Testing of power plant cooling tech underway at Georgia Power
The thermosyphon cooler at the Georgia Power's Plant Bowen Water Research Center. (Credit: PRNewsFoto/Georgia Power)
A new technology that could significantly reduce the water needed for power plant cooling is being tested at the new Water Research Center (WRC) at Georgia Power's Plant Bowen to document potential savings and energy consumption characteristics.
The technology, a thermosyphon cooler developed by Johnson Controls, transfers heat to the environment without evaporative water loss by using an air-cooled refrigerant that pre-cools water before it enters the cooling tower. This reduces the amount of water that must be cooled by evaporation in the cooling tower and, ultimately, water consumption.
The technology can be implemented by power companies to reduce power plant water withdrawals and consumption, and improve the quality of water related to power generation.