Cooling Tower Applications in Power Cycle Design

Growth of load centers in semi-arid regions, coupled with the increased cooling demands of large-size modern steam-electric generating units, and with community opposition to the unregulated disposal of waste heat to our natural waterways, prophesies a more widespread application of closed-circuit cooling tower systems. Both wet and dry tower designs, permitting significant reduction in the quantities of power cycle cooling supply, can be expected to gain in popularity despite increased plant investment costs and less favorable operating cycle efficiencies. Details of the wet and dry tower systems utilizing either natural or mechanical draft will determine the relative attractiveness of alternate closed-circuit tower systems in any particular case. Availability of water supply, size and type of generating unit, i.e. nuclear or fossil fuel, and ambient wet and dry bulb temperatures at the project site have major influences on selection.