| Abstract |
In any operating geothermal power plant, steam quality is one of the most important parameters being monitored. In the Bacon-Manito Geothermal Production Field, an on-line steam quality monitoring system have been installed in two operating power plants which provides an accurate, efficient and continuous real-time data which is more responsive to the various requirements of the field operation. The system utilizes sodium as an indicator of steam purity. Sodium concentration is read by the flame photometer located at the interface after aspirating a sample of the condensed steam through a continuous condensate sampler. The condensate has been degassed through a condensate-NCG separator. The flame photometer analog signal is then converted by a voltage-to-current converter/transmitter and relayed to the processor which is located at the control center through electrical cable to give a digital sodium concentration read-out at the control panel. The system features a high and high-high sodium level alarm, a continuous strip-chart recorder and a central computer for data capture, retrieval, and processing for further interpretation. Safety devices, such as the flame-off indicator at the control center and the automatic fuel cut off device along the fuel line, are incorporated in the system The system is accurate and achieved high precision off 0.01 I mg,Z (i I . 1%) for the 1.00 ?ng/L sodium standard at full scale and f 0.003 mg/Z (* 2.7%) for the 0.10 mg/L sodium standard. |