Rehabilitation of the Aluto Pilot Geothermal Power Plant
- Key words
- Aluto project, plant rehabilitation, pilot power plant, binary and combined cycle units
- Location
- Aluto-Langano, Ethiopia
- Conference
- ARGeo
- Year
- 2008
- Language
- English
Full text
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Abstract
The Aluto Pilot Geothermal Power Plant was commissioned in late 1998 but stopped operation after a very short period due to various technical problems. Failure of the heat exchanger tubes caused the premature shutdown of the OEC unit after about a year of operation. A number of resource related problems also caused reduction in net the power output of the GCCU which was eventually shut down in 2002.
The rehabilitation of the plant began in early 2006 which encompassed overhaul of the wellhead valves, inspection of the steam turbine rotor and bearings, testing and identifying failed tubes of the OEC heat exchangers and rectifying plant PLC control system.
Significant work was carried out during 2006 and 2007 which resulted in the GCCU unit becoming operational in June 2007.
Further additional rehabilitation works and on-going monitoring are required to bring the plant back to full safe and reliable.
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