Elimination of cooling tower fog from a highway.

Abstract

In 1954 The Atlantic Refining Company built a catalytic cracking unit on the north side of their property equipped with a water cooling tower. Since then the Schuylkill Expressway through the city of Philadelphia has been built. This expressway passes approximately 400 feet from the cooling tower as shown in the plan view Fig. 1. It was on December 7, 1959, that we discovered that under an unusual combination of conditions the fog from the cooling tower could create a traffic hazard. You have all witnessed the white plume coming from such a cooling tower when the weather is cool and humid. On this particular day the humidity was approximately 100%, the wind was blowing toward the highway with considerable gustiness which drove the white plume from the cooling tower down across the expressway. Although this condition exists for relatively short periods of time and occurs on the average approximately six times per year, top management was insistent that a remedy to this condition be found. A joint study was initiated with the Manufacturing, Research, and Engineering Departments all pooling their ideas and working closely together to find a solution. In addition, we worked with the city control officials and kept them informed as to our progress. It is my privilege to report the results of this project for the three departments involved. I would indeed be remiss if I do not give due credit to Mr. L. J. Seifert of the Manufacturing Department for his excellent work in obtaining test data; to Mr. W. C. Zachow of the Engineering and Construction Department for his many suggestions and cost estimations; and last but not least, to Mr. E. R. Roth who was in direct charge of the work done by the Research Department.