The use of mazut as feedstock in thermal power plants damages the facility and doubles the cost of maintenance and repairs, the deputy head of Hamedan's Shahid Mofateh Thermal Power Plant said.
“As long as the plant is supplied with adequate natural gas as feedstock, burning liquefied fuel is not a viable alternative as its drawbacks outweigh the benefits,” Pejman Akhtari was also quoted as saying by Barq News website.
Using eco-unfriendly mazut has never been and will never be an option for the power station as it incurs expenses. Nonetheless, insufficient gas delivery to the facility leaves it with no choice, but to burn polluting fuels, he added.
“The 1,000-megawatt-SMTPP plays a key role in stabilizing power supply in western areas and if it stops functioning due to not having access to feedstock, thousands of households and industrial units will get into trouble.”
Although natural gas is the main feedstock of the thermal plant, at times it is forced to use mazut, normally in winters, when gas supply is reduced for industries due to the high consumption of households.
Built by Iranian engineers and with domestically-manufactured equipment and parts, the power station has a 40% efficiency rate.
“The treated wastewater in Hamedan has been used for cooling operations in this power plant since 2015,” he said.
“The measure has helped seal 25 wells, from which water was extracted for cooling purposes in the plant, to help preserve the precious groundwater resources.”
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.
Recycled Water
Hamedan Wastewater Treatment Plant treats 650 liters of wastewater per second and the recycled water is piped to the power plant, farms and industries.
Recycled wastewater accounts for nearly 85% of water used in the power station for cooling. The use of treated sewage has prevented the formation of sinkholes in the plains and curbed desertification.
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.
According to Abdolrasoul Pishahang, the head of Thermal Power Plants Holding Company, the construction of the dry cooling tower of the second unit of Shahid Mofatteh Power Plant has registered 60% progress.
The power station consumes about 12 million cubic meters of treated wastewater a year.
“Upon completion, it will help reduce water consumption by 85% in the unit and contribute to the stability of the production capacity of the 250-megawatt unit.”
The water saved in the process will be supplied for agricultural and industrial operations.
“Previously, the project to change the cooling system of a power plant in Iran was carried out for the first time at the first unit of the power plant and it has saved 85% of water consumed in the unit,” he added.
Dry cooling systems use air instead of water to cool the steam exiting a turbine. Such systems do not use water and can reduce total power plant water consumption by over 80%.
