Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
1. Condenser It is a closed vessel heat exchanger in which exhaust steam from the turbine is
condensed. During the condensation process the steam gives up heat to circulating cooling
water.
2. Condensate Extraction Pump It is a pump required to extract the condensate from the
condenser to the hot well.
3. Air Extraction Pump It is a pump to remove air and non-condensable gases. Sometimes
a single pump known as wet air pump is used to remove both air and the condensate.
4. Hot Well It is a sump provided between the condenser and the boiler. In a hot well the
condensate pumped by the condensate extraction pump is collected.
5. Boiler Feed Pump It is a pump used to force the condensate from hot well into the boiler.
This is done by increasing the pressure of the condensate above the boiler pressure.
6. Condenser Cooling Water Pump It is a pump used to maintain the circulation of cooling
water through the condenser.
7. Make Up Water Pump It is a pump used to compensate the water lost due to evaporation
during cooling of hot water in the cooling tower. It circulates the required amount of cooling
water into the condenser from the river or some other water source.
8. Cooling Tower or Spray Pond A cooling tower is used to re-cool the hot water coming
out of the condenser. The hot water is cooled by evaporative cooling in which heat is rejected
to the atmospheric air. The use of cooling tower becomes essential when there is shortage
of cooling water, and it has to be used over and over again in the condenser.
9. Relief Valve It is used to relieve the steam from the condenser when the condenser does
not work properly by which the plant becomes non-condensing.
Condenser shell
Water
Baffle plate
Injection pump
Tailpipe (cold water pump)
10.363 m water
Overflow
Minimum
Barometric
height
Condensate
Hot well
Cooling pond
hot well. The pressure at the bottom of the pipe is equal to atmospheric pressure, whereas at its
top in the condenser shell vacuum pressure is maintained. It avoids the rise of water in the tail
pipe and water extraction pump is also not required. The condensate and water from the condenser
go down to the hot well under the gravity and maintain a water leg in the tail pipe depending
upon the vacuum in the condenser. As the height of the shell is large so, an injection pump is
required to pump water to the top of the shell. A schematic view of high jet condenser is shown
in Figure 2.31.
The working and other details of this condenser are similar to low-level counter flow jet
condenser. Its drawbacks are high costs and loss of vacuum between the turbine and the condenser.
It is used where sufficient head required for tailpipe is available.
Baffle plate
Cooling Cover
water inlet head
Cover Tube
head plate
the condenser and finally, it leaves through the outlet. In this type of condenser the water traverses
two times, so it is called the two-pass condenser. The exhaust steam from the turbine enters at
the top of the condenser and surrounds the tubes through which cooling water flows under force.
The steam condenses when it comes in contact with the cold surface of the tubes. The water
gets warmed in the condenser is discharged into the cooling tower, river, or cooling pond. The
condensate is taken out from the condenser by a condensate extraction pump. The air is removed
by an air extraction pump.
Down Flow Surface Condenser Figure 2.34 (a) shows a sectional view of a down flow surface
condenser which is also known as dry vacuum type condenser. The steam enters at the top and
flow downwards over the tubes carrying cooling water. A section of tubes near the air pump
suction is screen off by providing a baffle plate. This screen is also called air cooler which helps
in extracting air at a lower temperature than the condensate. The low temperature of air reduces
its volume and hence the size of the pump gets reduced by as much as 50 per cent.
Central Flow Surface Condenser Figure 2.34 (b) shows a sectional view of a central flow surface
condenser in which the air extraction pump is provided at the centre and the air is extracted from
the centre. The exhaust steam and air enter from the top and flow radially towards the centre
by passing over the entire periphery of the tubes. The condensate is extracted at the bottom by
condensate extraction pump. This condenser is an improvement over the down flow type as steam
has an access to the whole periphery of the cooling tubes.
Inverted Flow Surface Condenser In the inverted flow type surface condenser the air suction
pump is provided at the top. So, the steam entering from the bottom of the condenser flows
upwards. The condensed steam collects in the bottom section from where it is extracted with the
help of a condensate extraction pump.
162 Elements of Mechanical Engineering
Tubes Tubes
Baffle plate
To air Air
extraction
To air
pump
extraction
Air cooler pump
Air cooler
Condensate to Condensate to
condensate condensate
extraction pump extraction pump
Fig. 2.34 (a) Down Flow Surface Condenser (b) Central Flow Surface Condenser
3. In the barometric condenser use of long pipe increase the cost of the condenser.
4. In the low-level jet condenser if the condensate extraction pump fails then there is greater
possibility of flooding of the engine.
