Use of geothermal heat for sugar refining. Final report, October 1, 1976--May 31, 1977

Technical Report · Sun May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5234620· OSTI ID:5234620

Pearson, R O

The economic and technical feasibility of applying low grade geothermal heat (less than 300/sup 0/F) in the beet sugar refining industry for both new factory construction and retrofit conversion of existing factories was assessed. The representative Holly Sugar factory at Brawley, California, was utilized as a baseline primarily because of its centralized location with respect to the known and partially developed geothermal anomalies at Brawley, East Mesa, and Heber. Nominal values for the key parameters of the sugar refining process and typical values for the geothermal fluid parameters representative of geothermal resources in areas of existing or potential future sugar factories were defined, promising points of application were identified, and conceptual designs synthesized for introducing the geothermal heat into the process. The design approaches were then quantified with capital, operating and maintenance costs, and comparative economic evaluations were made with other fuels projected to 1995. In parallel with the detailed study of process conversion to geothermal heat, the existing pattern and potential growth of the sugar refining industry was assessed to estimate the potential market for new factory construction at suitable areas, as well as the potential for retrofit conversion of existing factories. The environmental impact of other geothermal application concepts was also assessed, and expected technological or industry/government policy changes which might affect the potential for conversion to geothermal heat were identified and evaluated. Emphasis was placed on achieving results that would stimulate commercial utilization of geothermal heat for beet sugar refining and related processes.

• Research Organization: TRW Systems and Energy, Redondo Beach, Calif. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EG-77-C-03-1317
• OSTI ID: 5234620
• Report Number(s): SAN/1317-3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
GEOTHERMAL PROCESS HEAT
SUGAR BEETS
REFINING
ARIZONA
CALIFORNIA
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COST
DRYING
ECONOMICS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FLOWSHEETS
FOSSIL FUELS
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
GEOTHERMAL FLUIDS
GEOTHERMAL HEATING
IDAHO
SACCHARIDES
STEAM
TABLES
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
USES
WASHINGTON
BEETS
CARBOHYDRATES
DIAGRAMS
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOOD
FUELS
HEAT
HEATING
INFORMATION
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROCESS HEAT
PROCESSING
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
USA
VEGETABLES
Geothermal Legacy
151000* - Geothermal Energy- Direct Energy Utilization
150600 - Geothermal Energy- Environmental Aspects
299002 - Energy Planning & Policy- Geothermal- (-1989)