Leak detectors for organic Rankine cycle power plants: On-line and manual methods

Two leak detector systems were designed, built, and tested at a binary-cycle (organic Rankine cycle) geothermal plant. One system is capable of detecting water in hydrocarbon streams down to 100 ppm liquid water ion liquid isobutane. The magnitude of the leak is estimated from the frequency at which solenoid-operated valve opens and closes. The second system can detect the presence of isobutane on water or brine streams down to 2 ppm liquid isobutane in liquid water or brine. The unit first cools the liquid stream if necessary then reduces the pressure in an expansion chamber so the hydrocarbon will vaporize. In brine streams flashed CO2 carries the hydrocarbon to a non-dispersive infrared analyzer (NDIR). The NDIR was modified to be highly selective for isobutane. One can estimate the size of a leak knowing the total gas-to-liquid ratio entering the leak detection system and the concentration of hydrocarbon in the gas phase.