REFLECT has recently achieved a new milestone. The REFLECT partner, Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), has worked on the development and testing of experimental setups and methods to determine mineral solubility limits and dissolution kinetics in highly saline brines at temperatures up to 200 °C.
IFE has been performing tests in which solids are exposed in a stirred pressure vessel as well as static packed columns. The common feature of both concepts is the need to dynamically dilute samples at high pressure (p)/ temperature (T) in order to avoid supersaturated samples at ambient conditions. Initial tests have been run at above saturation pressure (30-50 bar), 175°C using distilled water and 100 g/l NaCl brine. Quartz has been used as a model compound, since experimental and modelling data on SiO2 solubility in aqueous systems are numerous (e.g.,), enabling comparison of results from this work with literature data.
The two different 100 ml autoclaves used during the tests.
These tests have allowed achieving a new milestone, the ‘Construction and testing of the high p, T equipment for scale experiments’. The work of the REFLECT project continues to provide recommendations on how to best operate geothermal systems for sustainable use.
