with water at 120 C at 200 to SOO m depths -Applications -mushroom farming -animal husbandry -biogas production -drvinz of sea fish PARTICULARS AND LlKEL Y APPLICATIONS -geo-hydrothermal - 23 springs, SO to 98 C - total discharge 3600llh -Applications -silver culture -drying of timber - drying of cotton - drying of fruits

FIELD T ATT APANI FIELDS - MP

270C 8 Bar

SOOC
30 BAR X

2.SX SOY

The working fluid in conventional steam thermal coal fired power plant is high temperature high pressure steam produced from lean water with very low particulate and dissolved solid matter. Geothermal steam has highest content of particulate and dissolved impurities. Additional equipments are necessary in geothermal power plant for production of clean steam suitable for admitting into the steam turbines. The configuration of power plant and equipment is influenced by the temperature pressure solid particulate and dissolved impurities in geothermal steam water produced by production well.

Due to moderate and low temperature of geothermal fluids, the prospects of such plants in India are very low. However geothermal energy is likely to have several applications in temperature range of 30 C to 190 C.

VII. GEOTHERMAL ELECTRICAL POWER PLANTS IN THE WORLD:

About 20 nations in the world have known geothermal resources. total installed capacity of geothermal power plants in the world is around 10,000 MW.

HISTORIC PLANTS:-

REVIEW

OF

GEOTHERMAL

POWER

VIII.

ECONOMICS

FOR POWER GENERATION:

1904

LARDERDLLO,

IT AL Y

1914

LARDERDLLO,

IT AL Y

1944

LARDERDLLO,

ITALY

1958

JAPAN, MEXICO

1960 1982 1979

THE GEYSERS, THE GEYSERS,

USA USA

1987 1988

USA, ITALY, NEW MEXICO, ZEALAND, USSR USA THE WORLD

electricity from generated geothermal energy for first time - 8.5 MW power plant with steam turbine generators - 127 MW steam geothermal power plant geothermal energy electric power plants - II MW steam turbine generator - 109 steam turbine generator -total installed capacity 1900 MW - 70 MW binary cycle power plant -total installed capacity 3500 MW -total installed capacity 8000 MW

Factors affecting economic growth of geothermal energy based power generation are the well head temperature, well flow rate and the cost of wells. Optimum plant size is in 50 to 100MW range. Scope of cost reduction in large plants through economics of scale is limited and hence geothermal power plants are more appropriate for supplying power to public buildings and commercial establishments. Total cost of geothermal plant can be divided in 3 categories: 1. Power Plant capital costs 2. Operating cost 3. Energy supply cost Power plant costs mainly cover the initial capital required to build it with operating cost forming a small proportion. As the proportion of operating costs in total costs is low, uncertainties in operating costs would not have a significant impact on power costs. Geothermal power generation is thus capital intensive with 75% of generating costs as fixed costs pertaining to capital investment.
CONCLUSION

Geothermal power can become a valuable source of energy if properly harnessed. Continued energy shortages have created added interest in geothermal energy for both power generation 2000 THE WORLD and direct applications. The technology is expensive and it is necessary that for real breakthrough the cost be reduced , substantially. GEOTHERMAL ELECTRIC POWER PLANTS IN THE Development of geothermal energy has some li tiIons on the environment. Environmental problems WORLD imouca COUNTRY AND TOTAL GEOTHERMAL TEMPRA TURlissociated g eothermal development are physical disturbance LOCATION INSTALLED FLUID C of site, noi e, brine, disposal, ground water contamination, by CAPACITY fluids and air pollution especially by hydrogen v USA,THE IIOOMW STEAM 285 sulphide. GEYSERS ITALY, 406MW STEAM+ 260 A ditional and often less manageable problems relate LARDERELLO WATER to serious social, economic and institutional impacts that ccompany large scale geothermal development. o 'J NEWZEALAND, 290MW STEAM+WATER 260 This could be compounded by the effects of new industrial WEIRAKAI wrucn roup ws as a result of low cost geothermal power JAPAN IIOMW STEAM+WATER 280 CHILE,ELTATIO 15MW STEAM+WATER 280 developmehi t plans should include careful ground work to mitigate irrp act on areas with geothermal resources.
,......

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

"

MEXICO, CERRO PRlETO TURKEY, KIZILDEE FORMERUSSR ICELAND

150MW 10MW 7MW 2.5 MW

STEAM+ WATER STEAM+ WATER STEAM+ WATER STEAM+ WATER

370 210

Bharati Vidyapeeth Pune-43.

University College of

Engineering,

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