Geothermal

Geothermal reservoirs located deep underground provide powerful sources of heat energy. Drilling a geothermal well to a reservoir brings hot water and steam to the surface where it can be put to many uses.

Geothermal level applications

STEAM/BRINE SEPARATOR: To achieve better conditions for turbine operation, a reservoir’s steam and brine (salt water) is separated into streams where the brine water and particulate matter settle out and the steam vapors rise. The steam collects at the top of the separator where it is removed. Liquid level control modulates the amount of water that is drawn off.
DEGASSER TANK: Geothermal hot water is often routed through a degasser—a large insulated tank equipped to remove organic gases and provide displacement with air or nitrogen. Degassing operations provide treatment by way of carbon adsorption, thermal/catalytic oxidization, combustion, vacuum induction, or by a series of condensers.
WATER STORAGE TANK: Water tanks include those for heated water, cooling water, and wastewater. Direct heat use applications require heated water storage. Spent geothermal fluids with high concentrations of chemicals are stored prior to treatment and reinjection into the reservoir. Hot water can be cooled in special storage tanks to avoid modifying the ecosystem of natural bodies of water prior to reinjection.
FLASH TANK: Hot water from the geothermal well enters a flash tank where the reduced pressure causes the water to boil rapidly, or "flash" into vapor. Water that remains liquid in the tank is returned to the groundwater pump to be forced down into the reservoir again. The vapor from the flash tank drives the steam turbine.
VAPORIZER: In these special heat exchangers, the geothermal fluid heats and vaporizes a secondary “binary” fluid, which is typically an organic liquid with a low boiling point. The organic vapor drives the turbine. The level of water in the tank must be monitored.

Related products

Orion Instruments

Aurora® magnetic level indicator

The Aurora® combines the operating system of a conventional float-based magnetic level indicator (MLI) with the leading-edge Eclipse® guided wave radar transmitter developed for level measurement applications. The result is true level-measurement redundancy in a single-chamber design.

Using a 3" or 4" chamber to house both the Eclipse probe and the MLI float, these devices operate seamlessly to provide continuous electronic guided wave radar measurement and visual indication. There are six basic configuration styles and more than 15 material selections for the Aurora magnetic level indicator.

For the first time ever, the ability to accurately and repeatedly measure ultra low dielectric media, high temperature/high pressure process conditions, and media with shifting and changing dielectric values can be accomplished with Aurora.

Magnetrol

E4 Modulevel® liquid level transmitter

The E4 Modulevel® is a loop powered, two-wire instrument, utilizing simple buoyancy principles to detect and convert liquid level changes into a stable output signal. The linkage between the level sensing element and output electronics provides a purely mechanical design and construction. The vertical in-line design of the transmitter results in low instrument weight and simplified installation. The instrument comes in a variety of configurations and pressure ratings for varied applications.

The E4 Modulevel has microprocessor based electronics with 4–20 mA/HART® digital output. E4 supports the FDT/DTM standard and a PACTware™ PC software package allows for additional configuration, diagnostics and trending capabilities.

Magnetrol

Eclipse® 706 guided wave radar transmitter

The Eclipse^® Model 706 high performance transmitter is a loop-powered, 24 VDC level transmitter that is based upon the proven technology of guided wave radar (GWR). Encompassing a number of significant engineering accomplishments, this leading-edge level transmitter is designed to provide measurement performance well beyond that of many of the more traditional technologies.

Utlilizing "diode switching" technology, along with the most comprehensive probe offering on the market, this single transmitter can be used in a wide variety of applications ranging from very light hydrocarbons to water-based media.

The innovative angled, dual compartment enclosure is now a common sight in the industry. This enclosure, first brought to the industry by Magnetrol^® in 1998, is angled to maximize ease of wiring, configuration, and viewing of the versatile graphic LCD display.

One universal ECLIPSE Model 706 transmitter can be used and interchanged with all probe types, and offers enhanced reliability as it is suitable for use in critical SIL 2/3 Certified safety loops.

The ECLIPSE Model 706 transmitter supports both the FDT/DTM and enhanced DD standards, which allows viewing of valuable configuration and diagnostic information such as the echo curve in tools such as PACTware^™, AMS Device Manager, and various HART® Field Communicators.

Orion Instruments

Gemini^™ magnetic level indicator

The Gemini MLI offers innovative level measurement in a special twin-chamber design. A magnetic float and high-visibility indicator in the primary chamber operate indepently of the Eclipse^® Guided Wave Radar transmitter in the secondary chamber. This use of two differing technologies adds a layer of redundancy similar to the Aurora model.

Gemini's magnetic indicator chamber can be equipped with switches and additional transmitters for expanded capability. Isolation vales are also easily implemented between both chambers to provided flexibility while fulfilling periodic maintenance procedures.

Magnetrol

Non-contact radar model R82 pulse burst radar transmitter

Radar has been part of the level measurement market for more than thirty years. The early designs used in tank gauging were heavy, expensive, power-hungry and complex. Advancements in radar circuitry have evolved the modern radar transmitter so that now it is light, inexpensive, loop-powered and easy to use. The R82 is the logical extension of that evolution.

Microwave-based radar is a superior measurement technology with its ability to operate effectively in a wide range of process conditions. It has been too expensive to use as a replacement for ultrasonic transmitters in simple, daily applications...until now. The R82 radar transmitter can be considered the answer to almost every daily level measurement application imaginable.