Geothermal power plant

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1 characterized in that heat is extracted from the steam condenser by supplying an organic fluid to the steam condenser for producing vaporized organic fluid, applying the vaporized organic fluid to an organic fluid turbine for producing work and exhausting organic vapor, applying exhaust organic vapor to an organic fluid condenser, and extracting heat from the organic fluid condenser for producing condensate that is furnished to the steam condenser.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 2 characterized in that the organic fluid is cycled through the condenser, the organic fluid turbine and the organic fluid condenser in a cycle separate from the geothermal steam cycle.

Claim 5

A geothermal power plant having a production well that produces heated geothermal fluid containing noncondensible gases, a heat engine responsive to the heated geothermal fluid for generating power, a heat sink for absorbing heat, a primary condenser operatively associated with the heat sink and responsive to geothermal fluid exhausted from the heat engine to produce heat depleted geothermal fluid, and means for returning heat depleted geothermal fluid from the primary condenser to a rejection well, characterized in that said primary condenser operates at a pressure not less than substantially atmospheric pressure, and further characterized in that a KZ. patent «wgj 16 MAR I987 212813 compressor is provided for compressing said noncondensible gases and for directly venting said noncondensible gases from the primary condenser into a rejection well.

Claim 6

A geothermal power plant having a production well that produces heated geothermal fluid containing noncondensible gases, a heat engine responsive to the heated geothermal fluid for generating power, a heat sink for absorbing heat, a primary condenser operatively associated with the heat sink and responsive to geothermal fluid exhausted from the heat engine to produce heat depleted geothermal fluid, and means for returning heat depleted geothermal fluid from the primary condenser to a rejection well, characterized in that said primary condenser operates at a pressure not less than substantially atmospheric pressure, and further characterized in that a KZ. patent «wgj 16 MAR I987 212813 compressor is provided for compressing said noncondensible gases and for directly venting said noncondensible gases from the primary condenser into a rejection well.

Claim 7

A geothermal power plant according to claim 4 characterized in that the heat sink includes a closed, Rankine cycle power plant that operates with a fluid different from the geothermal fluid.

Claim 8

A geothermal power plant according to claim 5 characterized in that the power plant includes a vaporizer operatively associated with the primary condenser and containing an organic fluid for producing organic vapor, an organic fluid turbine responsive to said vapor for generating power and producing heat-depleted vapor, a second condenser responsive to the vapor exhausted from the organic fluid turbine for condensing vapor into condensate liquid, and means for returning the condensate liquid to the vaporizer.

Claim 9

A geothermal power plant according to claim 7 chracterized in the provision of means for cooling the second condenser. geothermal steam containing noncondensible gases comprising an open cycle power plant responsive to the geothermal steam for producing power and producing heat depleted geothermal steam, a closed Rankine cycle power plant operating on an organic fluid for producing power, a heat exchanger for transferring heat from the heat depleted geothermal steam to the closed Rankine cycle power plant, characterized in that said heat exchanger includes a condenser that operates at a pressure greater than or substantially equal' to atmospheric pressure for producing geothermal condensate and collecting noncondensible gases, and further characterized in that means are provided for pressurizing said geothermal condensate and injecting it into a rejection well, and a compressor is provided for pumping noncondensible gases from.

Claim 10

A geothermal power plant for operating on 9 \'JV. vo I 212$ 13 the condenser into said rejection well.

Claim 11

A geothermal power plant for operating on 9 \'JV. vo I 212$ 13 the condenser into said rejection well.

Claim 12

A power plant for operating on steam containing noncondensible gases comprising an open cycle power plant responsive to said steam for producing power and having a 5 primary condenser, a closed Rankine cycle power plant operating on an organic fluid for producing power, and a heat exchanger for rejecting heat from the primary condenser to the closed Rankine cycle power plant, characterized in that said primary condenser operates at a pressure greater 10 than or substantially equal to atmospheric pressure, and further characterized in that a compressor is provided for compressing noncondensible gases from the primary condenser and venting the compressed noncondensible gases into a rejection well, and a pump is provided for pressurizing 15 condensate from the primary condenser and returning the pressurized condensate to a rejection well.

Claim 13

A power plant for operating on steam containing noncondensible gases comprising an open cycle power plant responsive to said steam for producing power and having a 5 primary condenser, a closed Rankine cycle power plant operating on an organic fluid for producing power, and a heat exchanger for rejecting heat from the primary condenser to the closed Rankine cycle power plant, characterized in that said primary condenser operates at a pressure greater 10 than or substantially equal to atmospheric pressure, and further characterized in that a compressor is provided for compressing noncondensible gases from the primary condenser and venting the compressed noncondensible gases into a rejection well, and a pump is provided for pressurizing 15 condensate from the primary condenser and returning the pressurized condensate to a rejection well.

Claim 14

A power plant according to claim 9 characterized in that said compressor is in the form of an ejector compressor driven by pressurized condensate.

Claim 17

A geothermal plant arranged,constructed and adapted for operation substantially as hereinbefore decribed with reference to the accompany drawings. ORMAT TURBINES (1965)LTD. By Their Authorised Attorneys, JOHN A. REMMINGTON & ASSOCIATES

Claim 18

A geothermal plant arranged,constructed and adapted for operation substantially as hereinbefore decribed with reference to the accompany drawings. ORMAT TURBINES (1965)LTD. By Their Authorised Attorneys, JOHN A. REMMINGTON & ASSOCIATES