Direct contact, binary fluid geothermal boiler
Abstract
Energy is extracted from geothermal brines by direct contact with a working fluid such as isobutane which is immiscible with the brine in a geothermal boiler. The geothermal boiler provides a distributor arrangement which efficiently contacts geothermal brine with the isobutane in order to prevent the entrainment of geothermal brine in the isobutane vapor which is directed to a turbine. Accordingly the problem of brine carry-over through the turbine causes corrosion and scaling thereof is eliminated. Additionally the heat exchanger includes straightening vanes for preventing startup and other temporary fluctuations in the transitional zone of the boiler from causing brine carryover into the turbine. Also a screen is provided in the heat exchanger to coalesce the working fluid and to assist in defining the location of the transitional zone where the geothermal brine and the isobutane are initially mixed.
- Inventors:
-
- Richmond, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 864190
- Patent Number(s):
- 4326581
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F28 - HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL F28C - HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITHOUT CHEMICAL INTERACTION
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- direct; contact; binary; fluid; geothermal; boiler; energy; extracted; brines; isobutane; immiscible; brine; provides; distributor; arrangement; efficiently; contacts; prevent; entrainment; vapor; directed; turbine; accordingly; carry-over; causes; corrosion; scaling; eliminated; additionally; heat; exchanger; straightening; vanes; preventing; startup; temporary; fluctuations; transitional; zone; causing; carryover; screen; provided; coalesce; assist; defining; location; initially; mixed; direct contact; heat exchange; heat exchanger; geothermal brine; geothermal brines; geothermal boiler; /165/60/122/
Citation Formats
Rapier, Pascal M. Direct contact, binary fluid geothermal boiler. United States: N. p., 1982.
Web.
Rapier, Pascal M. Direct contact, binary fluid geothermal boiler. United States.
Rapier, Pascal M. Fri .
"Direct contact, binary fluid geothermal boiler". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864190.
@article{osti_864190,
title = {Direct contact, binary fluid geothermal boiler},
author = {Rapier, Pascal M},
abstractNote = {Energy is extracted from geothermal brines by direct contact with a working fluid such as isobutane which is immiscible with the brine in a geothermal boiler. The geothermal boiler provides a distributor arrangement which efficiently contacts geothermal brine with the isobutane in order to prevent the entrainment of geothermal brine in the isobutane vapor which is directed to a turbine. Accordingly the problem of brine carry-over through the turbine causes corrosion and scaling thereof is eliminated. Additionally the heat exchanger includes straightening vanes for preventing startup and other temporary fluctuations in the transitional zone of the boiler from causing brine carryover into the turbine. Also a screen is provided in the heat exchanger to coalesce the working fluid and to assist in defining the location of the transitional zone where the geothermal brine and the isobutane are initially mixed.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982}
}