Means of improving the operating efficiency of air condensers at the Verkhne-Mutnovskaya Geothermal Power Plant in Kamchatka

Operation of the Verkhne-Mutnovskaya Geothermal Power Plant (VMGPP) has revealed ineffective summer-time performance of air condensers (AC), which is caused by an insufficient heat reserve. Four alternate schemes are examined for improvement of the operational efficiency of the AC: replacement of the four-by five-tier heat-exchange modules; installation of high-output fans; a combination of the first two schemes; and, installation of additional sections in each power-generating set. Based on thermodynamic analysis that we have adapted for conditions at the VMGPP, it is established that the last alternate scheme is optimal, andwill have a payback period of six years, and a heat reserve of more than 40%, a figure approaching requirements now in force. © Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2007.