Water conservation in coal fired power plants, CCC/275

The vulnerability of the power generation industry to constraints in water availability is widespread and growing, and this is increasing the pressure on power plant operators to conserve water. This report discusses where water can be conserved or recovered within pulverised coal-fired power plants. It includes ways of saving water in bottom ash handling, pollution control, and cooling systems. Cooling typically accounts for the largest usage of water (where water is the coolant), and wet flue gas desulphurisation is the second largest use at wet-cooled plants. Techniques for recovering water from the pulveriser and pre dryer exhausts, and from the flue gas are also discussed. If sufficient water can be economically recovered from the flue gas, then a dry-cooled power plant could become a supplier of both electricity and water.