5. In the case of barometric condenser a vacuum loss of about 1 to 1.5 cm of Hg occurs due
to leakage in the long exhaust pipe line.
6. Vacuum more than 66 cm of Hg cannot be achieved. This is because the dissolved air in
the cooling water gets liberated at low pressures.
7. The air extraction pump needs high power which may be about double the power required
by a surface condenser.
4. The cooling water should be free from impurities. 4. The cooling water of any quality can be used.
5. Vacuum efficiency is low. Thus, not suitable for 5. Vacuum efficiency is high. Thus, more suitable for
high capacity plants. high capacity plants.
6. The system design is simple, compact, and 6. The system design is complicated, bulky, and
economical. costly.
7. It requires small floor area. 7. It requires large floor area.
8. Maintenance is simple and less costly. 8. Maintenance is costly and requires skilled
worker.
9. It requires more power for air pump. 9. It requires less power for air pump.
10. It requires more power for water pumping. 10. It requires less power for water pumping.
11. It does not require condensate extraction pump. 11. It requires condensate extraction pump.
12. Vacuum more than 66 cm of Hg cannot be 12. A high vacuum as much as 73.5 cm of Hg can be
achieved. achieved.
Vacuum gauge
Condenser
Hb – H v
Hb
Hv
Mercury tank
pt ps pa
V V V
The total pressure (pt) in the condenser or vessel is the sum of the partial pressures of steam
(ps) and air (pa).
According to Dalton’s law of partial pressure,
pt = ps + pa
or pa = pt – ps
The vacuum gauge reads the total pressure in the condenser, i.e., pt. The steam pressure ps can
be known from the steam table corresponding to condenser temperature. As pt and ps are known
thus pa can be determined.
If there is no air leakage into the condenser then pa = 0 and hence the vacuum efficiency
becomes 100%. The vacuum efficiency depends upon the effectiveness of the air cooling and the
rate at which the air is removed by the air pump. Generally, the vacuum efficiency is about 98%
to 99%.
Steam Turbines and Condensers 169
T 2 – T1 26.5 – 9
\ hcondenser = ______ = ________
Ts – T1 35.85 – 9
= 0.6518 or 65.18%
Example 2.10 In a condenser, vacuum gauge reads 71.5 cm of Hg while barometer reads
75.5 cm of Hg. The temperature of condenser is 25°C. Determine (i) the pressure of steam
and air, (ii) mass of air per kg of steam, and (iii) corrected vacuum to standard barometer, and
(iv) vacuum efficiency.
Solution
(i) Total absolute pressure (pt) in the condenser
= (Hb – Hv) = (75.5 – 71.5) = 4 cm of Hg
= 4 × 0.0133322 = 0.05332 bar
(ii) Partial pressure of steam (ps) at condensate temperature of 25°C
ps = 0.03166 bar (From steam table)
Partial pressure of air,
pa = pt – ps = 0.05332 – 0.03166
= 0.02166 bar
Specific volume of steam = 43.402 m3/kg. Air will also occupy the same volume.
Applying ideal gas equation,
pa va = ma Ra Ta
5
(0.02166 × 10 ) × 61.02 = ma × 287 × (25 + 273)
\ ma = 1.094 kg/kg of steam
(iii) Corrected vacuum = 76 – (Hb – Hg) = 76 – (75.5 – 71.5)
= 72 cm of Hg
(iv) From steam table, the absolute pressure of steam corresponding to condenser temperature
of 25°C
= 0.03166 bar = (0.03166/0.0133322)
= 2.375
Actual vacuum recorded by gauge
\ hvacuum = ____________________________
Ideal vacuum
71.5
= __________
75.5 – 2.37
= 0.9777 or 97.77%
Steam Turbines and Condensers 171
Example 2.11 A condenser deals with 900 kg of steam per hour with a dryness fraction of
0.9. The temperature of condenser is 40°C. The air associated with the steam in the condenser is
200 kg/hour. Determine the vacuum reading while barometer reads 75.5 cm of Hg. Correct this
vacuum to a standard barometer reading of 76 cm of Hg.
Solution From steam table, partial pressure of steam at 40°C,
ps = 0.07375 bar, and
Volume of one kg of steam at 40°C,
vs = 19.55 m3
\ Total volume of steam = m × (x × vs) = 900 × (0.9 × 19.55)
= 15835.5 m3.
