System and method to reduce the temperature of geothermal water to increase the capacity and efficiency while decreasing the costs associated with a geothermal power plant construction

Abstract

The system and method to reduce the temperature of geothermal water to increase the capacity and efficiency while decreasing the costs associated with a geothermal power plant construction uses a high efficiency steam turbine. The steam turbine lowers the high temperature geothermal resource so it can be used in parallel with an innovative low temperature Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) geothermal power plant to increase the efficiency and capacity while at the same time to reduce the costs associated with constructing the power plant because of logistics, labor and material.

1 . A system to reduce the temperature of geothermal water to increase the capacity and efficiency of a geothermal power plant, comprising:
 a geothermal well pump;   a steam flash tank;   a steam turbine;   a steam turbine generator; and   a condensing tank;   the inlet of the geothermal well pump configured to be in fluid communication with a geothermal reservoir;   an outlet of the geothermal well pump being coupled to an inlet of the steam flash tank;   a steam outlet of the steam flash tank being coupled to an inlet of the steam turbine;   a power outlet of the steam turbine being coupled to an inlet of the steam turbine generator;   a steam outlet of the steam turbine being coupled to an inlet of the condensing tank; and   an outlet of the condensing tank configured to being coupled to the geothermal reservoir for heating and recycling.   
     
     
         2 . A system as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an ORC system; and   an electrical generator;   a liquid outlet of the steam flash tank being coupled to an inlet of the ORC system;   a power outlet of the ORC system being coupled to an inlet of the electrical generator; and   a liquid outlet of the ORC system configured to be coupled to a geothermal reservoir for heating and recycling.   
     
     
         3 . A method of reducing the temperature of geothermal water to increase the capacity and efficiency of a geothermal power plant, comprising the steps of:
 extracting hot liquid from a geothermal reservoir via a geothermal well pump;   discharging the hot liquid from the geothermal well pump at generally the same temperature and pressure that the hot liquid was extracted from the geothermal reservoir;   pumping the hot liquid into a steam flash tank;   transporting flashed steam vapor from the steam flash tank to a steam turbine generator; and   expanding the flashed steam vapor across a turbine rotor for spinning a steam turbine and an electrical generator to produce electric power.   
     
     
         4 . A method as defined in  claim 3 , further comprising the steps of:
 transporting remaining steam vapor from the steam turbine generator to a condensing tank; and   lowering temperature and pressure of the steam vapor in the condensing tank to convert the steam vapor to a liquid for reinjection back into a geothermal reservoir.   
     
     
         5 . A method as defined in  claim 3 , further comprising the step of lowering the pressure of remaining hot liquid in the steam flash tank to a level where an ORC system can be used to convert the remaining hot liquid into electrical power. 
     
     
         6 . A method as defined in  claim 4 , further comprising the steps of:
 transporting the remaining hot liquid from the steam flash tank to an ORC system; and   generating an ORC cycle where the remaining hot liquid heats working fluid causing the working fluid to expand into vapor across a turbine connected to an electrical generator to produce electrical power.   
     
     
         7 . A method as defined in  claim 6 , further comprising the step of lowering temperature and pressure of the working fluid for reinjection into the ORC system. 
     
     
         8 . A method as defined in  claim 6 , further comprising the step of returning the remaining hot liquid to a geothermal reservoir for reheating and recycling.