Developments in geothermal energy in Mexico—part thirteen: the operation of surface equipment for geothermal fluid conduction at Cerro Prieto I

✍ Scribed by A. Mañon; F. Bermejo; P. Perez

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1987
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 723 KB
• Volume: 7
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0890-4332
• DOI: 10.1016/0890-4332(87)90140-2

✦ Synopsis

At Cerro Prieto 1 34.5 PJ, have been generated and 334 million tonnes of geothermal fluid have been produced. The length of the present system of 300 mm (12 in) to 350 mm (14 in) dia. steam pipelines is 24 km. That of the water pipeline system of 200 mm (8 in) to 400 nun (16 in) dia. pipe is 46.5 kin. A total of 32 wells, 41 separators, 51 silencers, 7 steam driers, and 290 200 nun (8 in) to 400 mm (16 in) dia. valves are in operation. Corrosion in the pipelines and other surface equipment has not been a serious problem. The principle maintenance problem has been the cleaning of silica scaling and sediments in pipelines, equipment and channels. Frequent maintenance is necessary in order to maintain the capacity of water pipelines, separators and channels. The well liners and in some cases the deposits themselves have been affected by scaling. Even the small amounts of silica that are carried by the separated steam cause scaling of turbine blades, reducing their capacity.