Abstract
In Switzerland, deep geothermal energy can give a promising contribution to the future energy scenario. However, the expertise in operational issues of deep geothermal power plants is limited, and technical challenges, such as corrosion, are a determining factor for their reliable and long-term operation. In this work, two representative fluids of optimal geothermal conditions in Switzerland were studied. The corrosiveness of the solutions was assessed using two experimental setups that allow investigating the range of temperatures and pressures that apply to the reservoir and power plant conditions. The corrosion behaviour of API L80 steel was analyzed by means of electrochemical measurements (at 100 and 200 ∘ C ) and of gravimetric tests (at 100 ∘ C ). After the tests, the morphologies and composition of the corrosion products were obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-Ray (EDX) and X-Ray diffraction (XRD). Results show that corrosion rates are significantly high at 100 ∘ C in environments with a chloride concentration of around 600 mg/L and pH around 7. The corrosion products deposited on the metal surface mainly consist of magnetite and/or hematite that might potentially form a protective layer. This study gives a first insight of the potential corrosiveness of geothermal fluids in Switzerland.
Highlights
The sustainable use of geothermal resources shows significant potential worldwide for the generation of electricity and/or direct heat [1,2]
Environmental conditions that are considered optimal for the generation of electricity in Switzerland have been successfully studied by various methods, such as electrochemical measurement techniques and gravimetric experiments
Based on the current experimental observations, studying geothermal fluids representative for Northern Switzerland and the steel grade American Petroleum Institute (API) L80 type 1, it can be concluded that higher temperatures
Summary
The sustainable use of geothermal resources shows significant potential worldwide for the generation of electricity and/or direct heat [1,2]. In comparison to other renewable energies as, for example, wind power or photovoltaics, geothermal energy presents many advantages, such as high thermal efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and permanent availability [3,4,5,6]. Federal Office of Energy approved in 2011 an ambitious “Energy strategy 2050” focusing on sustainable and renewable electricity production [7] This will require around 4–5 TWh/year from deep geothermal resources by 2050, representing approximately 7.5% of the expected annual power need [8].
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