Ambient H sub 2 S monitoring in the vicinity of Hawaii's first geothermal power plant

Conference · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6832508

Morrow, J W ^[1]; Thomas, D M ^[2]; Burkard, H D ^[3]

---

1. American Lung Association of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI (US)
2. Hawaii Univ., Honolulu, HI (USA)
3. Alpha Micro Systems, Inc., Hilo, HI (US)

In December, 1975, work began on Hawaii's first successful geothermal well in the East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano on the Island of Hawaii (Figure 1). By July, 1976, the well, named Hawaii Geothermal Project - A (HGP-A), was complete to a depth of almost 2 km and had encountered a volcanically driven hydrothermal system having a temperature in excess of 358{degrees} C and a fluid chemistry composed of a mixture of seawater, meteoric water, and volcanic volatiles. The principal chemical constituents of the fluid are listed in Table I. Note the relatively high H{sub 2}S concentration which ranged 900 - 1,000 ppmw. During the early testing of the well, the superheated geothermal fluid was allowed to flash at normal atmospheric pressure with steam and noncondensable gases being released unabated into the atmosphere. The high H{sub 2}S and noise (120 dBA) levels and the close proximity of the Leilani Estates residential subdivision were cause for concern and efforts were thus made to mitigate these impacts. Certain elements of the initial test protocol required that the well be allowed to flow freely and unabated. During these periods public notice and prewarning were the most feasible means of mitigation. At other times, the mixed fluid is separated into steam and brine phases with the steam phase being treated with NaOH and then released through a rock muffler. The brine phase is released through a separate muffling system. Chemical treatment of the stream with NaOH converts the H{sub 2}S into a soluble sulfide salt through the following reaction: H{sub 2}S(g) + NaOH {r arrow} NaHS(s) + H{sub 2}O. This paper discusses early flow testing revealed that the well was able to produce a steady flow of approximately 50,000 kg per hour of steam and water at a pressure of 1200 kPA and thus appeared suitable for power generation.

• OSTI ID: 6832508
• Report Number(s): CONF-880679-
• Resource Relation: Conference: 81. annual meeting of Air Pollution Control Association, Dallas, TX (USA), 19-24 Jun 1988; Other Information: Report 88-95 B.8; Related Information: Volume 5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
HAWAII
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL EFFLUENTS
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
KILAUEA VOLCANO
SODIUM HYDROXIDES
STEAM GENERATION
WATER
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CONTROL
FEDERAL REGION IX
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXIDES
KINETICS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION CONTROL
POWER PLANTS
REACTION KINETICS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
USA
VOLCANOES
WELLS
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
150600 - Geothermal Energy- Environmental Aspects