Energy Analysis of the Cerro Steam Gathering System

Abstract

An energy analysis of the Cerro Prieto high- and low-pressure (HP and LP) steam gathering networks was performed to determine the thermal efficiencies of the partial (transportation sub-processes between selected points) and overall (wellhead to power plant inlet) processes from mass, energy and exergy flows of the separated steam and water. A detailed evaluation of heat losses from the gathering system complemented this analysis which considered the physical condition of the pipelines´ and fittings´ thermal insulation, and losses through the condensate drains. First law efficiencies of the partial steam transportation processes ranged from 86.8 to 98.1% while those of the 2nd law varied from 78.9 to 95.9%. The respective overall efficiencies were 67.6% and 75.2 %. Total heat losses from the HP and LP gathering networks amounted to 180.6 MWt of which 72.9 MWt were lost through the pipelines thermal insulation, 33.7 MWt from the pipelines fittings, and 74.0 MWt were lost from the condensate drains. The analysis excluded the power plants.