Use of geothermal fluid for agricultural irrigation: preliminary studies in Balçova-Narlıdere Geothermal Field (Turkey)

Abstract

Balçova-Narlıdere Geothermal Field (BNGF) hosts the largest geothermal district heating system of Turkey and several geothermal wells used for district heating and thermal tourism activities. This study assesses the use of BNGF geothermal fluid for agricultural activities. The spent geothermal brine was treated using nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes on a pilot-scale membrane test system. The qualities of the product were evaluated in terms of agricultural irrigation integrated with the implemented innovative wireless sensor network. It is important to use geothermal fluid, which is consists of valuable minerals, for irrigation. But when using geothermal fluid in irrigation, the chemical composition of the water must be carefully monitored to prevent damage to the plants. Nevertheless, the first result shows that the use of geothermal fluid to irrigate is proving to be a promising and economically viable option in BNGF.