| Abstract |
A 5MW(e) Pilot Geothermal Power Plant was built in the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), at Raft River, Idaho, as an integral part of the Department of Energy's plan for commercial development of geothermal energy. The purpose of the plant was to investigate the technical feasibility of utilizing a moderate temperature hydrothermal resource (275 to 300F) to generate electrical power in an environmentally acceptable manner. The plant used a dual boiling binary cycle with isobutene as the working fluid, and drew thermal energy from a 280F liquid dominated resource. This paper presents the results of that testing, comparing the system performance to the performance predicted prior to operation along with a summary of operational experience. |