Removal of silica from Raft River geothermal water
Lack of sufficient quantities of clean surface or near-surface water at Raft River for cooling purposes dictates that cooled geothermal fluid, effluent from the Raft River 5 MW(e) Pilot Power Plant, must also be used as condenser coolant. Prior testing revealed that a water-treatment system would be required to reduce silica and calcium concentrations of the cooling fluid. The water-treatment system specified was to use dolomitic lime for both pH adjustment and source of magnesium. The dolomitic lime treatment was investigated and found to be inadequate. Subsequent testing was done to find chemical systems that would adequately reduce silica concentrations. Three magnesium and two iron compounds were found which reduced silica to acceptable concentration levels. They are magnesium bicarbonate, magnesium chloride, magnesium sulfate, iron sulfate, and iron chloride. Magnesium oxide, using a two-stage countercurrent process, will also reduce silica to adequate levels.
- Research Organization:
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-76ID01570
- OSTI ID:
- 5195636
- Report Number(s):
- EGG-FM-5170
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GEOTHERMAL FLUIDS
WATER TREATMENT
GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANTS
COOLING
SILICA
REMOVAL
CALCIUM
COOLANTS
IRON CHLORIDES
IRON SULFATES
MAGNESIUM CARBONATES
MAGNESIUM CHLORIDES
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
MAGNESIUM SULFATES
PILOT PLANTS
POWER RANGE 1-10 MW
RAFT RIVER VALLEY
THERMAL WATERS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
IDAHO
IRON COMPOUNDS
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
METALS
MINERALS
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION
POWER PLANTS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
USA
Geothermal Legacy
150802* - Geothermal Power Plants- Power Plant Systems & Components
150600 - Geothermal Energy- Environmental Aspects