Control of Thermal Effects at Beaver Valley Station

The conceptual design of condenser cooling water system and provisions for control of hydrothermal effects at Beaver Valley Station are discussed. To ensure compliance with required temperature criteria, a once-through system assisted by a supplemental cooling tower is provided. A feature of the site is the local configuration of the Ohio River which branches into a main navigable channel and a smaller back channel, with the plant outlet located on the latter. Field studies and model tests were carried out to investigate means for improving river flow distribution. It was found that the outlet orientation could be optimized to ensure maximum river flow entrainment into the back channel by the discharge jet. Analysis and test results showed that warm water recirculation between discharge and intake structures could be adequately controlled by increasing effluent dilution in the back channel. Temperature patterns at the surface and in cross sections were determined on the model for a two mile long river reach.