USE OF THE RESIDUAL HEAT FROM POWER PLANTS IN HORTICULTURE IN BELGIUM

The increase in the price of primary energy over the last few years warrants the research undertaken with a view to recovering part of the heat from the vast quantities of tepid water released by thermal power plants and in particular by the new nuclear units.

Owing to their specific features, these units should be able to contain huge quantities of water to cool the finished off steam in the condensors, and for that reason they are fitted up usually alongside a river.

Independently of the season the temperature of the cooling-water raises in this way by 8 till 12°C.

Legal instructions for safeguarding of environnement in Belgium provide that increase in temperature of this drained off water should be limited to 5 or 6°C. In wintertime the minimal temperature practical never falls under + 5°C and in summertime it rarely rises above + 20°C. By cooling the water in refrigerating-towers a great loss of the low water calorie units is listed by steam-forming.

Although the temperature is rather low (10 to 30°C), the use of the residual heat has engendered interesting results in various experimental stations concerning horticulture and pisciculture requirements.

Symposium on Potential Productivity in Protected Cultivation

Ir. Jean DE WILDE

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1978.87.36