Question:
A nuclear-fueled electric power plant utilizes a so-called "boiling water reactor." In this type of reactor, nuclear energy causes water under pressure to boil at 285 oC (the temperature of the hot reservoir). After the steam does the work of turning the turbine of an electric generator, the steam is converted back into water in a condenser at 40 oC (the temperature of the cold reservoir). To keep the condenser at 40 oC, the rejected heat must be carried away by some means-for example, by water from a river. The plant operates at three-fourths of its Carnot efficiency, and the electrical output power of the plant is 1.2 × 109 watts. A river with a water flow rate of 1.0 × 105 kg/s is available to remove the rejected heat from the plant. Find the number of Celsius degrees by which the temperature of the river rises?