Power Optimization for Prescribed Thermal Pollution

The optimum design of condenser cooling system for stream power plants requires the maximization of plant power subject to a prescribed temperature rise at the immediate point of effluent discharge into the main water source. To achieve this objective with a relatively small condenser pumping capacity, a portion of the total flow is first passed through the condenser and then mixed with the unheated water before final discharge into the water source. A portion of the condenser discharge generally recirculates upstream, mixes with a portion of the incoming flow, and eventually enters the condenser intake manifold after having heat transfer with the atmosphere. The present study shows that this general procedure does not provide the maximum power and is accompanied with a loss of plant power. To increase the plant power capability, it is necessary to prevent the mixing of the recirculation and the incoming flows and also to establish a relationship between the recirculation and the condenser flows as specified in this study.