A typical coal-fired power plant produces 1,000 MW of electricity by burning fuel with an energy content of 2,800 MW; 340 MW are lost as heat up the smokestack, leaving 2,460 MW to power turbines that drive a generator to produce electricity. However, the thermal efficiency of the turbines is 42%. That means 42% of this power goes to drive the generator, but the rest (58% of 2,460 = 1,430 MW) is waste heat that must be removed by cooling water. Assume that cooling water from an adjacent river, which has a total flow rate of 100 m3/s, is used to remove the waste heat. How much will the temperature of the river rise as a result of the addition of this heat?

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Output power to produce electricity1000 MW Energy content produced 2800 MW Heat lost to the smokest... View the full answer