Department of Engineering Master's Defence: Brandon Velasquez
MSc in Sustainable Energy Engineering
On Monday, May 25 at 14:00, Brandon Velasquez will be defending his 60 ECTS masters thesis project in Sustainable Energy Engineering. His research focus is on Thermoeconomic Analysis and Optimization of Geothermal Power Cycle Utilizing Aqueous Potassium Carbonate for Scrubbing Superheated Steam.
Link to Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83931101089
Meeting ID: 83931101089
Student: Brandon Velaszques
Supervisor(s): María Sigríður Guðjónsdóttir and Vijay Chauhan
Examiner(s): Guðrún Arnbjörg Sævarsdóttir
Abstract
In this thesis a thermoeconomic analysis was performed for a proposed geothermal power plant cycle utilizing aqueous potassium carbonate as a means of scrubbing the geothermal steam. This method of scrubbing is capable of preventing the loss of superheat while removing impurities from the steam. The main impurities of interest in this case are silica and chloride, which would have been among of the main issues for plans of the construction of a power plant in the Krafla geothermal area as part of the IDDP-1 well. By conducting a thermoeconomic analysis for the entire plant design, this project allows for a connection from the input design variables to the costs, power output, and sizing of all components necessary for the operation of the plant. The information used in this analysis focuses on the values of exergy throughout the processes. Additionally, the setup was run through two optimization algorithms (genetic and gradient based) in order to uncover the best possible operating conditions that minimize the cost per kilowatt-hour produced. As a result, this work provides a method for optimizing a system based on input design variables and individual equipment cost metrics.
