Energy and Exergy Analysis of Sabalan Pilot Single Flash Geothermal Powerplant

Abstract

Following the changes in the SUNA's policy from the implementation and ownership of renewable energies projects to hand over them to private sector, and due to the lack of experience and interest of domestic companies, it was necessary for SUNA to perform the construction of a geothermal pilot powerplant to demonstrate the potential of the Sabalan geothermal reservoir and the capacity of drilled wells and to gain experience and introduce it to the private sector. For this purpose, a domestic company, using the experience of Italian consultant in the form of an EPC contract, has started to design and execute a pilot plant of 5 megawatts at well NWS-6 on the site of the Meshgin Shahr geothermal site. The main objectives of this study are: to develop thermodynamic model and Exergy analysis of the single flash cycle using in the pilot plant; pinpoint locations and quantities of Exergy losses and wastes; and to determine the optimum performance parameters of the main components. The first and second law efficiencies and the productivity of geothermal fluid will be determined for single flash system. The Engineering Equation Solver (EES) software was used for developing and analyzing mathematical models of energy and Exergy flows. Thermoeconomic analysis using obtained results can be considered for further work to help the decision makers.