Plume Recovery System · proprietary technology

Cooling Tower Water Recovery

Addressing Global Water Stress with Innovative Plume Capture Technology.

90 % of the water typically lost to evaporation in cooling towers can be recovered and recycled with our technology.

The challenge of industrial water consumption

Water is fundamental for all life. The combination of increasing global population, the consequent growth in demand for fresh water in agriculture and industrial sectors, and the impacts of climate change means that the demand for freshwater is rapidly outpacing supply. This imbalance is leading to a growing number of water-stressed regions worldwide.

Available statistics indicate that industrial water consumption in India accounts for approximately 12% of the overall water consumption. Among industrial water users, thermal power plants are the largest consumers, accounting for 70% of the total industrial water use. The majority of water consumption in a thermal power plant occurs within its cooling towers.

Cooling towers operate on the principle of evaporative cooling. During this process, a portion of the circulating water evaporates, drawing heat from the surroundings and cooling the remaining water. For a typical cooling tower, the evaporation rate is about 1.5% of the cooling water circulation. This translates to massive quantities of makeup water required continuously.

70 % of industrial water is used by thermal power plants
1050 m³/hr water lost to evaporation in a typical 500 MW coal-based plant
40–80 % projected water stress levels across India by 2040

Limitations of current alternatives

Currently, the primary technology available for conserving water in thermal power plant cooling systems is the adoption of Air Cooled Condensers (ACCs). However, very few thermal power plants have implemented this technology due to the prohibitively high Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) costs. Moreover, ACCs lead to reduced power generation because of an increase in the power plant's heat rate. A typical loss of power can be about 7%, meaning more fossil fuel must be burned for the same electrical output, increasing CO₂ emissions.

The Solution: AquaStatic Plume Capture System

At First ESCO, we have developed an innovative technology to recover and recycle water from cooling tower plumes. Our AquaStatic Plume Capture System is installed directly above the cooling tower exhaust.

The technology works by utilizing a high voltage system to ionize the nanoscale water vapor particles present in the plumes. A computerized logic control system manages the electrostatic field, causing the ionized particles to agglomerate into larger water droplets. These heavy droplets then simply fall back down into the cooling tower basin, enabling up to 90% water recovery without the massive efficiency penalties of Air Cooled Condensers.

FIG. 1 — AQUASTATIC PLUME CAPTURE SYSTEM (APCS)
+ − + − PLC / Control PC HV Supply Air + Water Vapor Flow Water Vapor ionized & agglomerated Heavy Droplets fall back into basin control signal AquaStatic Plume Capture System
vapor plume high-voltage DC (±) logic control recovered water droplets

Hover or tap any component to read its role. Use the controls to pause or change speed.

Read this process as text
  1. Cooling towers evaporate circulating water, causing massive amounts of nanoscale water vapor to rise in the exhaust plume.
  2. The Logic Control System continuously monitors environmental parameters and regulates the high-voltage electrostatic field.
  3. The High-Voltage DC Supply energises the AquaStatic Plume Capture System above the exhaust: its positive (+) terminal feeds the collecting electrode and its negative (−) terminal the discharge electrode, so the two cables carry charge in opposite directions around the circuit.
  4. A strong DC field is held between the two electrodes. As the vapour passes through the gap it is ionised — the corona current across the plume completes the circuit back to the supply.
  5. The ionization forces these ultra-fine vapor particles to agglomerate into larger, heavy droplets.
  6. These heavy droplets then naturally fall back into the cooling tower basin, effectively recovering up to 90% of the water that would have been lost to evaporation.

Demonstrated at laboratory scale

Our experimental prototype recovers liquid water from water plumes on the bench, shown as captured.

LAB DEMONSTRATION · APCS PLUME RECOVERY
First ESCO AquaStatic Plume Capture System · lab-scale prototype capturing a simulated cooling-tower plume
Pilot-scale AquaStatic Plume Capture System prototype on the laboratory bench
Pilot-scale AquaStatic Plume Capture System prototype

Beyond the demonstration, our proprietary SAB-ZLD (Solvent-based Zero Liquid Discharge) technology recycles cooling-tower and boiler blowdown water — combining with APCS for a comprehensive, end-to-end water-conservation strategy.

Read about SAB-ZLD

Enhance your water sustainability

Partner with First ESCO to integrate profound water recovery solutions into your thermal and industrial processes. Reduce your water dependence and environmental footprint simultaneously.

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