Water Consumption
Most large scale thermoelectric power stations consume considerable amounts of water for cooling purposes and boiler water make up - 1 L/kWh for once through (e.g. river cooling), and 1.7 L/kWh for cooling tower cooling. Water abstraction for cooling water accounts for about 40% of European total water abstraction, although most of this water is returned to its source, albeit slightly warmer. Different cooling systems have different consumption vs. abstraction characteristics. Cooling towers withdraw a small amount of water from the environment and evaporate most of it. Once-through systems withdraw a large amount but return it to the environment immediately, at a higher temperature
Read more about this topic: Electricity Generation
Famous quotes containing the words water and/or consumption:
“I asked, What happens, father, when you die?
He told where all the running water goes,
And dressed me gently in my little clothes.”
—Robert Pack (b. 1929)
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—Raoul Vaneigem (b. 1934)