Analog Computer Solution of a Complex Transient-Hydraulic Problem in the Power Industry

The Scattergood Steam Power Plant of the City of Los Angeles uses Pacific Ocean water as a heat sink. During the design of the circulating water system which conveys the ocean cooling water to the condensers, it was necessary to predict the hydraulic behavior under certain unsteady conditions in order to establish design criteria. This article describes the circulating water system, the problems to be solved, the methods of mathematical analysis, and the analog computer solution of the resulting set of 28 simultaneous nonlinear differential equations.