Process and system for recovery of energy from geothermal brines and other water containing sources
A process is described for recovery of energy from elevated temperature or hot water-containing fluids which contain uncondensible gas, including geothermal brines and other elevated temperature water sources, which comprises (A) containing said water-containing fluid which contains uncondensible gas in heat exchange relation with a working fluid in liquid form in a heat transfer zone, to produce a cooled water-containing fluid, (B) heating said working fluid by such contact at a temperature to produce boiling thereof in the upper portion of said heat transfer zone, said heat transfer zone being maintained at a pressure below the critial pressure of said working fluid, to produce resulting vapors of working fluid and water together with uncondensible gas, (C) expanding the resulting vapors and gas in an expander to produce work, and discharging the expanded vapors and gas from said expander, (D) withdrawing cooled water-containing fluid from said heat transfer zone of step (A) containing working fluid, (E) flashing said cooled water-containing fluid of step (D) in a flash zone to flash off the working fluid therein including uncondensible gas, and leave cooled liquid, and discharging said cooled liquid, (F) compressing the flashed-off working fluid and said gas, (G) mixing said compressed working fluid and said gas from step (F) with the expanded vapors and gas discharged from said expander of step (C) to form a mixture, (H) cooling said mixture and condensing the expanded working fluid vapor and water vapor therein, to form condensed working fluid and condensed water vapor, (I) separating, in an accumulator zone, condensed working fluid from condensed water vapor and recycled uncondensible gas from step (H), (J) returning said condensed working fluid to said heat transfer zone for reheating therein, and (K) carrying out said flashing in step (E).
- Assignee:
- Occidental Petroleum Corp
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4213302
- OSTI ID:
- 5049997
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
150802* -- Geothermal Power Plants-- Power Plant Systems & Components
CONVERSION
DIRECT CONTACT HEAT EXCHANGERS
ENERGY CONVERSION
ENERGY RECOVERY
EVAPORATION
FLASHED STEAM SYSTEMS
FLASHING
FLUIDS
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION
GEOTHERMAL FLUIDS
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT PIPES
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
RECOVERY
RECYCLING
STEAM SYSTEMS
WATER TREATMENT
WORKING FLUIDS