Cooling Methods Study for the Proposed Raft River Geothermal Power Plant

摘要

Several different condensate cooling methods are available for use on the proposed Raft River Geothermal Power Plant. A study was made to determine the sensitivity of the power output of steam and organic vapor turbines to changes in the ambient conditions of the Raft River Valley for various cooling methods. The exhaust vapor from a turbine is condensed by a cooling fluid, such as water or air, in a condenser cooling system. It is known that deviations from the design temperature or flow rate of the cooling fluid can result in a decrease in the power output of the turbine. Since changing ambient conditions will affect the condition of the cooling fluid, they can also affect the power output. Another consideration was to determine if lower ambient design conditions could be used to significantly reduce the size requirements of the various cooling systems without adversely affecting output power capabilities. The major parameters and results are discussed and comments are presented regarding the effect of variations in ambient conditions on power output and cooling system size requirements. Conclusions were drawn from the results and recommendations made.