Title: Comment on ‘Unsteady temperature prediction for cooling ponds’ by Gour‐Tsyh Yeh, A. P. Verma, and Fu‐Hsiung Lai
Abstract: Increasing demand for electric energy, which has been doubling every 10 yr, brings to mind the question, Given that thermal electric power plants are the near-term solution to meeting this demand, what then is the best regional siting of these plants?(Best is used in the sense of satisfying the objective triad [Vemuri, 1974] of minimum cost, minimum environmental impact, and minimum health risk.)Location of these plants further depends on proximity to load centers and existing transmission corridors, adequate transportation, and cooling water supply.One method of cooling that should be given more consideration in the site selection process is that of cooling pond(s).Yeh et al. [1973] should be commended for advocating this sometimes overlooked off-stream cooling device.Although the authors are 'concerned primarily with the analysis of the heatdissipating capacity of cooling ponds ' [Yeh et al., 1973' [Yeh et al., , p. 1555]], their support for this multipurpose method should help to awaken planners to the fact that there are alternatives to cooling towers, that is, cooling ponds, irrigation canals,