Abstract: In a method for supplying cooling water to a condenser under conditions where an evaporation rate of the cooling water is low during a certain time and is higher during other times, cooling water is delivered from a body of water underlying a cooling tower to the condenser. During the certain time when the evaporation rate of the cooling water is low, a level of the water in the body of water is controlled to a value such that a concentration of a contaminant in the body of water is low, and such that the temperature of the water in the body of water throughout the other times will assure a desired condensate temperature in the condenser throughout the other times. Then, a level of the water in the body of water during the other times is controlled to a value maintaining the low concentration of a dissolved solid and ions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cooling water supply system, comprising a condenser for cooling working fluid of a facility to a predetermined temperature; a cooling tower into which is injectable heated cooling water that has exited said condenser, for reducing the temperature of said heated cooling water primarily through evaporative cooling; a basin beneath said cooling tower, for receiving a non-evaporated portion of said heated cooling water discharged from the cooling tower; and flow control equipment for varying the level of a fluid characteristic of a water body of said cooling water within the basin, wherein the body of water, after achieving a predetermined low level of water fluid characteristic by said flow control equipment, remains at a sufficiently low temperature throughout a subsequent predetermined time period to generate a desired condensate temperature by a portion thereof that is delivered to said condenser, even when mixed with the cooling tower discharge which is of a higher temperatur