A calcium carbonate scale inhibitor for direct-contact binary geothermal service
A 500-kW direct-contact binary-cycle pilot geothermal power plant was constructed and successfully operated free of scale at the U.S. DOE East Mesa geothermal test facility. The pilot plant used an Elgin tower direct contact heat exchanger (DCHX) with isobutane as the working fluid. Initial tests with the untreated 340/sup 0/F (170/sup 0/C) geothermal brine gave heavy calcium carbonate fouling of the brine boost pump, flow monitors, and flow-control valves within 20 to 50 hours of startup. Use of 2 ppm high-temperature polymeric scale inhibitor in the feed brine enabled plant operation for more than 700 hours without formation of detrimental scale. The antiscalant was not extracted into the working fluid and did not emulsify the hydrocarbon/brine interface. On the basis of dosage and flow, the additive cost was calculated to be about 0.06 per net kW-hr of power generated.
- Research Organization:
- Pfizer Central Research
- OSTI ID:
- 5389343
- Journal Information:
- J. Pet. Technol.; (United States), Vol. 35:9
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Calcium carbonate scale inhibitor for direct contact binary geothermal service
Test results from the 500 kW direct contact pilot plant at East Mesa
Related Subjects
CALCIUM CARBONATES
DESCALING
EAST MESA GEOTHERMAL FIELD
GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANTS
BINARY-FLUID SYSTEMS
2-METHYLPROPANE
ANTIFOULANTS
BRINES
COOLING TOWERS
COST
DIRECT CONTACT HEAT EXCHANGERS
FLOW COUNTERS
FOULING
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION
GEOTHERMAL FLUIDS
LOW TEMPERATURE
PILOT PLANTS
SCALE CONTROL
SCALING
TEST FACILITIES
THERMODYNAMIC CYCLES
US DOE
VALVES
WATER PUMPS
WORKING FLUIDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKANES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATES
CONTROL
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
CONVERSION
ENERGY CONVERSION
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
FLOW REGULATORS
FLUIDS
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
GEOTHERMAL FIELDS
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HYDROCARBONS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POWER PLANTS
PUMPS
RADIATION DETECTORS
SURFACE FINISHING
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
TOWERS
US ORGANIZATIONS
150801* - Geothermal Power Plants- Design & Operation
150903 - Geothermal Engineering- Corrosion
Scaling & Materials Development