CONDENSER AIR EXTRACTION EQUIPMENT ( 1 Of 3 )

CONDENSER AIR EXTRACTION EQUIPMENT

- Turbines are designed for a particular operating conditions like
steam inlet pressure, steam inlet temperature and turbine
exhaust pressure/ exhaust vacuum, which affects the
performance of the turbines in a significant way. Variations in
these parameters affect the steam consumption in the turbines
and also the turbine efficiency. Theoretical turbine efficiency is
calculated as work done by the turbine to the heat supplied to
generate the steam.
- Higher exhaust pressure/ lower vacuum, increases the steam
consumption in the turbine, keeping all other operating
parameters constant. Exhaust pressure lower than the specified
will reduce the steam consumption and improves the turbine
efficiency. Similarly exhaust vacuum lower than the specified, will
lower the turbine efficiency and reduces the steam consumption.
- The air extraction equipment must be capable of meeting two
conditions; one met during normal operation, the other when
raising vacuum on the turbo-generator unit.
- When raising vacuum the air extraction equipment must deal
rapidly with a large quantity of air and sufficient capacity must be
installed to reduce pressure quickly in the condenser to a level
which allows the turbine to be started. The last row blades of a
500 MW turbine will overheat if they run at speed and at low load
in a poor vacuum. Thus, a vacuum of 20 in.Hg must be obtained
before steam is admitted to the turbine and a vacuum of 26 in.Hg
for full speed. It is important that the time taken to bring a turbo-
generator on load shall not be increased by sufficient air
extraction capacity.
- Under normal operating conditions the quantity of air to be
exhausted is lower. It consists of air leakage into the condenser
via flanges and glands and also of incondensable gases that are
present in the steam exhausting from the turbine. Air and
incondensable must be removed from the condenser as their
presence in any quantity impairs the heat transfer capability of
the condenser and hence its performance. Conversely, excessive
air extraction capacity should not be run, as this involves
unnecessary running costs and also results in the extraction of an
unwanted quantity of water vapor from the condenser steam
space.