November 27, 2008
Singapore Gives Thanks
November 27, 2008
Thanksgiving Thoughts
November 27, 2008
Emperor, Clothes, etc.
November 27, 2008
Letter of Law, Spirit of Law
November 26, 2008
Different Forms of Government
November 26, 2008
Roderick Long and the Tiny Gnomes from Neptune
November 26, 2008
When You're in a Hole, Keep Digging
November 26, 2008
Singapore's Policy Secret: Economic Literacy, Deference, or Resignation?
November 26, 2008
Notes on McArdle's Law
Not low flow toilets!
"About 195 Bgal/d, or 48 percent of all freshwater and saline-water withdrawals for 2000, were used for thermoelectric power. Most of this water was derived from surface water and used for once-through cooling at power plants. About 52 percent of fresh surface-water withdrawals and about 96 percent of saline-water withdrawals were for thermoelectric-power use. Withdrawals for thermoelectric power have been relatively stable since 1985."
This is very misleading. If a powerplant draws in water for cooling, it isn't "used" in the same sense that water for agriculture or drinking is used. The power plant most likely releases most or all of that water back into the body of water from which it was taken.
In the "most" case, when you have a cooling tower some of the cooling water is lost to evaporation, maybe 30% worst case scenario. Even then, 70% would be release back into the reservoir from which it was taken.
The only difference from the water released from the water drawn is the temperature of that water.
Certainly not those stupid toilets you have to flush twice.