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Title: Recovery of energy from geothermal brine and other hot water sources

Abstract

Process and system for recovery of energy from geothermal brines and other hot water sources, by direct contact heat exchange between the brine or hot water, and an immiscible working fluid, e.g. a hydrocarbon such as isobutane, in a heat exchange column, the brine or hot water therein flowing countercurrent to the flow of the working fluid. The column can be operated at subcritical, critical or above the critical pressure of the working fluid. Preferably, the column is provided with a plurality of sieve plates, and the heat exchange process and column, e.g. with respect to the design of such plates, number of plates employed, spacing between plates, area thereof, column diameter, and the like, are designed to achieve maximum throughput of brine or hot water and reduction in temperature differential at the respective stages or plates between the brine or hot water and the working fluid, and so minimize lost work and maximize efficiency, and minimize scale deposition from hot water containing fluid including salts, such as brine. Maximum throughput approximates minimum cost of electricity which can be produced by conversion of the recovered thermal energy to electrical energy.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. San Juan Capistrano, CA
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
863927
Patent Number(s):
US 4276748
Assignee:
Occidental Petroleum Corporation (Los Angeles, CA)
DOE Contract Number:  
AT(04-3)-1076
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
recovery; energy; geothermal; brine; hot; water; sources; process; brines; direct; contact; heat; exchange; immiscible; fluid; hydrocarbon; isobutane; column; therein; flowing; countercurrent; flow; operated; subcritical; critical; pressure; preferably; provided; plurality; sieve; plates; respect; design; employed; spacing; diameter; designed; achieve; maximum; throughput; reduction; temperature; differential; respective; stages; minimize; lost; maximize; efficiency; scale; deposition; containing; including; salts; approximates; minimum; cost; electricity; produced; conversion; recovered; thermal; electrical; exchange column; water source; direct contact; electrical energy; heat exchange; thermal energy; temperature differential; hot water; water containing; geothermal brine; water sources; exchange process; containing fluid; geothermal brines; critical pressure; contact heat; /60/165/

Citation Formats

Wahl, III, Edward F., and Boucher, Frederic B. Recovery of energy from geothermal brine and other hot water sources. United States: N. p., 1981. Web.
Wahl, III, Edward F., & Boucher, Frederic B. Recovery of energy from geothermal brine and other hot water sources. United States.
Wahl, III, Edward F., and Boucher, Frederic B. 1981. "Recovery of energy from geothermal brine and other hot water sources". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863927.
@article{osti_863927,
title = {Recovery of energy from geothermal brine and other hot water sources},
author = {Wahl, III, Edward F. and Boucher, Frederic B},
abstractNote = {Process and system for recovery of energy from geothermal brines and other hot water sources, by direct contact heat exchange between the brine or hot water, and an immiscible working fluid, e.g. a hydrocarbon such as isobutane, in a heat exchange column, the brine or hot water therein flowing countercurrent to the flow of the working fluid. The column can be operated at subcritical, critical or above the critical pressure of the working fluid. Preferably, the column is provided with a plurality of sieve plates, and the heat exchange process and column, e.g. with respect to the design of such plates, number of plates employed, spacing between plates, area thereof, column diameter, and the like, are designed to achieve maximum throughput of brine or hot water and reduction in temperature differential at the respective stages or plates between the brine or hot water and the working fluid, and so minimize lost work and maximize efficiency, and minimize scale deposition from hot water containing fluid including salts, such as brine. Maximum throughput approximates minimum cost of electricity which can be produced by conversion of the recovered thermal energy to electrical energy.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/863927}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981},
month = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981}
}