05.07.2009

This is a power plant in which the prime mover is driven by steam. Water is heated and turns into steam which then spin a stream turbine which drives an electrical generator, such as the Rankine Cycles that utilize water vapor (i.e. steam). Additional heat transfer fluids can be used such as organic fluid which is used by Ormat’s ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) power plants which have been designed to generate electricity from low grade heat sources. However, in this case, they have found that due to Carnot’s Law (if heat is at a such low temperature that it is not possible to recuperate it and generate with it any useful energy, or work (in whatever form), then it is not wasted) that it is economical to do this only with relatively moderate grade heat, e.g. geothermal heat at 180-200 degrees C. They tried it out also in their salinity gradient solar ponds, but the low grade of this heat, only at about 90-95 degrees C, made this less economic.

Gina Cohen
Natural Gas Expert
Phone:
972-54-4203480
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