At a glance

After power generation, geothermal brine can be utilized for thermal applications due to its high temperature. It therefore harbors potential for additional heat recovery and power generation, for example through ORC processes for utilizing low-temperature heat. However, when the brine cools down further, silicates can precipitate out and severely restrict the heat transfer as scaling. Self-cleaning heat exchangers keep heat transfer surfaces free from deposits, ensuring stable and efficient energy use.

Silicate deposits in geothermal brine

In geothermal power plants, hot water is taken from geothermal sources at high pressure and then quickly depressurized to a lower pressure in a special container (flash vessel). The sudden pressure drop evaporates some of the water into steam (flash steam). The steam rises upward and is conveyed to a turbine, which is driven in order to generate electricity.

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