Air will also occupy the same volume.
pa va = ma Ra Ta
pa × 15835.5 = 200 × 287 × (40 + 273)
\ pa = 1134.55 N/m2 = 0.011345 bar
Total condenser pressure = 0.07375 + 0.011345 = 0.085095 bar
or = (0.085095/0.0133322) = 6.38 cm of Hg
\ Vacuum reading = 75.5 – 6.38 = 69.12 cm of Hg
Corrected vacuum = 76 – (75.5 – 69.12) = 69.62 cm of Hg
Example 2.12 The following data are recorded during a test on a steam condenser: vacuum
in condenser = 71 cm of Hg, barometer reading = 76.5 cm of Hg, mean temperature of condenser =
35°C, hot well temperature = 28°C, inlet temperature of cooling water = 8.5°C, outlet temperature
of cooling water = 25.6°C, condensate collected = 1900 kg/hour, and cooling water quantity =
59,500 kg/hour. Calculate (i) corrected vacuum to standard barometer, (ii) vacuum efficiency,
(iii) under-cooling of condensate, (iv) condenser efficiency, (v) quality of steam entering the
condenser, and (iv) mass of air present per m3 of the condenser volume and per kg of uncondensed
steam.
Solution
(i) Corrected vacuum = 76 – (Hb – Hv)
= 76 – (76.5 – 71) = 70.5 cm of Hg
(ii) The absolute pressure of steam corresponding to the condenser temperature of 35°C (from
steam table)
= 0.05622 bar = (0.05622/0.0133322)
= 4.22 cm of Hg
172 Elements of Mechanical Engineering
Weir
Ribs
Piston
When the piston moves in the downward direction a partial vacuum is produced in the barrel
above the piston due to which the delivery valve closes. The air and water vapors from the
condenser rush into the space above the piston through the ports. Further, motion of the piston
causes its conical end to displace the condensate rapidly through the ports. Thus, water vapors,
air, and the condensate fills the space above the piston.
When the piston moves in the upward direction the charge of water vapors, air, and the
condensate get compressed to a pressure slightly above the atmospheric pressure. This opens the
head valves through which the charge flows over the weir to the hot well. The weir maintains a
sufficient head of water over head valves and thus seals them against any air leakage.
Steam Turbines and Condensers 175
A relief valve is provided at the base of the barrel to release the charge if the pressure exceeds
the atmospheric pressure due to any reason.
These pumps are generally used for low vacuum requirements. Its main advantage over other
pumps is that it does not have any inaccessible valves.
Air inlet
Cold water
to condenser
(ii) Mechanical Draught Cooling Towers In the mechanical draught cooling towers the air is
circulated with the help of a mechanical device like a fan or a blower. Depending on the position
of the fan or blower these are classified as forced draught or induced draught cooling towers.
When the fan is installed at the bottom of the tower it is known as forced draught cooling tower
as shown in Figure 2.40 (a). When the fan is installed at the top of the tower it is called induced
draught cooling tower as shown in Figure 2.40 (b).
Hot water coming from the condenser enters the tower from its top and is sprayed through the
nozzles. The sprayed water meets with the air going upwards. Eliminators are provided at the
Hot air out
Water
eliminator
Hot air out Induced draught fan
Air in
Air in Air in
Cooling
water out Cooling
water out
(a) Forced draught cooling tower (b) Induced draught cooling tower
(a) (b)
In the case of non-directed flow type ponds, the hot water is discharged into the open pond.
But in the case of directed flow type cooling ponds, the pond is divided into a number of channels
178 Elements of Mechanical Engineering
by providing baffle plates which direct the flow of hot water. The cooling effect in directed flow
cooling ponds will be more due to thorough mixing of hot and cold water streams.
On the basis of spray nozzles arrangement, the cooling ponds may also be classified as single
deck or double deck ponds. In a single deck cooling pond, the spray nozzles are arranged at the
same elevation, whereas in double deck system the nozzles are arranged at different elevations.
The double deck cooling ponds are more efficient than single deck system.
The disadvantages of cooling ponds are: (i) Large area is required for cooling, for example,
the surface area required in a cooling pond is about 30 times the size of cooling tower for the
same duty, (ii) The loss of water due to air blow is large and it is unprotected against dust, and
(iii) There is no control over the temperature of cooled water, and its cooling efficiency is low.
The cooling ponds are suitable only for small capacity steam plants where land is easily and
cheaply available.
