Preliminary assessment of the velocity pump reaction turbine as a geothermal total-flow expander

A preliminary evaluation was made of the Velocity Pump Reaction Turbine (VPRT) as a total flow expander in a geothermal-electric conversion cycle. Values of geofluid effectiveness of VPRT systems were estimated for conditions consisting of: a 360/sup 0/F geothermal resource, 60/sup 0/F wet-bulb ambient temperature, zero and 0.003 mass concentrations of dissolved noncondensible gas in the geofluid, 100 and 120/sup 0/F condensing temperature, and engine efficiencies ranging from 0.4 to 1.0. Achievable engine efficiencies were estimated to range from 0.47 to 0.77, with plant geofluid effectivenss values ranging as high as 9.5 Watt hr/lbm geofluid. This value is competitive with magnitudes of geofluid effectiveness projected for advanced binary plants, and is on the order of 40% higher than estimates for dual-flash steam systems and other total flow systems reviewed. Because of its potentially high performance and relative simplicity, the VPRT system appears to warrant further investigation toward its use in a well-head geothermal plant. 13 refs., 5 figs.