Effluent would be used to cool power plants in an innovative Maryland project
Charles County, Md., is poised to be the first area in the U.S. to use treated sewage to cool down power-plant towers. A proverbial "win-win" scheme, the proposal would conserve groundwater, which is usually used for power-plant cooling, and would cut down on the amount of sewage being dumped into the Potomac River, which feeds into the beleaguered Chesapeake Bay. Power companies also like the concept because they can diffuse opposition to power plants if those plants will use less water. "This is a process that is going to be very quickly imitated around the country," predicted state Sen. Thomas M. Middleton (D). "We need to spread that sh*t around." OK, he didn't say that last bit, but he should have.
source: The Washington Post, Philip Rucker, 19 Aug 2007
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bobmaginnis Posted 3:07 am
21 Aug 2007
"Charles County, Md., is poised to be the first area in the U.S. to use treated sewage to cool down power-plant towers."
Sorry, but it is old news for the Metcalf plant near San Jose Ca.
"The primary source of cooling water for the plant is recycled water supplied by the South Bay Water Recycling Program (SBWR), which obtains its water from the San Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP)....."
http://www.metcalfenergycenter.com/execsummary.asp
Bob Maginnis
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DrSid Posted 10:08 pm
21 Aug 2007
It was my understanding back in the 1950's that the Bethleham Steel plant in Baltimore County MD used the cleaned effluent from the Baltimore sewage treatment plant to cool their rolling mill. As the effluent was cleaner than bay water, it provided a win-win situation.
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