Field Tests of the Biphase Geothermal Rotary-Separator Turbine

Abstract

An experimental Biphase Rotary-Separator Turbine (RST) was designed for moderate wellhead brine conditions. The 30 inch RST was fabricated, mounted in a trailer together with its controls and instrumentation, and tested under laboratory and field conditions. Electric power production, clean steam production, and brine repressurization for injection were measured at three different locations with various brine temperatures and conditions was equivalent to the production of 25 percent more electricity per unit of brine than flash power systems operation at the same resource conditions. A full size nozzle test rig was also field tested to evaluate the critical performance parameter of nozzle efficiently operating on well head, high salinity flows. Nozzle tests simplified the method of reserouce evaluation. Significant flexibility in handling the range of resource temperature lends to a 54 inch well head size of RST suitable for use on a variety of geothermal resources or on a resource that changes with time.