The Importance of Processing Geothermal Fluids for Sustainability of Geothermal Power Plants: with Kizildere (Turkey) Geothermal Field Case

A geothermal power plant is needed continuous geothermal fluids production to provide uninterrupted power generation. The plant is also needed continuous reinjection of brine to protect system pressure, environment and providing sustainability of geothermal systems. Although uninterrupted power generation is quite important for geothermal companies or associations; highly mineralized and corrosive geothermal fluids can easily affect production, reinjection wells and surface equipments at geothermal power plants. Depend on geochemistry of the fluids, various types scales can be occurred inside of wells, along reinjection lines, cooling tower and other surface equipments such as seperators, different walves which indicate pressure drop points at the system and even on blades of steam turbine. To provide continuous power generation and protection of the metal materials from corrosion and scaling effects, geothermal fluids must be processed in a geothermal power plant. The chemical conditioning studies, which consist of scale inhibitors and different dispersant chemicals, at different parts of the plant are quite important for sustainability of the system. In most geothermal systems; calcium carbonates can be seen all part of the systems such as; widely in production wells, surface equipments while silica scaling can be observed along reinjection lines and reinjection wells. Sulphure deposits can be also seen at surface and reinjection lines at the system. Except from these parts; the cooling tower which provides to emit of the non condensible gases from the system, must be under control and with this reason, chemical conditioning must be performed to prevent effects of corrosive gases; to control occurrences of scaling, sludging at the bottom and bacteria, algae in the cooling tower. Working of a geothermal power plant at optimum level during the projected license period, the systems must be reviewed as a whole such as from production wells to turbine, reinjection lines and cooling tower and to prevent the possible problems continuously monitoring and control studies must be performed together by reservoir, geochemistry and mechanical teams in the power plant. In Kizildere geothermal field, there are two different types geothermal power plants and conditioning studies of these power plants have been realized to Kizildere Phase I since 2009 and Kizildere Phase II since 2013. During 2009-2014 period, with the help of chemical processing of geothermal fluids, work over study is not required in production wells and significant performance loss of power plant is not observed in Kizildere Phase I Geothermal Power Plant.