Infinite Cooling, a pioneer in sustainable water recovery technology, is working with EDF, the world’s largest nuclear power producer, to launch an innovative project aimed at reducing water consumption in nuclear power plants. This is a bold step toward EDF’s vision of sustainable water management, particularly as global water scarcity intensifies and new regulations call in France for a 10% reduction in water consumption or abstraction by 2030.
The initiative is taking place at EDF’s 3.6GW Bugey Nuclear Power Plant, where Infinite Cooling’s innovative technology will capture water from cooling tower plumes. Cooling towers, which are the largest consumers of water in nuclear plants, stand to benefit immensely from this technology, which is expected to recover between 1% and 15% of the evaporated water depending on operating conditions. The reclaimed water, noted for its high purity, is ideal for reuse, reducing both water treatment costs and wastewater discharge.
The testing phase, running from August 2024 to March 2025, is taking place on a test setup at the Bugey Nuclear power Plant and will assess the technology’s performance in diverse environments and measure the amount of water recovered, the quality of the reclaimed water, and the system’s operational impact. The Infinite Cooling team will oversee the process, ensuring the solution meets the high standards required for widespread adoption across EDF’s cooling tower network.
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“Working closely with EDF marks a significant milestone for Infinite Cooling. Our mission is to address one of the most urgent challenges in industrial processes—water scarcity,” said Maher Damak, CEO and Co-Founder of Infinite Cooling. “The tests at Bugey are a pivotal step in demonstrating the power of our technology and its potential to enable sustainable water management in power plants worldwide.”
Infinite Cooling’s technology uses an innovative process that captures fine water droplets in cooling tower plumes using an electrically charged collection mesh. This recovered water, which is more than 100 times purer than the circulating water in the cooling system, can significantly reduce the need for water treatment and decrease wastewater discharge volumes, resulting in cost savings and enhanced environmental performance.
The primary goals of the testing are to quantify the amount of recoverable water, evaluate the quality of the reclaimed water for reuse within the plant, and gauge the technology’s impact on overall tower performance. Additionally, the project will gather essential insights to guide the large-scale deployment of this transformative solution, considering installation and operational factors.
This is a vital part of EDF’s broader commitment to sustainable water management and environmental stewardship, ensuring that the company can continue to meet its electricity production and ecosystem protection goals in the face of global water challenges.
SOURCE: Businesswire