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Innovative new non-condensing gas plant at Hellisheidi geothermal plant

Innovative new non-condensing gas plant at Hellisheidi geothermal plant Hellisheidi Geothermal Power Plant in Iceland (Source: Mannvit)
Francisco Rojas 20 Jan 2015

A new and innovative exhaust treatment plant at the Hellisheidi Geothermal Power Plant has started operation. The plant was designed by Mannvit and is operated by ON (formerly Reykjavik Energy).

Icelandic engineering firm Mannvit has recently released a news article regarding a new technology being applied on the Hellisheidi plant in Iceland. This new technology is based on an innovative new non-condensing gas for its exhaust treatment that allows for reinjection back into the ground. The following is the statement released by Mannvit.

“Operational testing of the exhaust treatment plant began in the spring of 2014 and the re-injection of the hydrogen sulphide was started at the same time. Alignment of the exhaust treatment plant to the geothermal plant’s operation that was started in the second part of 2014 is now completed. The exhaust treatment plant is based on development and pilot projects based on scientific research at the Hellisheidi GPP going back to 2007.

In the treatment plant, hydrogen sulphide and some carbon dioxide are separated from the non-condensable geothermal gases consisting mainly of three gases: carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and hydrogen (H2). Up to 98% of the hydrogen sulphide treated and about 50% of the carbon dioxide are dissolved in condensate from the power plant and re-injected one to two thousand meters down into the lava bedrock. Calculations show that about 1,000 tonnes of hydrogen sulphide have been re-injected into the strata since the operational testing began. According to ON & Reykjavik Energy’s project plan, the exhaust treatment plant will be operated at full load for one year before reassessing the performance of this new method.”

“This project is unique in a way, since the process separates the gases before re-injection”, says Magnus Thor Arnarson, Project Engineer at Mannvit.

For more information, please follow the link below.

Source: Company release by Mannvit