Diverse scale deposition in response to the change in chemical properties of geothermal water at the Dieng geothermal power plant, Indonesia

The geothermal water discharged from the production well at the Dieng geothermal power plant experiences various drastic changes depending on the specific structure. As a result, various siliceous scales were found along the movement of the geothermal water at the Dieng geothermal power plant. To elucidate the geochemical property relationship between siliceous scales and geothermal waters at different locations, both the scale and the geothermal water samples were collected from (1) the inside of the two-phase pipeline, (2) the inside of the brine pipeline, and (3) at the open canal. The saturation index of the minerals was calculated based on the properties of the geothermal waters at each location to predict minerals that are possible to form. By comparing the properties of the scale and the mineral saturation index, quantitative mineral assemblage at each location was calculated, and the scale formation can be explained as follows. (1) Scale in the two-phase pipeline was composed of (Al, K)- and Fe-rich silicate, amorphous silica, and sulfide minerals formed at high temperature and near-neutral pH. The (Al, K)-rich and the Fe2+-rich silicates were controlled by the oversaturation of clinoptilolite and minnesotaite, and the amorphous silica was formed. The sulfide minerals were formed due to the high sulfur fugacity (fs2). (2) Scale in the brine pipeline was mainly composed of amorphous silica containing a small amount of (Al, K)-rich silicate formed under low pH (4∼5) and high-temperature conditions. (Al, K)-rich silicates were still precipitated even after acidification, likely due to the oversaturation of clinoptilolite above pH ∼4, and then the amorphous silica was formed. (3) Scale at the open canal was mainly composed of amorphous silica with small particles of hydrous ferric oxide (HFO), formed under an oxidizing condition at low temperature and low pH (4∼5). HFO reacted with silicic acid in geothermal water to form Fe3+-rich silicate that chemically resembles nontronite. The mineral with the highest proportion was amorphous silica in all three siliceous scales. Although the saturation index of amorphous silica was small, precipitation of amorphous silica may be induced and accelerated due to the adsorption of silicic acid on the (Al, K)-rich silicate and the Fe2+-rich silicate at high temperature and on the Fe3+-rich silicate at low temperature because of high surface area. The adsorbed silicic acid polymerizes on the silicate minerals.