Physical plant
This is a holistic look at the architecture, design, equipment, and other peripheral systems linked with a plant required to operate or maintain it.
The design and equipment of a nuclear power plant, has for the most part, remained stagnant over the last 30 years.
[2] While, for the most part, equipment remains the same, there have been some minimal modifications to existing reactors improving safety and efficiency.
[12] In broadcast engineering, the term transmitter plant refers to the part of the physical plant associated with the transmitter and its controls and inputs, the studio/transmitter link (if the radio studio is off-site),[13] the radio antenna and radomes, feedline and desiccation/nitrogen system, broadcast tower and building, tower lighting, generator, and air conditioning.
[14] A central office hub utilities transmission equipment, allowing it to send signals to between one and 32 users per line.
[16] This equipment utilises different wavelengths to send and receive data simultaneously and without interference[15] Base stations are a key component of mobile telecommunications infrastructure.
[17] Desalination plants are responsible for removing salt from water sources so that it becomes usable for human consumption.
[21] Reverse osmosis, multi-stage flash and multi-effect distillation, are three main types of equipment and processes used that differentiate desalination plants.
[21] Reverse osmosis plants use “Semi-Permeable Membrane Polymers”, that allow for water to pass through unabated while blocking molecules not suitable for drinking.
[22] Reverse Osmosis plants typically use intake pipes, which allow for water to be abstracted at its source.
[26] It uses cathodes and anodes at multiple stages to filter out ionic compounds into a concentrated form, leaving more pure and safe drinking water.
This technology does have a higher cost of energy so unlike reverse osmosis it is mainly used for brackish water which has a lower salt content than seawater.
[31] Many transport equipment, such as aqueducts, pipes, and tunnels utilize open-channel flow to ensure delivery of the water.
[32] This utilizes geography and gravity to allow the water to naturally flow from one place to another withoutthe need for additional pumps.
[37] Corrosive-resistant pipe materials such as PVC, aluminum and stainless steel are used to transfer water safely due to increases in acidity from pre-treatment.
[38] Coagulation is usually the next step, in which salts such as ferric sulfate are used to destabilize organic matter in a mixing tank.
Variable-speed paddle mixers are used to identify the best mix of salts to use for a specific body of water being treated.
Public regulators are responsible for monitoring water supply quality and ensuring it is safe to drink.
The manufacturer's primary responsibility is off site, providing quality assurance of equipment function prior to use.
