A cool new idea could revolutionize the electric power industry | Watts Up With That?

A cool new idea could revolutionize the electric power industry | Watts Up With That?
"University of Cincinnati researchers have developed a more efficient air-cooling system for power plants

University of Cincinnati researchers say they have found a solution to one of the biggest environmental problems facing the energy industry: water consumption.

The William H. Zimmer Power Station, located near Moscow, Ohio, is a 1.35-gigawatt (1,351 MW) coal power plant. Planned by Cincinnati Gas and Electric (CG&E) draws cooling water from the Ohio River.

Power plants in the United States need as much water each year as all of the nation’s farms combined — an estimated 133 billion gallons per day, according to federal numbers. 

This poses an enormous strain on water resources and has a detrimental environmental impact.

But Raj Manglik and Milind Jog, professors of mechanical engineering in UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science, say they have developed a new air-cooling system for power plants that uses no water but is nearly as effective as water-cooled systems.

...Shedding more heat increases the efficiency of the power plants, which means they can produce more electricity. 

And since the cooling system is more effective, it doesn’t have to be as big and costly to build, they said. 

...But UC’s engineers didn’t stop with condenser fins. 

They also are working on a solution to one of the energy industry’s biggest conundrums. 

In the summer, electricity demand typically peaks during the hottest part of the day when a plant’s cooling systems are least efficient..."

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