SOLUTIONS FOR

GEOTHERMAL
POWERPLANTS

Ansaldo Energia
and Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is a valuable, renewable

natural energy comparable to hydroelectric
energy and it is environment-friendly because it generates electric power without burning
fossil fuel.
Ansaldo Energia, a Finmeccanica company,
banking on more than one century of experience in power generation, with a total installed
capacity of over 175,000 MW, is a distinguished player in the energy industry, providing
reliable and flexible solutions in the power generation sector across a complete and innovative products portfolio including equipment

and plant designs, engineering, manufacturing, contracting, service activities and customers assistance for thermal, geothermal,
combined cycle and many activities for nuclear
power plants.
Ansaldo Energias experience with geothermal
power plants dates back to 1913, when the
first turbine-generator unit ever driven by geothermal steam rated 250 kW, entered service
at Larderello (Italy).
Since then units totalling over 2,000 MW have
been installed both in Italy and abroad.

Geothermal
Steam Cycles
Geothermal fluid may be in the form
of steam or hot water, or a combination of the two: geothermal fields
are named accordingly as vapour
dominated or liquid dominated,
with single, or double flash system
and their exploitation for power generation involves different plant arrangements to feed steam into the
turbines.
55 MW Steam Turbine

Steam
Steam Ejector

Demister

Steam
Turbine

To Atmosphere

Cooling
Tower

Air

Condenser
Steam &
Brine
From
Wells

To Injection Wells

Typical Single-Flash Geothermal Power Plant

Equipment
for Geothermal Power Plants

Ansaldo Energia can provide optimized solutions for geothermal power plants in the range
20 to 150 MW for 50 and 60 Hz markets.
Plant design, supply and installation
Ansaldo Energia can provide not only steam
turbine - generator sets, but also complete integrated package including architecture, civil,
mechanical, electrical and automation design,
supply of equipment, installation and commissioning of the power plant.
Steam Turbine

upgrade old units to match changed steam

conditions.
Careful material selection, due to the presence in the fluid of corrosive chemicals such as
H2S, chlorides and salts, is extremely important to ensure reliability and minimize outages
for maintenance. Ansaldo Energia has carried
out detailed studies to test the corrosion resistance of various turbine materials to geothermal steam.
All turbine components in contact with the fluid
are made of stainless steel, including the rotor
when required by the fluid characteristics.

Ansaldo Energia is one of the

world leading suppliers of geothermal turbines/generators.
The Companys extensive experience (more than 130 geothermal units installed) has enabled
Ansaldo Energia to achieve a
high level of reliability and efficiency as well as remarkable
flexibility in terms of adapting to
different steam conditions and
plant arrangements.
State-of-the art technology, and
cutting edge construction methods are used to provide different turbine models for different
geothermal steam conditions
and power output levels and to
20 MW - Shop assembly

Geothermal steam turbine configurations:

20-60 MW Single Flow

50-100 MW Double Flow

90-150 MW Four Flow

Geothermal steam turbine design features:

Drain catcher applied
to each stage

Features

Benefits

Impulse construction,
with new generation
airfoil and sealing

High efficiency
and better protection
against foreign
materials on steam path

Single, double,
four flow
configuration

Compact design with well

proven 20, 23, 26,
31 LSB

Top, lateral, axial

exhaust in addition
to conventional
down exhaust

Simple, low profile

arrangement

Patented design
solutions to prevent
problems arising
from dissolved solids

Simplified
maintenance

Moisture
protection

Higher efficiency and

better protection against
blade erosion

Moisture removal
groove on moving blades

Stellite laser cladding on

leading edge of L-0 & L-1
(if necessary)

Hollow nozzle with slots

on suction side to remove
moisture

Moisture Protection

Generator
Air cooled generator in closed circuit (TEWAC),
featuring a modular, compact design and high
efficiency:
Rated output: depends on the size
Class F insulation system
Power factor 0.8
Rated voltage 11.5 or 13.8 kV
Static excitation
Specific features are introduces for geothermal application to protect the copper from
H2S corrosion (special painting, gold plating,
tinning, etc.).
Condenser
Since the condensate does not have to be recovered, a spray type direct contact condenser
is often used.

The condenser is arranged beneath the turbine or laterally connected by means of a crossover steam duct.
The water is injected into the condensing chamber by means of a network system consisting
of manifolds, pipes and spray nozzles.
The condensing chamber is connected to two
gas cooler sections where the final condensation takes place, in addition to non condensable gases temperature abatement by means of
the spray nozzles on the top and trays arranged beneath the nozzles.
The nozzles of the whirl-jet type are with ample
orifice section to prevent clogging and are easily removable for inspection and cleaning.
The Condenser shell and internals are in
stainless steel.
Non condensable gas removal system
Since the geothermal steam flowing into the condenser contains a large amount of non condensable gas, essentially carbon dioxide (CO2), a high
efficiency extraction system shall be provided.
Two options are available:
Steam ejectors
Centrifugal compressor driven by an electric
motor or coupled to the turbo-generator.
The choice between the two is based on the
gas percentage in the geothermal steam:
steam ejectors are preferred for low gas content.

3 x 55 MW - Gunung Salak
(Indonesia)

Control System
The control system, based on proven
architecture developed by Ansaldo
Energia, with reliable hardware, software and system interfaces delivers
information to operators and decision
makers in an easy usable format and
handles operation, maintenance, control efficiency and safety in such a
way as to minimize outages.
Control system development is based
on functional segregation between:
Balance of Plant
Steam Turbine Auxiliary control loop
and slow control loop
Steam Turbine Governor
Protection System
The control system includes the supervisory system which provides the
information needed to assess the
mechanical condition of rotating machinery.
These systems continuously measure
and monitor a variety of supervisory
parameters, providing crucial information for
early identification of machinery problems.

20 MW - Rancia 1-2 (Italy)

Services
Ansaldo Energia, with its long standing experience in the geothermal power plant sector
can provide a wide range of services for both
OEM and NON-OEM geothermal plants:
New turbines and generators tailor made
for old geothermal plants
Steam path upgrading for existing units
to match changed steam conditions
Repairing damaged equipment
Supplying replacement parts
Generator rewinding
Control system

40 MW - 20 MW Nuova Radicondoli and Radicondoli 2 (Italy)

Petergraf
05/2012

MEXICO
Los Humeros/Los
Azufres 10 x 5 MW
Pathe 1 x 2 MW

NICARAGUA
Momotombo
2 x 35 MW

USA
Middle Town
2 x 55 MW

ITALY
> 110 Units
> 1600 MW
TURKEY
Kizildere 1 x 18 MW
PHILIPPINES
Bacon Manito 2 x 55 MW

COSTARICA
Miravalles
1 x 55 MW

INDONESIA
Gunung Salak 3 x 55 MW
Dieng 1 x 60 MW

16152 Genova - Via N. Lorenzi, 8 - Italy

Tel: +39 010 6551 - Fax: +39 010 655 3411
E-mail: ansaldoenergia@aen.ansaldo.it

ansaldoenergia.com

Stampa: Microart Recco - Genova

Ansaldo Energia Geothermal

Steam Turbine References in the World