This paper documents the results of a field tests to determine the effect of wind on the performance of air-cooled condensers (ACCs) at power plants. Continuous measurements of wind speed, wind direction, cell inlet temperature and air flow and plant operating variables were made for several days at the El Dorado Energy Center. ACC performance was shown to be affected both by hot air recirculation and by fan performance degradation. Average recirculation, defined as the difference between the average cell inlet temperature and the far-field inlet temperature, was usually less than 3 °F. Occasional excursions to 4 to 10 °F were noted. Fan performance degradation is more difficult to quantify or generalize. Under low wind conditions this was typically close to the design value. The reduction in air flow, estimated from inlet velocity measurements would sometimes exceed 60 to 70% of the average flow in cells near the edge of the ACC during high wind conditions. Fan performance degradation appears to be the more important mechanism. Comparisons with flow modeling results support design recommendations for suppressing unfavorable flow patterns under the ACC.

The use of large, air-cooled condensers (ACC’s) for the cooling of turbine exhaust steam at steam/electric power plants is chosen more frequently as concerns over water conservation and water-related environmental issues become more prevalent. While dry cooling achieves significant reductions in plant water consumption, it does so at increased cost and reduced plant efficiency and output when compared to the more commonly used closed-cycle wet cooling systems. Maintaining full cooling capability under all operating conditions is crucial to the efficiency and economic viability of the plant. The effect of wind on ACC performance is the most significant challenge associated with ACC specification, design and performance. Extensive field measurements have been made on five utility-scale ACC’s to determine their operation and performance under varying wind conditions. The primary wind-related effects are shown to be hot air recirculation and degraded fan performance. The total effect on performance plus the relative importance of the two mechanisms are related to wind conditions and ACC configurations. Brief comparisons of field data to the results of CFD modeling are discussed.

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The purpose of this study is to evaluate produced water as a supplemental source of water for the San Juan Generating Station (SJGS). This study incorporates elements that identify produced water volume and quality, infrastructure to deliver it to SJGS, treatment requirements to use it at the plant, delivery and treatment economics, etc. SJGS, which is operated by Public Service of New Mexico (PNM) is located about 15 miles northwest of Farmington, New Mexico. It has four units with a total generating capacity of about 1,800 MW. The plant uses 22,400 acre-feet of water per year from the San Juan River with most of its demand resulting from cooling tower make-up. The plant is a zero liquid discharge facility and, as such, is well practiced in efficient water use and reuse.For the past few years, New Mexico has been suffering from a severe drought. Climate researchers are predicting the return of very dry weather over the next 30 to 40 years. Concern over the drought has spurred interest in evaluating the use of otherwise unusable saline waters.Produced water is generated nationally as a byproduct of oil and gas production. Seven states generate 90 percent of the produced water in the continental US. About 37 percent of the sources 1 documented in the US Geological Survey's (USGS) Produced Waters Database have a TDS of less than 30,000 mg/l. This is significant because produced water treatment for reuse in power plants was found to be very costly above 30,000 mg/l TDS. For the purposes of this report, produced water treatment was assessed using the technologies evaluated for the San Juan Generating Station (SJGS) in Deliverable 3, Treatment and Disposal Analysis. Also, a methodology was developed to readily estimate capital and operating costs for produced water treatment. Two examples are presented to show how the cost estimating methodology can be used to evaluate the cost of treatment of produced water at power plants close to oil and gas production.1 This threshold value is based on a numeric sort of the data and is not weighted by produced water volume. Executive SummaryThe purpose of this study is to evaluate produced water as a supplemental source of water for the San Juan Generating Station (SJGS). This study incorporates elements that identify produced water volume and quality, infrastructure to deliver it to SJGS, treatment requirements to use it at the plant, delivery and treatment economics, etc.SJGS, which is operated by Public Service of New Mexico (PNM) is located about 15 miles northwest of Farmington, New Mexico. It has four units with a total generating capacity of about 1,800 MW. The plant uses 22,400 acre-feet of water per year from the San Juan River with most of its demand resulting from cooling tower make-up. The plant is a zero liquid discharge facility and, as such, is well practiced in efficient water use and reuse.For the past few years, New Mexico has been suffering from a severe drought. Climate researchers are predicting the return of very dry weather over the next 30 to 40 y...

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