Hydraulic model and steam flow numerical simulation of the Cerro Prieto geothermal field, Mexico, pipeline network

The development of a hydraulic model and numerical simulation results of the Cerro Prieto geothermal field (CPGF) steam pipeline network are presented. Cerro Prieto is the largest water-dominant geothermal field in the world and its transportation network has 162 producing wells, connected through a network of pipelines that feeds 13 power-generating plants with an installed capacity of 720 MWe. The network is about 125 km long and has parallel high- and low-pressure networks. Prior to this study, it was suspected that steam flow stagnated or reversed from its planned direction in some segments of the network. Yet, the network complexity and extension complicated the analysis of steam transport for adequate delivery to the power plants. Thus, a hydraulic model of the steam transportation system was developed and implemented numerically using an existing simulator, which allowed the overall analysis of the network in order to quantify the pressure and energy losses as well as the steam flow direction in every part of the network. Numerical results of the high-pressure network were obtained which show that the mean relative differences between measured and simulated pressures and flowrates are less than 10%, which is considered satisfactory. Analysis of results led to the detection of areas of opportunity and to the recommendation of changes for improving steam transport. A main contribution of the present work is having simulated satisfactorily the longest (to our knowledge), and probably the most complex, steam pipeline network in the world.