The second dry cooling tower of Shahid Mofatteh Power Plant in Hamedan Province has made 60% progress and is expected to become operational in the current fiscal year (March 2022-23).
Energy Minister Ali Akbar Mehrabian made the statement during his visit to the thermal power station on Thursday, IRNA reported.
The facility uses close to 12 million cubic meters of treated wastewater annually and the new tower will help cut the consumption by at least 50%, he added.
“Upon the launch of the project, at least 6 mcm of water will be saved and supplied to farmers and industries. Moreover, the plan will help increase electricity generation in the steam unit.”
The first dry cooling tower of Shahid Mofatteh Power Station, as the first project to change the cooling system of a power plant in Iran, went on stream since 2015 and saved 85% of water consumption in the plant.
The main purpose of large, industrial cooling towers is to remove the heat absorbed in the circulating cooling water systems in power plants, petroleum refineries, petrochemical plants and natural gas processing plants.
Dry cooling towers conduct heat transfer through air-cooled heat exchangers that separate the working fluid from the cooling air. Because there is no direct contact between the working fluid and the ambient air, there is no water loss in such systems.
With a capacity of 1,000 megawatts, Shahid Mofatteh Power Plant is located 47 km northeast of Hamedan.
The power station supplies the total demand of over 1.8 million people in the province and part of the needs of neighboring provinces as well.
Although natural gas is the main feedstock of the thermal plant, it sometimes is forced to use mazut, normally in winters, when gas supply is reduced to industries due to high consumption of households.
Built by Iranian engineers and with domestically-manufactured equipment and parts, the power station has a 40% efficiency rate.
Treated Sewage
Currently, the utility uses treated wastewater for cooling. By using the treated sewage, the plant avoids extracting water from groundwater resources.
Hamedan Wastewater Treatment Plant treats 650 liters of wastewater per second and the recycled water is piped to Shahid Mofatteh Thermal Power Plant and farms.
Recycled wastewater accounts for nearly 85% of water used in the power station for cooling. Using treated sewage has prevented the formation of sinkholes in the plains and curbed desertification.
The replacement of groundwater with treated wastewater has resulted in the sealing of 25 wells around Hamedan City. As per an Energy Ministry directive, it is mandatory for all thermal power plants to use reclaimed wastewater [instead of potable water] for cooling needs.
Power plants are gradually replacing costly water from wells, lakes and rivers with reclaimed wastewater.
Environmentalists and experts believe industries can and must use recycled water for heating and cooling instead of the scarce, costly and fast dwindling potable water.
Reports say 216 wastewater treatment plants are operating in Iran with an annual output of 1.2 billion cubic meters. Treated sewage is supplied for farming (57%) and the rest to industries, urban green spaces and to replenish surface and groundwater resources.
Almost 70% of water consumed in households turn into sewage.
