The reduction of thermal pollution by means of adiabatic degassing was studied by using a computer simulation of the process. The systems studied were hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and sulfur dioxide in water. Each system was studied separately as aqueous unsaturated solutions. These systems are characteristic of possible thermal pollution streams, e.g. hydrogen sulfide and ammonia in water are both products of refinery operations as well as municipal sewage treatment plants; the sulfur dioxide in water would arise in power station flue gas scrubbing operations or in smelter flue gas scrubbing operations.

The results indicate that there is a range of gas concentrations for which adiabatic degassing would be an efficient means of reducing thermal pollution, provided there is available a supply of low cost, low pressure steam .

Project No. A-032-NMEX