What is the main use of metering pumps in power plants?

Metering pumps are primarily used for precise dosing and injection of chemicals in various processes within power plants, making them crucial for cooling tower treatment. In cooling towers, maintaining water quality is essential to prevent scaling, corrosion, and biological growth. Metering pumps ensure that the appropriate amount of treatment chemicals, such as biocides or scale inhibitors, is delivered accurately to the water system, thus optimizing the efficiency and longevity of the cooling system.

While cooling tower treatment is the correct application of metering pumps, other areas listed have different primary functions for pumps. Waste management may involve other types of pumps for handling wastewater but does not typically require the same precision in chemical dosing. Energy production and chilled water distribution would also use pumps, but they serve different purposes such as moving water or facilitating energy transfer rather than the specific chemical dosing found in cooling tower operations. Therefore, the primary use of metering pumps in a power plant context is indeed the treatment of cooling tower water.