Optimal Control of Thermal Pollution Emitted by Power Plants

Abstract

The coastal areas near thermal or nuclear plants are subject to hot water discharges produced by cooling processes. These activities induce an increase of the temperature near the outlet vicinity, which can extend for miles. The temperature variation affects the metabolic rate of organisms and the level of dissolved oxygen. Cooling by cold water from an additional discharge can be considered in order to limit this thermal pollution. This paper present a methodology based on the implementation of a two-dimensional numerical model to study the dynamic of the temperature originated from the industrial discharges. Moreover the optimal injection rate of cold water is sought to keep the water temperature as close as possible to the survival of the ecosystem. Numerical simulations are performed to illustrate the efficiency approach.