Wet/dry cooling for cycling steam-electric plants. Final report
The economics of water-conserving wet/dry cooling systems for steam-electric plants used for cycling or intermediate-load duty have been evaluated using a system simulation and design optimization computer model. Conclusions are based on the case-study evaluation of a separate wet and dry tower system which provides cooling for a nominal 500 MWe coal-fired plant for two site locations - Boston, Massachusetts, and Phoenix, Arizona. Historical utility load and meterological data which are coincidental have been used along representative utility system generation models to describe the economic and physical environment for the operation of the wet/dry systems. Optimum cooling system costs and designs assuming economically-dispatched cycling operation schedules are presented and compared to the costs and designs determined for base-load operation. All-wet and all-dry cooling systems have been evaluated in addition to wet/dry systems of different total annual water consumption. Consideration has been given to the impact of the design plant capacity factor on the incremental power production cost due to heat rejection, the selection of the steam turbine, the determined value of makeup water, and the economic consequences of operation at an off-design capacity factor.
- Research Organization:
- Dynatech R/D Co., Cambridge, MA (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5286562
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-CS-1474
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
COOLING SYSTEMS
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
CAPITALIZED COST
COOLING TOWERS
OPERATING COST
PERFORMANCE
WATER REQUIREMENTS
COST
ECONOMICS
POWER PLANTS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
200101* - Fossil-Fueled Power Plants- Cooling & Heat Transfer Equipment & Systems