Republic of the Philippines

BOHOL ISLAND STATE UNIVERSITY

MAIN CAMPUS
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
6300 Tagbilaran City
Vision: A premiere S&T university for the formation of a world class and virtuous human resource for sustainable development in Bohol and the Country.
Mission: BISU is committed to provide quality higher education in the arts and sciences, as well as in the professional and technological fields;
undertake research and development, and extension services for the sustainable development of Bohol and the country.

Power Plant Engineering

TECHNICAL REPORT 6
GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT DESIGN

Submitted by:
CLIFFORD C. BAGUIO
BSME 5B

Submitted to:
ENGR.JUANITO M. ORIGINES JR.
INSTRUCTOR
I. Introduction

Geothermal power is power generated by geothermal energy.

Technologies in use include dry steam power stations, flash steam power
stations and binary cycle power stations. Geothermal electricity generation
is currently used in 26 countries, while geothermal heating is in use in 70
countries.
As of 2015, worldwide geothermal power capacity amounts to 12.8 giga
watts (GW), of which 28 percent or 3.55 GW are installed in the United
States. International markets grew at an average annual rate of 5 percent
over the three years to 2015, and global geothermal power capacity is
expected to reach 14.5–17.6 GW by 2020. Based on current geologic
knowledge and technology the GEA publicly discloses, the Geothermal
Energy Association (GEA) estimates that only 6.9 percent of total global
potential has been tapped so far, while the IPC reported geothermal power
potential to be in the range of 35 GW to 2 TW. Countries generating more
than 15 percent of their electricity from geothermal sources include El
Salvador, Kenya, the Philippines, Iceland, New Zealand, and Costa Rica.
Geothermal power is considered to be a sustainable, renewable source of
energy because the heat extraction is small compared with the Earth's heat
content.The greenhouse gas emissions of geothermal electric stations are
on average 45 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour of electricity, or
less than 5 percent of that of conventional coal-fired plants.
As a source of renewable energy for both power and heating, geothermal
has the potential to meet 3-5% of global demand by 2050. With economic
incentives, it is estimated that by 2100 it will be possible to meet 10% of
global demand.

Advantages:

 Low cost
 Inexhaustible
 Pumps can store heat for later use
Disadvantages:

 Source is close to volcanic activity

 Some plants use lots of water creating water pollution
 Supply could change
 Cannot be transported
 High start up cost

Types and Classification

Dry steam power plants draw from underground resources of steam. The steam is piped
directly from underground wells to the power plant, where it is directed into a
turbine/generator unit. There are only two known underground resources of steam in the
United States: The Geysers in northern California and Yellowstone National Park in
Wyoming, where there’s a well-known geyser called Old Faithful. Since Yellowstone is
protected from development, the only dry steam plants in the country are at The
Geysers.

Flash steam power plants are the most common. They use geothermal reservoirs of
water with temperatures greater than 360°F (182°C). This very hot water flows up
through wells in the ground under its own pressure. As it flows upward, the pressure
decreases and some of the hot water boils into steam. The steam is then separated
from the water and used to power a turbine/generator. Any leftover water and
condensed steam are injected back into the reservoir, making this a sustainable
resource.

Binary cycle power plants operate on water at lower temperatures of about 225°-360°F
(107°-182°C). These plants use the heat from the hot water to boil a working
fluid, usually an organic compound with a low boiling point. The working fluid is
vaporized in a heat exchanger and used to turn a turbine. The water is then injected
back into the ground to be reheated. The water and the working fluid are kept separated
during the whole process, so there are little or no air emissions.
Site Selection

Modern Technologies on Geothermal Power Plant

Modern Technologies on Geothermal Power Plant

The development of binary technology, however, has allowed for an

expansion of the temperature range of resources capable of producing
electricity. In these systems, low to moderately heated geothermal fluid
(below 300°F) and a secondary (hence, "binary") fluid, with a lower boiling
point than water, pass through a heat exchanger, where the heat causes
the secondary fluid to flash to vapor, driving the TG.

