Question

the power station uses some of its waste thermal energy to hear water for houses in a nearby town. State one problem of using waster energy in this way if the power station is far from town. Suggest a way of reducing this problem​

Answer 1

The use of Insulating Layers with low Conduction Coefficients and radii greater than Critical Radius diminish Losses and gives important Savings in terms of Energy Efficiency.

The main problem of Transportation of Waste Energy through Long Distances is the heat transfer between the Fluid flowing through the Tube and Surroundings. Heat Losses are directly proportional to the Distance travelled by the Fluid.

A possible way to minimize this Problem is to isolate outer surface of Tubes with materials with low Conduction Coefficients. at Critical Radius, in which Heat Losses reach its theoretical Maximum, from which Heat Transfer tends to diminish at greater radii.

According to the Theory of Heat Transfer, the Critical Radius of the Insulating Layer is equal to:

`r_(c) = (k)/(h)` (1)

Where:

• 
  `k` - Conduction coefficient, in watts per meter-Kelvin.
• 
  `h` - Convection coefficient, in watts per square meter-Kelvin.

Using materials with low Conduction Coefficient minimize Thickness requirements and, therefore, overall costs tends to sink when
`r > r_(c)`.

Hence, the use of Insulating Layers with low Conduction Coefficients and Radii greater than Critical Radius diminish Losses and gives important Savings in terms of Energy Efficiency.

Answer 2

Step-by-step explanation:

By the time the hot water gets to the place where it can be used for heating, it will have lost a great deal of energy to the surroundings.

The way to prevent that from happening is to insulate the pipeline with fiber glass like house insulation. Of course since this is a physics question and not an engineering problem, you could move the power station closer to the houses to be heated.