BINARY RANKINE CYCLE OPTIMIZATION Golub, M., Koscak-Kolin, S., Kurevija, T.

Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering Department of Petroleum Engineering Pierottijeva 6, Zagreb 10 000, Croatia Tel: 00 385 1 4605 173, Fax: 00 385 1 4605 469 E-mail: mgolub@rgn.hr

ABSTRACT Geopressured geothermal fluids at Croatian reservoirs contain energy in three different forms such as: dissolved gases and minerals, high pressure and relatively high temperatures. Natural gas must be separated for the optimal utilization efficiency, which simultaneously maximizes the conversion process due to the wellhead temperature. Binary Rankine cycle uses a secondary working liquid, because the temperatures of the most geothermal fluids are usually too low to be used directly. However, behavior of representative secondary fluids is strongly dependent on characteristics of the geothermal fluid. Superheating degree in secondary cycle could be correlated to the molecular properties of each working fluid which is determined by the geothermal wellhead temperatures.

1. INTRODUCTION Optimization of the geothermal energy production process includes minimization of all energy losses from the reservoir conditions to the end user. As the huge amount of the available field energy is mostly spent in the borehole and in the surface equipment, process optimization requires scientifically-research access, based upon the physicalchemical conditions of flow and on construction of production equipment. Minimization of energy losses, which is area of specific scientific interest, can be approximately divided in four interactive categories: a) Collector parameters of the geothermal reservoirs and results of measurement data in reservoir analysis. b) Technical-technological possibilities in accordance to the dynamical pressure gradients and to the gradients of dynamical temperatures in the well. c) Election of the surface equipment of the primary cycle for the geothermal water production and injection. d) Choice of the thermodynamic process principle in the secondary cycle in connection to the field of application. The maximum available energy produced with the minimum irreversibility occurs when the heat capacities of geothermal fluid versus secondary working fluid are constant. These circumstances give balanced exchanger in which the temperature difference between this opposite streams must be kept uniform [5]. Because of that, heat exchanger is the most important element of binary cycle which will be investigated with the special attention.

2. TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE OPTIMIZATION The starting point in heat extraction optimization is formula for temperature difference in irreversible processes, which can be found in Bonjakovi [3], page 120. This was the inspiration for a research upon heat efficiency in geothermal systems, because all the processes which are involved in energy production are irreversible:
T1 T2 = RT1 p 2 1 cp p1 p 1 T1 1 2 p1 c p /R

(1)

This formula can be transformed in more convenient shape through a few steps:
T = Tg w Tc = p2 K = T1 1 p 1

(2)

(3)

cp - cv = R = cp = R -1

cp cp cv cp = cv = = cv R cp - cv

= cp - 1 cv 1 cv (4)

cv

cp Tg w Tc = f = f R -1 1 T = Tg w Tc = K (5) Main parameters used in this deduction are: T = temperature difference (K) = wellhead temperature of geothermal fluid (K) Tgw Tc = critical temperature of working fluid (K) K = constant in mathematical deduction cp = specific heat at constant pressure (kJ/kg K) cv = specific heat at constant pressure (kJ/kg K) R = gas constant (kJ/kg K) = adiabatic coefficient = 1,4 Although all real processes are polytrophic, for the purpose of the first deduction, here it is taken an adiabatic coefficient () for ideal processes amounting 1,4. Temperature difference (T) is the parameter, analyzed as the most influencing factor in heat exchange efficiency, as well as it is important thermodynamic value in optimization of the whole geothermal heat and power production system. Selection of secondary, working fluid with adequate critical temperature (Tc) and specification of the operating conditions are significantly dependent on: thermodynamic properties of geothermal fluid, heat exchange optimization. Constant (K) in deduction has a physical meaning connected to molar enthalpy of ideal gases, which seems to be the same number for all compounds above critical conditions.

3. GEOTHERMAL ELECTRICITY GENERATION

On the figure 1 it can be seen that the geothermal fluid is firstly passing through the separator (primary cycle), in order to avoid damage of fin tubes in the heat exchanger. After that, heat is transformed into mechanical work as in classical power plants, which are working upon Clausius-Rankine process (secondary cycle) [6]. Secondary fluid from the heat exchanger is entering the turbine (1) and produces the power on the shaft. Next unit plant is condensator (2-3), where working fluid is cooled and pumped back in the heat exchanger (4). The heat transmission from the geothermal fluid to the secondary fluid starts again and the whole process can be repeated.
PRIMARY CYCLE SECONDARY CYCLE

separator

heat exchanger 1

turbine

generator

3 4 production well injection well feed pump condensator

Figure 1: Scheme of geothermal power production The main parameter in heat usage optimization is temperature difference between geothermal fluid temperature and temperature of secondary fluid (T1). An election of secondary fluid with the adequate critical temperature is one of the most important step in project evaluation, because it must be high enough to obtain superheated steam on the turbine entrance [1]. As these processes are conducted in the heat exchanger, it is analyzed separately, and this is the most important issue.
3. HEAT EXCHANGER OPTIMISATION

T1
geothermal fluid working fluid

T2

injection well

There are two temperature differences at heat exchanger, due to the irreversibility analysis of thermodynamic performance : T1 = temperature difference between geothermal water and secondary working fluid (it is taken as a constant although during the process it is oscillating) T2 = temperature difference between inlet and outlet of geothermal water from the heat exchanger