The DOE's Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) develops and deploys

a portfolio of innovative technologies for domestic power generation. Within
this office is the low temperature and co-produced resources subprogram
that conducts research and demonstration projects in partnership with
industry that will lead to advanced geothermal energy use and electricity
production from these lower temperature fluids. But, to truly capitalize on
lower temperature resources, the "value" of produced fluid must be
increased. There are a number of ways to improve the value of
geothermal fluid. One is through "cascaded" technologies, in which the
geothermal fluid cascades from the highest available temperature for
creating electricity down through direct use applications that require
successively less heat, including spas, industrial processes and snow
melting – each with distinct temperature ranges. The GTO is helping to
develop this process through a number of projects, including one in
partnership with the Surprise Valley Electrification Corp (SVEC). The SVEC
project will produce over 3 MW of power from geothermal fluid which will
then be used for aquaculture and irrigation purposes. Another
improvement is the harvesting of valuable materials from geothermal fluid.
In addition to using the heat to create power, another project partner,
Simbol Materials, is developing techniques to profitably extract strategic
minerals from brines via new "geothermal mining" technologies. The project
is validating improved lithium extraction techniques to transform mined
materials into saleable products cost-effectively. The best way of
increasing the value of brines is by improving the efficiency and reducing
the cost of power generation technologies. The DOE's Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory is in the process of developing microporous metal-
organic solids as the primary heat carrier and heat transfer medium that
could increase power generation at binary plants by 15 percent.

Economic, Social and environmental impact

Compatibility with other land-uses. Geothermal power plants require

relatively little land. The installations don’t require damming of rivers or
harvesting of forests, and there are no mineshafts, tunnels, open pits,
waste heaps or oil spills. They can be sited in farmland and forests and can
share land with cattle and local wildlife.

Renewability of the resource. Geothermal energy has been classified

under clean and renewable resource. The resource can be described as
renewable only if the rate of extraction is less than the recharge rate.
Sustainable use of the resource can be attained through reinjection and
reservoir flow monitoring.

Minimal solid wastes. Geothermal power plants do not generate

appreciable wastes during operations. However, some geothermal fluids
contain by-products, which most often have valuable minerals that can be
recovered and recycled for industrial use. These include salts that can be
crystallized and used while silica solids can be used in cosmetic production
as is done at the Blue lagoon of Iceland. Some of the dissolved minerals
can have negative impact to the environment if not re-injected back into the
reservoir.
Separated and condensed thermal water from the plants is routinely
reinjected to the ground minimizing the release of steam and thermal water
to the environment. Unlike fossil fuel, geothermal steam does not need
storage or transportation facilities nor is there necessity for waste (fuel)
disposal.

Gaseous emissions. The increase in deployment of geothermal energy

will have a large net positive effect on the environment in comparison with
the development of fossil fuels. This is in accordance with the Kyoto
resolutions on global climate change. During production, geothermal power
plants emit insignificant amounts of CO2, SO2 and absolutely no nitrogen
oxides in comparison to thermal plants. These small quantities from
geothermal plants are not emitted during power production as a result of
combustion but are natural constituents of a geothermal reservoir. The
gases would eventually vent into the atmosphere under natural conditions
although at much lower rates (Goff, 2000).

Tourism and Wildlife Conservation. There is a debate as to whether

geothermal resource development and wildlife conservation are
compatible. The Olkaria power plants located in Hells gate National Park
are a classic example of such compatibility of the two land uses. This area
was gazetted as a park in 1984 after construction of Olkaria I power plant.
This has been perceived as the best decision made by the conservationist
at that time in view of the fact that the area was going to be opened up
following the construction of a power plant. Since then, Kenya Wildlife
Service (KWS) and KenGen developed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) to govern geothermal power operations within the park. The MoU
also covers Orpower 4 (an independent power producer). The KWS and
KenGen are currently working on the revision of the MoU following the
commissioning of Olkaria II in 2004, which is also within the same park. The
main concerns of the Kenya Wildlife Service and other conservationists
include; effluent disposal, emissions, animal accidents (traffic), loss of
habitat, harassment of animals, blockage of seasonal animal migration
routes, noise and odour.

Education. The implementation of Olkaria I project came with the

construction of the Mvuke primary and nursery schools. The school
infrastructure financed by KenGen is open to the local community and the
teachers provided by the government. However, the nursery school is fully
funded by KenGen.
Despite the increase in flower farms and associated population, the
government has not been able to meet the need for more schools. Some
flower farms have responded to this need by constructing schools to meet
the demand brought about by their large labour force.

