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Reduction of water consumption in thermal power plants with radiative sky cooling

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  • Aili, Ablimit
  • Zhao, Dongliang
  • Tan, Gang
  • Yin, Xiaobo
  • Yang, Ronggui

Abstract

Evaporative wet cooling and dry cooling are gradually replacing water-intensive, thermally polluting once-through wet cooling in thermal power plants. Widespread adoption of evaporative wet cooling increases water losses to the atmosphere and still requires uninterrupted makeup water. Dry cooling substantially increases auxiliary power consumption and causes plant efficiency penalty. Therefore, efficient water-saving cooling technologies are of great importance. Here, we explore the water saving potential of day-night radiative sky cooling with and without evaporative wet cooling in thermal power plants. With a radiative cooling system size of 0.0055 km2/MWth normalized by the condenser thermal load at design, we show that a hybrid evaporative-radiative cooling system yields annual water savings of 30–60% in the dry and hot southwestern United States and 50–90% in other parts of the country without causing efficiency penalty. Furthermore, 100% water saving is achievable if the radiative cooling system functions as a stand-alone cooling system, with a much lower efficiency penalty and auxiliary power consumption than that of stand-alone dry cooling systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Aili, Ablimit & Zhao, Dongliang & Tan, Gang & Yin, Xiaobo & Yang, Ronggui, 2021. "Reduction of water consumption in thermal power plants with radiative sky cooling," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 302(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:302:y:2021:i:c:s0306261921008977
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2021.117515
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    Cited by:

    1. Yan, Xia & Jie, Wu & Minjun, Shi & Shouyang, Wang & Zhuoying, Zhang, 2022. "China's regional imbalance in electricity demand, power and water pricing - From the perspective of electricity-related virtual water transmission," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    2. Wang, Cun-Hai & Chen, Hao & Jiang, Ze-Yi & Zhang, Xin-Xin & Wang, Fu-Qiang, 2023. "Modelling and performance evaluation of a novel passive thermoelectric system based on radiative cooling and solar heating for 24-hour power-generation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 331(C).
    3. Aili, Ablimit & Long, Wenjun & Cao, Zhiwei & Wen, Yonggang, 2024. "Radiative free cooling for energy and water saving in data centers," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 359(C).
    4. Cengiz Koç & Yıldırım Bayazıt & Selami Yurdan Özgül, 2023. "Impact of tourists on urban water needs in Marmaris, Türkiye," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(8), pages 8837-8855, August.

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