As geothermal steam containing contaminants such as boron, arsenic, and mercury is passed through a turbine-condenser system, the contaminants preferentially collect in the initial condensate produced from the steam. Collecting this initially-produced condensate and segregating it from the remainder of the steam being condensed ensures that condensate produced from the remainder of the steam is contaminants-lean, preferably containing the contaminants in concentrations allowing for discharge of the contaminants-lean condensate to the environment.
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/178,211 filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Oct. 23, 1998.
A condenser neck (1) comprises two level cover plates (2) and two side walls (3) located between them that are favorably shaped with respect to flow technology. The cover plates (2) and side walls (3) may be reinforced with ribs (4a,4b). A pipe (5) arranged between the cover plates (2) further reinforces the condenser neck (1). It would also be conceivable to provide openings (11) for bypass lines in the pipe (5) and/or in the side walls (3).
As geothermal steam containing contaminants such as boron, arsenic, and mercury is passed through a turbine-condenser system, the contaminants preferentially collect in the initial condensate produced from the steam. Collecting this initially-produced condensate and segregating it from the remainder of the steam being condensed ensures that condensate produced from the remainder of the steam is contaminants-lean, preferably containing the contaminants in concentrations allowing for discharge of the contaminants-lean condensate to the environment.