Agriculture. In the late 1970s, horticultural farming was introduced around

the lake and has since grown to large commercial farming for export.
Before independence and shortly after, the irrigation-based agriculture
around the lake was mainly food and fodder crops for the local market and
minimum export. The farming is presently oriented for the European market
and has led to heavy growth and a complete change in land use from
ranching and wildlife grazing to commercial irrigated agriculture. This
industry has been attracted by availability of abundant fresh water from the
Lake Naivasha, large tracks of land (which can be leased), favourable
climatic conditions, cheap labour and proximity to Nairobi.

Indigenous community and culture. The indigenous community of the

Olkaria area are the Maasai´s who are less than 100 people. The
community lives in the vicinity of the park on surrounding private farms and
therefore have no firm legal rights of occupation. The development of the
power plants did not displace or directly affect any indigenous community
and their culture. Though there is very limited interaction with the
community in-terms of project operations and maintenance, methods of
ensuring that they benefit from the project have been devised. Some of the
benefits the Maasai´s community has enjoyed from the project include
provision of piped water at the Kedong and Narasha, access to Mvuke
primary school, transport provision for shopping every weekend and
assistance to put up a new primary school called Iseneto.

The expansion of geothermal development in the areas immediately

outside the park may however affect the Maasai’s if KenGen was to acquire
the land from the private farms.
II. Objectives:

1. To know the basic knowledge about geothermal power plant

2. To know what are the advantages and disadvantages of a geothermal
power plant.
3. To know the working principle of geothermal power plant
4. To know environment control of geothermal power plant
5. To be able to design a geothermal power plant

III. Geothermal Power Plant Design

Plant Capacity = 8.5 MW

Plant Capacity
Work Output =
Generator of Turbine Efficiency
Generator Efficiency = 90%
Turbine Efficiency = 85%
8.5 MW
Work Output = = 11.1 MW
0.90 (0.85)
For Geothermal

From Phases of Geothermal Development in the Philippines by Francis M. Dolor

(1. Introduction, phar 1) “The geothermal fields drilled to date are liquid
dominated in the natural state, with maximum temperature the high range
of 300 to 340°C”
Using average value, we can get T 1 = 320 °C
 From steam supply sharing through stream line interconnection - The
Geothermal Field Experience, Philippines.
(2. Field Operating Pressure and Plant Capacities, phar 3)
Using high pressure steam, operating pressure = 1.2 MPa
P2 = 1.2 MPa
Using air-cooled condenser; consider condenser operates at 0.15 MPa
For single Flash:

At 320 °C:
hf1 = 1461.5 KJ/kg
at 1.2 MPa
hf3 = 998.65 KJ/kg
hg3 = 2784.8 KJ/kg
hfg3 = 1986.2 KJ/kg
Sg3 = 6.5233 KJ/kg
h3 = hg = 2784.8 KJ/kg
At 0.15 MPa
hf4 = 417.46 KJ/kg
hg4 = 2675.5 KJ/kg
getting (x) quality; S3 = S4
Sg3 = Sf4 + x (Sfg4)
6.5233 = 1.4336 + x(5.7897)
x = 0.88
Solving for h4:
h4 = hf4 +hfg4 (x)
h4 = 467.11 + 0.88 (2226.5)
h4 = 2426.43
From the formula
Work Output = ms (h3 – h4)
 Work Output
ms =
(h3 − h4 )

11100 KJ/s
ms =
(2784.8 − 2426.43)
ms = 30.97 kg/s
For Ground Water
h2 = h1
h1 = (hf + xhfg)
1461.5 = 798.65 + x(1986.2)
x = 0.33 %
Solving for mass flow rate of ground water
m s = mg x 2
ms
mg =
x2
30.97
mg =
0.33
mg = 93.85 kg/s

