In response to the widespread problem of rough management in circulating cooling water systems in thermal power plants,a smart monitoring system for circulating water was developed,focusing on the control ob-jectives of the circulating water system,the water quality characteristics,and operational requirements.The sys-tem consists of four components:online instruments,information transmission,control systems,and display in-terfaces.It can achieve comprehensive,real-time,and accurate monitoring of circulating water quality,as well as automatic control of water replenishment,sewage discharge,and chemical dosing.The concentration variation of the scale inhibitor is controlled within±1 mg·L-1,avoiding unnecessary sewage discharge due to water quality fluctuations,reducing manual labor,conserving water resources,and enhancing the overall management of circu-lating water.