Browns Ferry waste heat greenhouse. Progress report. Circular Z-117

Technical Report · Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:6272979

Burns, E R; Carter, J; Pile, R S; Roetheli, J C

A 25,000-ft/sup 2/ experimental greenhouse at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant was divided into three sections to compare two heat exchange systems using waste heat in condenser cooling water (CCW) with a conventionally heated zone. A 125-hp pump at each of the three power plant units provides a 3000 gal/min pumping capacity for the CCW which is pumped about 2000 ft through a 12-in. pipe to the greenhouse. Construction was completed in November 1978; initial engineering tests were not conducted on system performance until January 1979; and the first tomato crop was planted January 10, 1979. Harvest was completed in July 1979; and cucumbers, chrysanthemums, poinsettias, and gloxinias were grown during the following summer and fall. Low winter greenhouse temperatures reduced the yield and quality of tomatoes in the two waste heat sections which averaged 13.0 lbs/plant. The conventionally heated zone produced 15.4 lbs/plant. In January and February, temperatures of the CCW were sometimes as low as 52/sup 0/F, or 18/sup 0/F below the predicted 70/sup 0/F which was the minimum simulated CCW temperature used to develop the pilot greenhouse heating system at Muscle Shoals. The two heat exchange systems using CCW performed near design expectations - keeping the greenhouse air temperature within 10/sup 0/ to 12/sup 0/F of the incoming water temperature. Summer and fall production of cucumbers and ornamental crops was successful in all three sections, which were conventionally cooled. Production budgets indicated a greater potential for ornamental production than vegetable production in waste heat greenhouses. Economic studies showed that heat exchange systems using waste heat from CCW will require higher capital investment and greater electrical consumption than a conventionally heated greenhouse. However, depending upon the costs charged for CCW, the waste heat systems may show potential economic advantages as a result of reduced heating costs.

• Research Organization: Tennessee Valley Authority, Muscle Shoals, AL (USA). Div. of Agricultural Development
• OSTI ID: 6272979
• Report Number(s): NP-1903571; ON: DE81903571
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
GREENHOUSES
PERFORMANCE
WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION
BROWNS FERRY-1 REACTOR
BROWNS FERRY-2 REACTOR
BROWNS FERRY-3 REACTOR
CAPITAL
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONSTRUCTION
COOLING
CUCUMBERS
DATA
DESIGN
ECONOMICS
EFFICIENCY
FLOWERS
HEAT EXCHANGERS
PRODUCTIVITY
SPACE HEATING
SPECIFICATIONS
TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
TOMATOES
BUILDINGS
BWR TYPE REACTORS
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
FOOD
HEATING
INFORMATION
MIXED SPECTRUM REACTORS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
POWER REACTORS
REACTORS
US ORGANIZATIONS
VEGETABLES
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
320303* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Industrial & Agricultural Processes- Equipment & Processes
290800 - Energy Planning & Policy- Heat Utilization- (1980-)