Abstract
Detailed calculations of possible incremental increase in the salinity of soil, irrigation water and bodies of fresh water due to the operation of salt water cooling towers are discussed. The calculations make use of water balance equations and empirical relations to determine the soil salinity. Salt deposition levels from a typical 1000 MWe natural and mechanical draft cooling towers with a water circulation rate of 31.5 m3 s−1 and drift rate of 0.002 % of the total circulating water were calculated using current available deposition models. The results obtained from these calculations indicate that the incremental effects of salt water cooling towers upon the surrounding soil and water are generally minimal, if the drift rate is controlled by appropriate eliminators. Some extreme cases may develop under severe weather conditions, but these will be infrequent and will represent a small fraction of the total operating time.
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Roffman, A., Roffman, H. Effects of salt water cooling tower drift on water bodies and soil. Water Air Soil Pollut 2, 457–471 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00585090
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00585090