Analysis of Thermal Interconnectivity of Utilities in Rural Alaska

• Main Author: Mercer, Christopher J.
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: University of Alaska Anchorage 2014
• Subjects: Anchorage; Arctic; Alaska
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11122/4769

Presented to the Faculty of the University of Alaska Anchorage in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Throughout the arctic there are two primary community utilities with dramatically contrary thermodynamic concerns. These are the intensely exothermic diesel electric power generation, and the strongly endothermic water and sewer utility. In this context exothermic processes must expel excess heat while endothermic process requires heat input. Failure of engineers, community planners, funding agencies, and interest groups to recognize the full social, economic, and environmental impact to the sustainability of utilities has come at tremendous cost. This is exemplified in many remote Alaskan communities such as Toksook Bay, Minto, Deering, and Kotlik.