Geothermal power plant and method for operating the same

A geothermal power plant having a production well for producing heated geothermal fluid containing noncondensible gases for use by the power plant to generate power, and a rejection well for receiving heat depleted geothermal fluid, comprising:

• (a) a heat engine responsive to the heated geothermal fluid for generating power;
• (b) a heat sink for absorbing heat;
• (c) a primary condenser operatively associated with the heat sink and responsive to geothermal fluid exhausted form the heat engine for operating at a pressure no less than about atmospheric pressure to produce heat depleted geothermal fluid;
• (d) means for returning heat depleted geothermal fluid from the primary condenser to the rejection well;
• and
• (e) compressor means for compressing said noncondensible gases and for directly venting said noncondensible gases from the primary condenser into the rejection well.

A geothermal power plant for operating on geothermal steam comprising:

• (a) an open cycle power plant responsive to the geothermal steam for producing power and producing heat depleted geothermal steam;
• (b) a closed Rankine cycle power plant operating on an organic fluid for producing power;
• (c) means for transferring heat from the heat depleted geothermal steam to the closed Rankine cycle power plant;
• (d) said means for transferring heat including a condenser that operates at a pressure greater than or equal to about atmospheric pressure for producing geothermal condensate and collecting noncondensible gases;
• (e) means for pressurizing said geothermal condensate and injecting it into a rejection well;
• and
• (f) a compressor for pumping noncondensible gases from the condenser into said rejection well.

A power plant for operating on steam containing noncondensible gases comprising:

• (a) an open cycle power plant responsive to said steam for producing power and having a primary condenser that operates at a pressure greater than or equal to atmospheric pressure;
• (b) a closed Rankine cycle power plant operating on an organic fluid for producing power;
• (c) means for rejecting heat from the primary condenser to the closed Rankine cycle power plant;
• and
• (d) means for compressing noncondensible gases from the primary condenser and venting the compressed noncondensible gases into a rejection well;
• (e) a pump for pressurizing condensate from the primary condenser;
• and
• (f) a conduit for returning the pressurized condensate to a rejection well.