A New Universal Formula for Efficiency: Sensitivity to Cooling Conditions of Nuclear and Conventional Power Stations

A new approximate formula is derived for the sensitivity of the net efficiency of fissile- and fossil-fueled condensing power stations to incremental variations in the design temperature of the cooling water or air. It is universal for the three basic modes (open circuit, wet tower, and dry tower) of turbine condenser cooling and incorporates nearly all of the decisive design parameters involved.