Figure 2: Heat exchanger of geothermal power plant

When two temperature differences at heat exchanger are plotted together on same heatentropy diagram (figure 3), mutual influences of the important elements can be easily recognized. Binary-Rankine cycle on diagram is presented with typical points from 1 to 4, which are also marked on the scheme in figure 1. Superheated working fluid in turbine expands adiabatically from 1 to 2, after which it passes through the condensator till the point 3. When the circulating pump returns fluid in heat exchanger, pressure is raised up, but pressure lines 3 and 4 are so near in diagram that they can be presented as one [4].
T (K)

Tgw T2 Ts Tout Tc Te

INLET

wellhead temperature T1 supercritical temperature 1 1' 1'' critical point evaporation temperature turbine expansion

OUTLET

TA = AVAILABLE

T2,3 To

4 3 2

condensator temperature T3 = BALNEOLOGY ambient temperature s (kJ/kg K)

Figure 3: Heat chart of the Binary-Rankine cycle Wellhead temperature of geothermal fluid is taken as inlet temperature at heat exchanger (Tgw). The temperature difference (T1) depends upon temperature (Tc) in critical point of working fluid as follows: cp T1 = Tg w Tc = f = f -1 R It means that critical temperature (Tc) unambiguously defines necessary temperature of geothermal fluid, while proper temperature difference (T1) is the main parameter in selection of adequate working fluid. After the first heat transmission is obtained, temperature of geothermal fluid (Tout) at the outlet of heat exchanger is still high enough to be applied for direct energy usage. In the heat diagram (fig. 3) it is represented with available temperature difference (TA). Remaining temperature difference (T3) can be used for out-balance energy production, such as balneology, where the temperature of used hot water is equal to ambient (To).

4. HEAT EXCHANGER IRREVERSIBILITY

Efficiency of heat exchanger of geothermal production system can be improved under following circumstances: if there is enough heat for evaporation and superheating of secondary fluid; if the contact of geothermal fluid and secondary fluid is as long as it is necessary to reach final temperature difference between primary and secondary cycle (T1), as shown on picture 4.
PRIMARY PRIMARY high SECONDARY T1 high

T2 PRIMARY

low

low

Figure 4: Heat exchanger efficiency In contrast to the finite system which eventually comes to equilibrium with its environment, no definite end state can be assigned to a process in which energy is withdrawn from a hot reservoir, such as a geothermal. These deposits, by definition, never come to equilibrium with the environment and it is meaningless to speak of the maximum amount of useful work, but not to mention friction effects and the concept of thermodynamic irreversibility [5]. For any process in action with the change of thermodynamic state, the irreversibility function is a measure of work which is lost according to friction of finite temperature differences incurred across the heat exchanger. In the case of superheat binary cycle with the main element heat exchanger, the irreversibility would be: the product of an ambient temperature To and heat produced by the geothermal fluid affected to secondary working fluid, divided by finite temperature difference (T2): T (i - i ) T1 I= o 1 4 dTg w T2 Tg Tg w Twf
low Tg high

(6) (K) (kJ/kg) (K) (K) (K)

To i1 , i4 T2 Tgw Tg

= = = =

ambient temperature specific enthalpy in heat chart (fig. 3) temperature difference of geothermal water at the heat exchanger Tghigh = wellhead temperature of geo-fluid outlet temperature of geothermal fluid

low = T1 = Twf =

temperature difference between geothermal water and secondary working fluid (K) temperature of secondary working fluid (K)

Irreversibility in the other word is defined as the difference between the maximum useful work that can be obtained and the actual useful work. In the reversible process those two works divided would be zero. In opposite, the effectiveness of process or efficiency is the ratio of the actual to the maximum useful work, what shall be presented in the next article, applied to heat exchanger optimization.
5. CONCLUSION

Heat exchanger will be at the interface between the geothermal fluid and the working fluid and will constitute the most essential component of the Binary Rankine cycle power plant. A general approach is given here to show the effect of system parameters. The basic correlation is thermodynamic developed and is stressed upon to the coefficient K which has a physical meaning, what to be pointed out and will be investigated in the next article, regarding to our experimental geothermal data, for single fluid cycle optimization. This will be done between the high and low temperature side (T1) of a vertical counter flow, shell and tube heat exchanger designed for the utilization of hydrothermal systems in Croatia at moderate temperatures, for an adequate working fluid choice.
REFERENCES

1.

Austin, A. L., (1975), Prospects for advances in energy conversion technologies for geothermal energy development, Proceedings of the Second UN Symposium on the development and use of geothermal resources, San Francisco, Vol. 3, p. 1925-1935 Bird, R. B., Stewart W. E. & Lightfoot, E. N., (1960), Transport phenomena, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., pp 780 Bonjakovi, F. (1962), Nauka o toplini (Science upon heat), Tehnika knjiga, Zagreb, pp 345 Kolin, I. (1967) Thermodynamics Atlas 1, Longmans, London, pp. 94. McAdams, W. H. (1954), Heat transmission, McGraw-Hill book Co. third edition, pp 508 Milora, S. L., Tester, J. W., (1976), Geothermal energy as a source of electric power, The MIT Press, pp 186

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