Getting over-all plant efficiency

ms (h3 − h4 )et 30.97(2784.8 − 2426.43)(0.85)
ec = =
mg h1 93.85(1461.5)

ec = 6.88 %

Considering using a Mechanical Draft cooling tower

From the Computed cooling water mass flowrate
mw = 212.21 kg/s
With air ambient condition
@ Point 1 (Inlet for air):
tdb = 32 °C
twb = 24 °C
From the Psychometric Chart
W 1 = 0.0156 kg of water / kg of dry air V1 = 0.889 m3/kg of dry air
h1 = 71.5 KJ/kg
@Point 2 (Exit for air):
t = 42 °C
RH = 100%
From Psychometric Chart
W 2 = 0.0548 kg of water / kg of dry air V2 = 0.8976 m3/kg of dry air
h2 = 192.36 KJ/kg
Mass balance
m5 = m3 - m4

m4 = m3 – m5

Energy Balance

m3h3 – m4h4 = ma (h2 – h1)

m3 h3− h4(m3 −m5 )

ma = h2 −h1

From the formula

m5 = ma (W 2 – W 1)

At point 3 At point 4

to = 43.76 °C, Saturated liquid tI = 25 °C, Saturated liquid

from Steam Table from Steam Table

h3 = 191.82 KJ/kg h4 = 104.89 KJ/kg

Substituting

212.21(191.82)−104.89[212.21−ma ( 0.0548− 0.0156)]

ma = 192.36−71.5

ma = 158.01 kg/s

From the Formula

Q = Area x Velocity

Q = ma x specific volume

Q = 158.01 x 0.8976

Q = 141.83 m3/s

Considering; height of cooling tower: 120 m

Length of Fan Blade: 7 m

Pressure: 101.325 KPa

Computing the total head

h = hs + hv

Where:

hs = Static pressure head, Assuming No change in pressure,

=0

hv = Velocity head

Velocity Head

Vo 2 141.83
hv = Vo =
2g 3.1416

Q
Vo = 𝑉𝑜 = 45.15 𝑚/𝑠
A

πD2 π(2)2
A= = = 12.57 m2
4 4

(45.15)2
hv =
2(9.81)

hv = 103.9 m

Total Head

h = hs + hv = 0 + 103.9 = 103.9 m

Calculating for the Air Power

Air Power = Qρh

Where:

Q – Fan capacity

ρ – density of air, 1.223 kg/m3

h – Total head

Air Power = (141.83) (1.223) (103.9)

= 18022.3 W x 1.34048x10-3 hp

= 24.16 hp

Calculating

Calculating the Fan Power

 Air Power
Fan Power =
Fan Efficiency

From Power Plant Engineering by Frederick Morse. Standard motor sizes

Assume 90% efficiency for 24.16 fan

24.16
Fan Power =
0.90

= 26.8 hp

For Standard purposes use 27 hp motor

Cooling tower pump

Calculating the Pump Power

P = ρgQH

Where: ρ = density of water at ti

Q = Volume flow rate of Water

H = Total head

g =9.81 m/s2

Considering Cooling tower height of 120 m

@ti = 25 °C, saturated liquid

ρ = 997.1084 kg/m3

Q = mw x 1/ ρ = 116.24 X 1/ 997.1084 = 0.1166 m3/s

From Bernoulli’s Equation

Pa Va Pb Va
za + + + H = zb + + + hlosses
ρg 2g ρg 2g

Considering losses of 20 m

H = (zb – za) + (Vb – Va)/2g + hlosses

Considering the following properties for tube:

From Power Plant Engineering by Frederick Morse Fig. A-6 Pipe Standards pg. 665

Dimensions of pipe
Use 127 mm nominal size, schedule 40 (for suction)

OD = 141.30 mm

ID = 134.75 mm

Use 101.6 mm nominal size, schedule 40 (for discharge)

OD = 114.30 mm

ID = 108.28 mm

Q
Va =
As

Where:

𝜋𝐷𝑠 2 𝜋(0.13475)2
𝐴𝑠 = = = 0.01426 𝑚2
4 4

0.1166
Va = = 8.2 𝑚/𝑠
0.01426

Q
Vb =
AD

Where:

𝜋𝐷𝐷 2 𝜋(0.10828)2
𝐴𝐷 = = = 0.009208 𝑚2
4 4

0.1166
Vb = = 12.663 𝑚/𝑠
0.009208

Substituting values

H = (120 – 0) + (12.663 – 8.2)/2(9.81) + 20

H =140.23 m

Calculating the water pump power

P = ρgQH

P = (997.1084) (9.81) (0.1166) (140.23)

