Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tezpur University, India.

Abstract

The application of a geofluid is primarily characterized by its geofield conditions and locations. One such application of geofluid is in power generation using suitable energy conversion systems. In this study, a thermodynamic model of a double-flash geothermal power plant (DFGPP) has been developed to evaluate its performance which is mainly based on the geofluid of the Puga valley of Ladakh region in the Indian peninsula. The present study investigates the possible use of the DFGPP in the region through application of the exergy tool of the second law of thermodynamics. Under the Puga geofluid conditions, the energy and exergy rates, thermal losses, exergy destruction, and thermal and exergetic efficiencies are evaluated. From the thermal analysis results of the DFGPP, the condenser has the maximum energy loss with 97.08% of the overall loss, followed by low pressure turbine (LPT) and the high pressure turbine (HPT) with minimal energy rate losses of 2.28 % and 0.63 % respectively. However, negligible losses in energy are found to occur in the mixing devices, pump and the fluid separators. The maximum rate of exergy destruction occurs in the LPT with 38.95 % and least in the low pressure separator (LPS). The DFGPP operated with energy and exergy efficiencies of 9.52% and 48.39% approximately, producing a net output work of 3.9 MW. The overall cycle exergy destruction is found at 5.4% of the total energy losses. The use of DFGPP systems in the Puga geofield can be a suitable option in power generation.

Keywords

Main Subjects

[1] International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) (2018).
 
[2] Nardini I (2022). Geothermal Power Generation. In: Hafner M and Luciani G (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of International Energy Economics. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. pp. 183-194. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86884-0_11.
 
[3] Zhang LX, Pang MY, Han J, Li YY, and Wang CB (2019). Geothermal power in China: Development and performance evaluation. Ren Sustain Egy Rev. 116: 109431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2019.109431.
 
[4] Jeanne P, Rutqvist J, Hartline C, Garcia J, Dobson PF, and Walters M (2014) Reservoir structure and properties from geomechanical modeling and microseismicity analyses associated with an enhanced geothermal system at The Geysers, California. Geothermics. 51: 460–469. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geothermics.2014.02.003.
 
[5] Luo C, Zhao J, Gong Y, and Ma W (2017). Energy efficiency comparison between geothermal power systems. Therm Sci. 21(6): 2633-2642. https://doi.org/10.2298/TSCI151225074L.
 
[6] Pambudi NA, Itoi R, Jalilinasrabady, and S, Khasani (2013). Performance evaluation of double-flash geothermal power plant at dieng using second law of thermodynamics proceedings, In: Thirty-Eighth Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering Stanford University, Stanford, California, February 11-13, SGP-TR-198.
 
[7] Jalilinasrabady S, Valdimarsson P, and Saevarsdottir G (2008) Exergy analysis of double flash geothermal power plant, Sabalan, Iran. In: Proc. of CTSI Clean Technology and Sustainable Industries Conference and Trade Show. pp. 140-143.
 
[8] Siddiqui O and Dincer I (2019) Exergetic performance investigation of varying flashing from single to quadruple for geothermal power plants.  J. Energy Resour. Technol. 141(12): 122301. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4043748.
 
[9] Harinarayana T, Abdul AKK, Murthy DN, Veeraswamy K, Rao SPE, Manoj C, and Naganjaneyulu K (2006). Exploration of geothermal structure in Puga geothermal field, Ladakh Himalayas, India by magnetotelluric studies. J. Appl. Geophys. 58: 280-295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2005.05.005.
 
[10] Puppala H and Jha SK (2019) Extraction schemes to harness geothermal energy from puga geothermal field, India. Energy sources, Part A: Recov. Utilization and Env. Effects. 43 (5): 1912-1932. https://doi.org/10.1080/15567036.2019.1668086.
 
[11] Jha SK and Puppala H (2018) Conceptual modeling and characterization of Puga geothermal reservoir, Ladakh, India. Geothermics. 72: 326–337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geothermics.2017.12.004.
 
[12] Jha SK, Puppala H, and Kumar MSM (2020). 3D characterization of thermo-hydro-geological fields and estimation of power potential from Puga geothermal reservoir, Ladakh, India. Renew. Egy. 146: 1510-1523. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2019.07.006.
 
[13] Absar A, Kumar V, Bajpai I, Sinha AK, and Kapoor A (1996) Reservoir modelling of Puga geothermal system, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir. Geology. 45: 69–74.
 
[14] Abdul AKK and Harinarayana T (2007). Magnetotelluric evidence of potential geothermal resource in Puga, Ladakh, NW Himalaya. Curr. Sci. 93(3): 323-329. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228372106_Magnetotelluric_evidence_of_potential_geothermal_resource_in Puga_Ladakh_NW_Himalaya.
 
[15] Harinarayana T, Abdul AKK, Murthy DN, Veeraswamy K, Rao SPE, Manoj C, and Naganjaneyulu K (2006). Exploration of geothermal structure in Puga geothermal field, Ladakh Himalayas, India by magnetotelluric studies. J. Appl Geophys. 58: 280-295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2005.05.005.
 
[16] Kumar R, Singh M, Gupta L, and Rao GV (1982). Geophysical surveys in Parvati valley geothermal field, Kullu, India. 13(3): 213–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-0273(82)90051-8.
 
[17] Akpan A, Naraynanan M, and Tirumalachetty, H (2014). Estimation of subsurface temperatures in the Tattapani Geothermal Field, Central India, from limited volume of magnetotelluric data and borehole thermograms using a constructive back-propagation neural network. Earth Interact. 18 (6): 1-26. DOI:10.1175/2013EI000539.1.
 
[18] Singh H, Chandrasekharam D, Gurav T, and Singh B (2015). Geochemical characteristics of Bakreswar and Tantloi geothermal province, India. World Geothermal Congress, Melbourne, Australia, April 19-25, pp. 1-5.
 
[19] Chauhan V, Anil Kishan P, and Gedupudi S (2019). Thermodynamic analysis of a combined cycle for cold storage and power generation using geothermal heat source. Therm. Sc. Engg. Prog. 11: 19-27.
 
[20] Chouhan M and Barange SK (2020). Assessment of technical feasibility based on thermo-exergic analysis for proposed binary cycle power plant for Tatapani geothermal field. Int. J. Resr Engg Appln. & Mgmt. 6 (3): 337-348.
 
[21] Bejan A, Tsatsaronis G, and Moran M (1996). Thermal Design and Optimization. John Wiley & Sons Inc, USA.
 
[22] Kotas TJ (2012). The Exergy Method of Thermal Plant Analysis. Exergon Publishing Company Ltd, UK.
 
[23] Wang J, Wang J, Dai Y, and Zhao P (2015). Thermodynamic analysis and optimization of a flash-binary geothermal power generation system. Geothermics. 55: 69–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geothermics.2015.01.012.
 
[24] Jha SK and Puppala H (2017) Assessment of subsurface temperature distribution from the gauged wells of Puga Valley, Ladakh. Geotherm. Egy. 5(3): 1-15.  https://doi.org/10.1186/s40517-017-006-4.