Online diagnostic method and online diagnostic system for geothermal generation facility

• US 8,407,027 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2009
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuji Electric Company Limited (Fuji Electric Systems Company Limited), Geothermal Engineering Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Electric Systems Company Limited, Geothermal Engineering Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kato, Toshikazu, Myougan, Ichiro, Osawa, Isamu, Hishi, Yasuyuki, Fukuda, Daisuke, Futagoishi, Yasuto, Aoki, Toshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): TSAI, CAROL S W
• Application Number:
  US13/054,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20110144947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: 702/24, 702/62, 702/130, 702182-185, 702/136, 700/286, 700/297, 700/295, 700/291, 73/233.5, 705/7, 705/8, 705/10, 705/412, 713/2, 714/2, 606/412, 606/413, 294/011
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/04 using pressure differences or thermal differences occurring in nature F03G7/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/10 Geothermal energy

Abstract

An online diagnostic system for a geothermal generation facility is discloses that includes an automatic steam measurement device for measuring a characteristic of steam to be supplied to a steam turbine from a steam-water separator at the geothermal generation facility that outputs analysis data. A monitor-control device controls an operation of the geothermal generation facility while monitoring the geothermal generation facility. A diagnostic device performs at least one of an evaluation of a steam characteristic at the geothermal generation facility, an evaluation of the steam-water separator, and an evaluation of pulsation and confluence of a production well based on the analysis data from the automatic steam measurement device and performance data of the geothermal generation facility from the monitor-control device. An operating status of the geothermal generation facility is diagnosed.

Claims

1. An online diagnosis method for a geothermal generation facility comprising the steps of:

receiving analysis data online from an automatic steam measurement device that measures a characteristic of steam to be supplied to a steam turbine from a steam-water separator at the geothermal generation facility and measures performance data of the geothermal generation facility, wherein the analysis data is at least a silica concentration and either a chloride ion concentration or acid conductivity and the performance data is at least steam flow and hot water flow separated by the steam-water separator;

accumulating the analysis data and the performance data online; and

diagnosing the geothermal generation facility based on the accumulated analysis data, the accumulated performance data, and a predetermined managing upper limit or a predetermined operation recommended value for each data.

3. The online diagnosis method for the geothermal generation facility according to claim 1, wherein the analysis data is the silica concentration and the chloride ion concentration, and the performance data is the steam flow and the hot water flow separated by the steam-water separator, the method further comprising:

monitoring the silica concentration and the chloride ion concentration;

warning the geothermal generation facility based on a level of the predetermined managing upper limit or the predetermined operation recommended value and

when at least either one of the silica concentration or the chloride ion concentration exceeds the predetermined managing upper limit or the predetermined operation recommended value, outputting a performance diagnostic result of the steam-water separator when a water removal rate of the steam-water separator that is calculated based on the chloride ion concentration, the steam flow, and the hot water flow is equal to or less than a predetermined reference value.

4. The online diagnosis method for the geothermal generation facility according to claim 3, wherein the performance data includes at least the steam flow, the hot water flow, and a water level of the water-steam separator, and when the water removal rate is equal to or less than the predetermined reference value and the water level of the water-steam separator does not exceed a predetermined maximum water level, the method further comprises:

outputting a spray start instruction to a spray device for spraying water to steam to be supplied to the steam turbine from the water-steam separator.

5. The online diagnosis method for the geothermal generation facility according to claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a silica accumulated quantity entering the steam turbine based on the silica concentration and the steam flow; and

estimating a silica adherence state to the steam turbine by comparing the calculated silica accumulated quantity with a turbine inlet pressure, a turbine outlet pressure, and a turbine casing pressure closely related to the silica accumulated quantity to obtain time-series tendencies found through the comparison.

6. The online diagnosis method for the geothermal generation facility according to claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a quantity of gas to be extracted based on data of a non-condensable gas concentration from the automatic steam measurement device and performance data of a condenser in a latter stage of the steam turbine; and

diagnosing an operating status of a gas extraction device from a tendency found from a result of the calculation.

7. The online diagnosis method for the geothermal generation facility according to claim 1, wherein the performance data includes a valve opening degree of a secondary flow regulating valve for adjusting a flow rate of geothermal steam ejected from a production well at the geothermal generation facility, and when at least one of either the chloride ion concentration or the acid conductivity and the silica exceeds the predetermined managing upper limit or the predetermined operation recommended value, but does not continuously exceed the predetermined managing upper limit or the predetermined operation recommended value, and the valve opening degree of the secondary flow regulating valve is changed, the method further comprising outputting a performance diagnostic result that there is pulsation of the production well.

8. The online diagnostic method for the geothermal generation facility according to claim 1, wherein:

the performance data includes a valve opening degree of a secondary flow rate regulating valve for adjusting a flow rate of geothermal steam ejected from a production well at the geothermal generation facility, and

when at least one of either the chloride ion concentration or the acid conductivity, and the silica concentration exceeds the predetermined managing upper limit or the predetermined operation recommended value, but does not continuously exceed the predetermined managing upper limit or the predetermined operation recommended value, and the valve opening degree of the secondary flow regulating valve is not changed, and when at least one of either the chloride ion concentration or the acid conductivity, and the silica concentration continuously exceeds the predetermined managing upper limit or the predetermined operation recommended value, the method further comprises outputting a performance diagnostic result that a confluence condition is changed by adding or subtracting the production well.

2. An online diagnosis method for a geothermal generation facility comprising the steps of:

receiving analysis data online from an automatic steam measurement device that measures a characteristic of steam to be supplied to a steam turbine from a steam-water separator at the geothermal generation facility and measures performance data of the geothermal generation facility, wherein the analysis data is at least a silica concentration, either a chloride ion concentration or acid conductivity, a non-condensable gas concentration, and pH and the performance data is at least steam flow and hot water flow separated by the steam-water separator;

accumulating the analysis data and the performance data in a time-series manner and storing in a data storage unit; and

diagnosing the geothermal generation facility based on the received data, wherein diagnosing includes determining that the silica concentration and either the chloride ion concentration or the acid conductivity accumulated and stored in the data storage unit do not reach a predetermined managing upper limit or a predetermined operation recommended value and predicting a deviation of the analysis data and the performance data from the predetermined managing upper limit or the predetermined operation recommended value based on a statistic calculation and a principle component analysis, which is a multivariate analysis.

9. The online diagnosis method for the geothermal generation facility according to claim 2, wherein:

the performance data includes a valve opening degree of a secondary flow regulating valve for adjusting a flow rate of geothermal steam ejected from a production well at the geothermal generation facility, and

when at least one of either the chloride ion concentration or the acid conductivity, and the silica concentration exceed the predetermined managing upper limit or the predetermined operation recommended value, but does not continuously exceed the predetermined managing upper limit or the predetermined operation recommended value, and the valve opening degree of the secondary flow regulating valve is changed, the method further comprises outputting a performance diagnostic result that there is pulsation of the production well; and

when at least one of either the chloride ion concentration or the acid conductivity, and the silica concentration exceeds the predetermined managing upper limit or the predetermined operation recommended value, but does not continuously exceed the predetermined managing upper limit or the predetermined operation recommended value, and the valve opening degree of the secondary flow regulating valve is not changed, and when at least one of either the chloride ion concentration or the acid conductivity, and the silica concentration continuously exceeds the predetermined managing upper limit or the predetermined operation recommended value, the method further comprises outputting a performance diagnostic result that a confluence condition is changed by adding or subtracting the production well.