Cascaded Uses of Geothermal Water at Iosia District, Oradea, Romania

Abstract

The city of Oradea is situated on top of the best geothermal reservoir in Romania, located in fractured Triassic limestone and dolomite between 2 and 3 km deep with a natural recharge flow rate of about 310 l/s. There are 14 wells already drilled in the Oradea geothermal reservoir and the well head temperatures range between 105 C in the Western part and 70 C in the Eastern part of the city. The most powerful geothermal well in Romania is located in the Iosia district. It produces up to 50 l/s geothermal water with a well head temperature of 105 C. Two more wells, of which a newer one is not yet used, are located not very far, near the same district. The other one supplies geothermal water to family houses in the neighbourhood. Transgex SA developed a small geothermal district heating system in the block of flats part of Iosia district, part of the heat depleted geothermal water being used in swimming pools near the geothermal heat plant. In 2012, Transgex SA company installed at the same location and commissioned the first power generation unit in Romania. The installed capacity is only 50 kWe, the main objective being to test the technology.