Analysis of Geothermal Wells with High Non-Condensable Gas (NCG) Content as an Alternative Energy Source to Reduce House Load on Indonesia’s Geothermal Power Plant

Abstract

Geothermal wells with a high Non-Condensable Gas (NCG) content still have a certain amount of heat and pressure energy. Geothermal Power Plant (GPP) power generation can be interrupted by high NCG. Energy in high NCG wells can be utilized to reduce house load on GPP to avoid disturbances in the overall GPP system. In this study, the existing condensate pump in the GPP uses an electric motor that supplies power from the house load. This article aims to see the opportunities for utilizing geothermal wells with high NCG as a driver of a back-pressure steam turbine. The back-pressure steam turbine will couple to the condensate pump that must inject the condensate into the injection well. The research methodology is collecting actual data from geothermal wells and condensate pump in the GPP. The analysis of data will focus on thermodynamics from the well to drive the condensate pump by using steam turbine back-pressure. The result of the study is that the steam flow rate needed to drive the condensate pump in the maximum condition is about 3.31 kg/s, and the actual steam flow rate from a high NCG well is about 4.53 kg/s. It indicates that the geothermal well can drive the condensate pump. It can reduce the house load of GPP to about 138.79 kW per hour or about 1215 MW per year.

Country : Indonesia

1 Revki Romadhon2 Sulistyo3 Udi Harmoko

  1. Master of Energy Department, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia
  2. Master of Energy Department, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia & Mechanical Engineering Department, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia
  3. Master of Energy Department, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia & Physics Department, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia

IRJIET, Volume 7, Issue 4, April 2023 pp. 108-114

doi.org/10.47001/IRJIET/2023.704017

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