How Modular Geothermal Power Generation Works
Saturday, November 8, 2008 | Category: Geothermal Multimedia, Videos | PrintPRODUCTION WELL
Water deep underground is heated by the earth’s natural heat. The hot water is brought to the surface and delivered to Raser’s modular power generation array through pipes. The hot well-water is then distributed to each of the fifty power generation units in the network in parallel via the large pipes feeding each row of 25 units. Each power generation unit produces its own power simultaneously from the hot well water.
UNIT INTERNAL FLOW
Here, the hot water from the production well enters each power generation unit. In this binary system, the well-water does not come in contact with the turbine, but rather, its heat is transferred to a secondary working fluid as it passes through the coils in the heat exchange tank. Because the working fluid has a boiling point much lower than water, the fluid flashes to vapor quickly at temperatures as low as 57 degrees Fahrenheit, and moves upward passing through the turbine. The working fluid and the well water remain in their own separate closed loop systems with zero emissions and very virtually no environmental impact.
TURBINE AND GENERATOR
Pressure from the vapor spins the turbines, which in turn spins the electric generator. Each unit can generate about 280 kilowatts of power. By combining the power from all 50 units, about 11 megawatts of net power is generated in this first phase of the plant. The well-water, now about 70 degrees cooler, is passed to injection wells, where it is pumped back into the aquifer. There it is heated once again by hot rocks deep underground and circulated back to the surface through production wells, to repeat the power generation cycle.

CONDENSOR AND COOLING TOWERS
After leaving the turbine, the vapor moves upward into the condenser tank. Here, cooling water enters the condenser from the cooling towers and circulates through coils in the condenser tank and cools the vapor, allowing it to condense back into a fluid collecting at the bottom of the tank. The cooling water enters the tank at about 67 degrees, but after cooling down the working fluid, it leaves the tank at about 87 degrees. In order to be used again, the water is returned to the cooling towers where it is cooled back down to about 67 degrees. The cooling water, remains in its own closed loop circulating between the power generation units and the cooling tower, propelled by large pumps. The working fluid now flows down the tank outlet to the pump where it is re-pressurized and injected it back into the heat exchange tank to repeat the process. It is important to note that the three fluid systems of hot well-water, cooling water from the cooling tower, and system working fluid, remain in their own separate loops and never mix, so there is no contamination and no emissions.
ELECTRICITY PATH
The electric power produced by each pod of five power generation units, flows to a power transformer, where the voltage is increased in preparation for transmission over the power grid. Ten transformers serve all 50 power generation units. The power travels through underground power lines to the “switch yard”. Here the power is sent to the power grid via transmission lines. As future phases of the plant come online, a substation with additional transformers will be added to boost voltage to 138 KV to transmit the additional power.
File Download
How Raser's Binary Geothermal Power Generation Works Flyer (pdf)Details and illustrations on how Raser's binary geothermal power generation works
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