Experience of Creation and Operation of Geothermal Power Plants in Cold Climate Conditions

Abstract

The greater part of Russia's territory is situated in the cold climate zone with low temperatures, huge amounts of falling snow and strong winds. Creation and operation of geothermal plants in such conditions requires taking special measures when designing buildings, construction, technologies and equipment.
Verkhne-Mutnovsky and Mutnovsky geothermal power plants (GeoPP), built over the last 10 years in Russia, are successfully operating in severe climatic conditions, where the average annual temperature is minus 2?C, the snow-level reaches 10 meters and wind speed reaches 45 m/sec.
At the same time, properly taking into consideration climate peculiarities while designing, it is possible to achieve high indices of efficiency of the geothermal power plants at the expense of the low temperature of heat abstraction from the cycle.
The operational experience of the geothermal power plants built in Kamchatka, possibilities to increase efficiency factors of geothermal power plants, potential problems of operation during wintertime and necessary safety measures are examined in the article.