Cooling Towers and Weather Modification

Abstract

Electric power production has reached astronomical proportions worldwide. Most of this power is produced by either coal-fired or nuclear steam turbines, and because of the inefficiencies involved in power production immense quantities of waste heat must be disposed of. At present, the power industry must dispose of 1.3 watts of heat for every watt of generating capacity at a coal-fired steam generating station and about 2 watts of heat per generated watt at a nuclear power plant.¹ Water, an excellent coolant because of its high specific heat, is used at most generating locations to carry off the excess heat. Once the heat is transfered to the water what do you do with the heated water?