TEMPERATURE DISPERSION OF COOLING WATER DISCHARGE INTO OLIGOTROPHY SEAWATER

In order to study temperature dispersion of cooling water discharged into seawater, temperature values were recorded monthly for different transects during the study period (April-August 2015) in front of Aqaba Thermal Power Station (ATPS), A simple conservative model was developed to estimate the dispersion of temperature after discharge from the cooling system into oligotrophic seawater of the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea. Temperatures along transects exhibited a clear gradual decrease from the discharge point with distance, ending with little differ ence from the intake source. The model exhibited very strong correlation with observed temperature (r > 0.9), and can be used as a tool for prediction the dispersion of temperature for any cooling system with the same conditions. The study showed that the thermal influence of the outflow decreased significantly at 100m from the discharge point. The maximum difference between either the intake or ambient seawater and a station 100m from the discharge was 1.2 °C. This difference can be considered within the limits determined by Aqaba Special Zone Authority (ASEZA), World Bank and some international standards.