EXERCISE
(c) enthalpy drop in fixed blade to sum of enthalpy drop in moving and fixed blades
(d) none of the above
18. Degree of reaction for Parson’s turbine is:
(a) 50% (b) 60% (c) 70% (d) 80%
19. Reheat factor is defined as:
(a) ratio of isentropic enthalpy drop to cumulative enthalpy drop
(b) ratio of cumulative isentropic heat drop to Rankine heat drop
(c) ratio of Rankine heat drop to cumulative isentropic heat drop
(d) none of the above
20. The value of reheat factor generally varies from:
(a) 0.6 to 1.06 (b) 0.02 to 0.06 (c) 0.8 to 1.08 (d) 1.02 to 1.06
21. The value of reheat factor increases if the number of stages are:
(a) less (b) more (c) same (d) none of the above
22. Internal efficiency is the ratio of:
(a) useful heat drop to heat supplied
(b) adiabatic heat drop to heat supplied
(c) total useful heat drop to adiabatic heat drop
(d) none
23. The number of stages in pressure compounded steam turbine in comparison to velocity
compounded is:
(a) more (b) less (c) equal (d) none of the above
24. The efficiency of pressure compounded steam turbine in comparison to velocity compounded
is:
(a) more (b) less (c) equal (d) none of the above
25. If hs is constant for all stages then reheat factor is given by:
(a) RF = hs/hi (b) RF = hi/hs (c) RF = hs × hi (d) none of the above
26. Maximum blade or diagram efficiency of an impulse turbine is:
(a) [1 + C] cos a (b) [1 + KC] cos a (c) cos a (d) [1 + KC] (cos a)/2
27. The maximum rate of work done for a single stage impulse turbine is:
(a) u2 (b) 2u (c) 3u2 (d) 2u2
28. For maximum blade efficiency of a single stage impulse turbine:
(a) r = cos a1/2 (b) r = cos2a1/2 (c) r = cos a1 (d) r = cos2a1
29. The ratio of actual vacuum to the ideal vacuum is termed:
(a) condenser efficiency (b) boiler efficiency
(c) nozzle efficiency (d) vacuum efficiency
Steam Turbines and Condensers 181
30. The ratio of actual temperature rise to the maximum possible rise is termed:
(a) condenser efficiency (b) boiler efficiency
(c) nozzle efficiency (d) vacuum efficiency
31. The cooling system used for big power plants:
(a) spray pond (b) hyperbolic cooling tower
(c) mechanical draught cooling tower (d) natural draught cooling
32. The ratio of sensible and evaporation cooling in wet cooling tower is:
(a) 20:80 (b) 40:60 (c) 40:80 (d) 60:80
33. The total absolute pressure in a condenser is equal to the:
(a) atmospheric pressure – gauge pressure
(b) atmospheric pressure + gauge pressure
(c) barometric pressure – vacuum pressure
(d) barometric pressure + vacuum pressure
34. Actual vacuum in a condenser is equal to the:
(a) barometric pressure – actual pressure
(b) barometric pressure + actual pressure
(c) atmospheric pressure – gauge pressure
(d) atmospheric pressure + gauge pressure
35. Pure cooling water is used in:
(a) surface condenser (b) jet condenser
(c) in both jet and surface condensers (d) none of the above
36. The rotor speed in steam turbines can be reduced by:
(a) velocity compounding (b) pressure compounding
(c) velocity-pressure compounding (d) all of the above
37. The vacuum efficiency of a condenser is about:
(a) 60% (b) 70% (c) 80% (d) 90%
38. Cooling water requirement in a surface condenser is:
(a) about 50 times of steam condensed (b) about 40 times of steam condensed
(c) about 30 times of steam condensed (d) about 20 times of steam condensed
39. Thermal efficiency of steam power plant increases by the employment of surface condenser
because:
(a) average temperature of heat addition is increased
(b) average temperature of heat addition is reduced
(c) average temperature of heat rejection is reduced
(d) none of the above
182 Elements of Mechanical Engineering
ANSWERS
1. (c) 2. (d) 3. (c) 4. (a) 5. (b) 6. (d) 7. (b) 8. (a) 9. (b) 10. (a)
11. (b) 12. (b) 13. (c) 14. (a) 15. (a) 16. (c) 17. (a) 18 (a) 19. (b) 20. (d)
21. (b) 22. (c) 23. (a) 24. (a) 25. (a) 26. (d) 27. (d) 28. (a) 29. (d) 30. (a)
31. (b) 32. (a) 33. (c) 34. (a) 35. (b) 36. (d) 37. (d) 38. (a) 39. (c) 40. (a)
41. (b) 42. (d)
5. Steam enters the blade row of an impulse turbine with a velocity of 600 m/s at an angle
of 25° to the plane of rotation of the blades. The mean blade speed is 255 m/s. The blade
angle on the exit side is 30°. The blade friction coefficient is 10%. Determine (i) the angle
of the blade on the entry side, (ii) the diagram efficiency, (iii) the power developed per kg
of steam, and (iv) axial thrust per of steam per second.
