Article: Clever “Helper” Tower Solves Cooling Water Dilemma

Study identifies how to achieve discharge temperature reductions through less costly option


This article recaps the regulatory trends that are pushing conversion of power plants from once-through water cooling to closed-cycle cooling as well as necessitating tower upgrades. This includes Clean Water Act section 316(b) best technology available requirements and other regulations.

The author explains the importance of starting an investigation of closed-cycle options by first analyzing the status of the current system and plant performance, with the potential for identifying relatively simple modifications that could provide economic solutions.

The discussion then details a study for a 4-unit plant that proposed achieving anticipated discharge temperature reductions through the installation of a carefully designed and sited 8-cell helper cooling tower rather than more costly options that might typically be considered.

Read the article in Power.