Thermal pollution modeling of the New River

Abstract

Thermal plume data from the Glen Lyn, Virginia power plant on the New River was compared to the thermal plume data from a hydraulic river model of this section of river. Both summer (high temperature, low river flow) and winter (low temperature, high river flow) conditions were modeled. The model plume in summer conditions was more comparable to the power plant than for the winter conditions, therefore a standard multiple port diffuser was tested in the river model, under summer conditions, to see how heat dissipation and thermal plume characteristics would change. No appreciable difference in the heat rise of the river with the diffuser was detected; however, initial heat dissipation was greater. A description of modeling methods, Froude scaling theory, present methods of measuring waste heat at power plants, and an evaluation of modeling as an effective method of predicting the thermal plume from a power plant is included.