What is Binary Cycle Geothermal Plant?

What is a geothermal power plant?

 Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source that is obtained 365 days a year. Geothermal energy is obtained under the earth’s surface. Basically, we get steam energy from volcanoes and this steam energy is converted into electrical energy by the combination of a steam turbine and alternator. Geothermal power plant works like nuclear, coal, or thermal power plant. This power plant does not require coal or some other energy to generate steam. However, there are three main types of the geothermal power plant. We will know the details of what is binary cycle power plant, a binary cycle power plant working process, efficiency, and many more, so stay with openread.

What is binary cycle geothermal plant?

What is binary cycle power plant? There are three main types of geothermal power plant binary cycle power plant is one of them. A Binary Cycle Geothermal Plant is a technology that contains the air-conditioned organic Rankine cycle. There is the first and second law of thermodynamics, considering the binary GPP which contains better mass, double pressure, energy equation balance, and along with duplex pressure.

Following the second law of thermodynamics, the energy analysis is made by utilizing the data which has been observed and collected effectively from the plants through the original operating conditions. According to the energy analysis, the maximum energy destruction occurs within the reinjection, vaporizer, pump, and vaporizer. The total energy input of the system is within 53.8 MW and it has been estimated that more than 75.8% occurred through the energy destruction made by elements.

Following the consequences of analysis, the total production of the energy analysis of the plant was 21 MW with a better efficiency of 39.1%. According to research, the maximum destruction happens within the condenser (Cond 1 and Cond 2). Whenever the elements of the maximum energy destruction were categorized, it happened with the condenser 2 (Cond_ 2), condenser1 (Cond _ 1), Condenser 2 (Cond_2), Feed Pumps (F_Pump_1 and F_Pump_2), and vaporizer (VAP_1). Their actual values were estimated was 3.6%, 3.6%, 3.7%, 4.6%, and 4.6% from the total energy input. Through these procedures, the advancement of the elements is decided. 

Binary cycle power plant working process

Many power plants can transform heat into electricity even if it is nuclear power, coal, gas, or geothermal energy. Here, Geothermal = Geo (Earth) + Thermal (Heat), or sometimes, it can also be said as the heat of the earth, the earth is generated by the stream wells or drilling water through a process which can also be recognized as to drilling to receive oil. Geothermal power plants are more familiar with the standard power inspiring stations. They utilize many elements among them, generators, electrical transformers, turbines, and much another standard power-originating equipment.

Here, the production well is grounded which is sometimes known as the geothermal reservoir. Frequently, the injection well is grounded to take back the geothermal fluid into the geothermal reservoir. Hot geothermal fluids move within the pipeline into the power plant which will be used to initiate electricity. Later on, the hot geothermal fluid is permitted to extend quickly and generate automatic energy into the turbine blades that are over the shaft.

To spin the magnets within the center of the coil the rotational shafts have been used from the turning turbine shaft and generate electricity. To transform geothermal energy into electrical energy, two prime instruments are used among them, a generator and a turbine is the most important one. Then the current has been sent to the step-up transformer from the generator that covers the power plant. The voltage is strengthened within the transformer and the current is transformed across the power lines to the buildings, businesses, and residences.

Binary cycle power plant temperature

Binary Cycle plants are recruited to have moderate temperature reservoirs since it has been differentiated from the dry stream flash stream plants which are considered the most efficient since it has a range of 180  – 350°C. For the moderate temperature which is between 170°C to 180°C, in this situation the binary power plants can be recruited. Although, there is the chance that the efficiency might decrease if the temperature is within 100°C.

The research shows, that there are two cycles, the first cycle gathers the heat from geothermal resource-based fluids, and the second cycle, which has been used to boil the second fluid that has a moderate boiling point. This method is practiced through the heat exchanger which is called the evaporator. The second fluid generates the stream that has been fed to the turbine for some foreseeable future. The stream flowed between the condensers to form the liquid and therefore it terminates the second cycle.

The binary plant applies the organic Rankine and the Kalina Cycle. These power plants advanced some of the benefits of the geothermal and secondary fluids that authorize the production of electricity through the resources of moderate-temperature geothermal. They can pump 100% geothermal fluids into the injection well, consequently, that authorizes forward to the environmental impact which contains no emissions.  They have a low power generating capacity from 1 to 50 MW which makes them low-capacity plants.

Figure: Binary Cycle Power plant temperature

Binary Geothermal power plant efficiency

The binary cycle is the procedure for creating the electrical plant from the resources of the geothermal which involves two individual fluid cycles, among them binary cycle is important. The primary cycle has withdrawn the geothermal energy from the reservoir and the second cycle transforms the heat to drive the generator and promote electricity.  The Binary Cycle authorizes the generation of electricity from the moderate temperature of the resources of the geothermal that generates inadequate quantities of steam to generate flash power plants that are cost-effectively viable. Although, they have a low temperature for the binary cycle with an overall efficiency of 10% to 13% respectively.

Final thought

A binary cycle power plant uses heat energy from one source to produce steam from another. The steam is then used to drive a turbine which generates electricity but it is not like diesel power plants. The advantage of the binary cycle power plants is that they are more efficient in their use of fuel than traditional plants because they produce two different types of energy (heat and steam) at the same time. We have discussed and given some crucial information about what is binary cycle geothermal plants, it’s efficiency, working process, temperature, and many more. These can be sufficient for you to know about binary cycle geothermal power plants.

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