P = 159937.71 x 1/746 = 214.39 hp

Calculating Pump Power

Water Power
Pump Power =
Fan Efficiency

From Power Plant Engineering by Frederick Morse. Standard motor sizes

Assume 90% efficiency for 214.39 pump power

214.39
Pump Power =
0.90

= 238.21 hp

For Standard purposes use 240 hp motor

Calculating the mass flow of make-up water, m5

m5 = m3 - m4

m5 = ma (W 2 – W 1)

m5 = 158.01 (0.0548 – 0.0156)

m5 =6.19 kg/s say 7 kg/s

ms
Q5 =
ρ

7 1000 3600 𝐿
Q5 = × × = 25200 (The capacity of make-up water)
1000 1 1 ℎ𝑟

IV. Summary
Using Single Flash Steam Geothermal Power Plant
SteamTemperature = 320 °C
Steam Pressure = 1.2 MPa
Condenser Pressure = 0.15 Mpa
Generator Efficiency = 90%
Turbine Efficiency = 85%
Work Output = 11.1 MW
Mass flow rate of the steam = 30.97 kg/s
Mass flow rate of ground water = 93.85 kg/s
Over-all plant efficiency = 6.88%

For Cooling Tower:

Mass flow rate of air = 158.01 kg/s
Mass flow rate of cooling water = 212.21 kg/s
Height of cooling tower = 120 m
Fan Power = 27 hp
Water Pump Power = 240 hp
V. Sample Problems

1.
2. It is proposed that the liquid water coming out of the separator be used as the heat
source in a binary cycle with isobutane as the working fluid. Geothermal liquid water
leaves the heat exchanger at 90°C while isobutane enters the turbine at 3.25 MPa and
145°C and leaves at 80°C and 400 kPa. Isobutane is condensed in an air-cooled
condenser and then pumped to the heat exchanger pressure. Assuming an isentropic
efficiency of 90 percent for the pump, determine (a) the mass flow rate of isobutane in
the binary cycle, (b) the net power outputs of both the flashing and the binary sections
of the plant, and (c) the thermal efficiencies of the binary cycle and the combined plant.
3. A binary geothermal power plant uses geothermal water at 160°C as the heat
source. The cycle operates on the simple Rankine cycle with isobutane as the working
fluid. Heat is transferred to the cycle by a heat exchanger in which geothermal liquid
water enters at 160°C at a rate of 555.9 kg/s and leaves at 90°C. Isobutane enters the
turbine at 3.25 MPa and 147°C at a rate of 305.6 kg/s, and leaves at 79.5°C and 410
kPa. Isobutane is condensed in an air-cooled condenser and pumped to the heat
exchanger pressure. Assuming the pump to have an isentropic efficiency of 90 percent,
determine (a) the isentropic efficiency of the turbine, (b) the net power output of the
plant, and (c) the thermal efficiency of the cycle.
4. The schematic of a single-flash geothermal power plant with state numbers is given
in Fig. P10–26. Geothermal resource exists as saturated liquid at 230°C. The
geothermal liquid is withdrawn from the production well at a rate of 230 kg/s, and is
flashed to a pressure of 500 kPa by an essentially isenthalpic flashing process where
the resulting vapor is separated from the liquid in a separator and directed to the
turbine.The steam leaves the turbine at 10 kPa with a moisture content of 10 percent
and enters the condenser where it is condensed and routed to a reinjection well along
with the liquid coming off the separator. Determine (a) the mass flow rate of steam
through the turbine, (b) the isentropic efficiency of the turbine, (c) the power output of
the turbine, and (d) the thermal efficiency of the plant (the ratio of the turbine work
output to the energy of the geothermal fluid relative to standard ambient conditions).
5. It is proposed that the liquid water coming out of the separator be routed through
another flash chamber maintained at 150 kPa, and the steam produced be directed to a
lower stage of the same turbine. Both streams of steam leave the turbine at the same
state of 10 kPa and 90 percent quality. Determine (a) the temperature of steam at the
outlet of the second flash chamber, (b) the power produced by the lower stage of the
turbine, and (c) the thermal efficiency of the plant.