[Ans. 41.5°, 83.65, 150.45 kW, – 90 N/kg/s]
6. In a stage reaction turbine the mean diameter of the rotor is 1.4 m. The speed ratio is 0.7.
Determine the blade inlet angle if the blade outlet angle is 20°. The rotor speed is 50 rps.
Also find the diagram efficiency. Find the percentage increase in diagram efficiency and
rotor speed if the rotor is designed to run at the best theoretical speed, the exit angle is
20°. [Ans. 20°, 90.5%, 3.65%, 67.08 rps]
7. The vacuum reading of a condenser is 70.5 cm of Hg when the barometer reads 76 cm of
Hg and the condensate temperature is 31°C. Calculate vacuum efficiency. [Ans. 97.06%]
8. The vacuum in a surface condenser is found to be 70.5 cm of Hg when the barometer
reads 76 cm of Hg. The cooling water enters the condenser at 20°C and leaves at 36.5°C.
Determine the condenser efficiency. [Ans. 87%]
9. A 180 kW steam engine consumes 9.5 kg of steam per kWh. The back pressure of the engine
and the condenser pressure are equal to 0.15 bar. The temperature of the cooling water at
the inlet and outlet are 18°C and 34°C respectively. The temperature of the condensate is
35°C. Determine the quantity of cooling water required per hour if the steam exhausted to
the condenser is dry saturated. [Ans. 62568 kg]
10. In a condenser the following data were recorded: vacuum = 70 cm of Hg, barometer = 76
cm of Hg, mean temperature of the condenser = 35°C, hot well temperature = 29°C, mass
of cooling water = 45500 kg/hour, inlet temperature = 16.5°C, outlet temperature = 31°C.
Determine (i) the mass of air present per unit condenser volume, (ii) dryness fraction of
steam entering the condenser, (iii) vacuum efficiency, (iv) the condensate undercooling, and
(v) condenser efficiency. [Ans. 0.02686 kg/m3, 94%, 97.51%, 6°C, 78.37%]
184 Elements of Mechanical Engineering
5. Steam enters the blade row of an impulse turbine with a velocity of 600 m/s at an angle
of 25° to the plane of rotation of the blades. The mean blade speed is 255 m/s. The blade
angle on the exit side is 30°. The blade friction coefficient is 10%. Determine (i) the angle
of the blade on the entry side, (ii) the diagram efficiency, (iii) the power developed per kg
of steam, and (iv) axial thrust per of steam per second.
[Ans. 41.5°, 83.65, 150.45 kW, – 90 N/kg/s]
6. In a stage reaction turbine the mean diameter of the rotor is 1.4 m. The speed ratio is 0.7.
Determine the blade inlet angle if the blade outlet angle is 20°. The rotor speed is 50 rps.
Also find the diagram efficiency. Find the percentage increase in diagram efficiency and
rotor speed if the rotor is designed to run at the best theoretical speed, the exit angle is
20°. [Ans. 20°, 90.5%, 3.65%, 67.08 rps]
7. The vacuum reading of a condenser is 70.5 cm of Hg when the barometer reads 76 cm of
Hg and the condensate temperature is 31°C. Calculate vacuum efficiency. [Ans. 97.06%]
8. The vacuum in a surface condenser is found to be 70.5 cm of Hg when the barometer
reads 76 cm of Hg. The cooling water enters the condenser at 20°C and leaves at 36.5°C.
Determine the condenser efficiency. [Ans. 87%]
9. A 180 kW steam engine consumes 9.5 kg of steam per kWh. The back pressure of the engine
and the condenser pressure are equal to 0.15 bar. The temperature of the cooling water at
the inlet and outlet are 18°C and 34°C respectively. The temperature of the condensate is
35°C. Determine the quantity of cooling water required per hour if the steam exhausted to
the condenser is dry saturated. [Ans. 62568 kg]
10. In a condenser the following data were recorded: vacuum = 70 cm of Hg, barometer = 76
cm of Hg, mean temperature of the condenser = 35°C, hot well temperature = 29°C, mass
of cooling water = 45500 kg/hour, inlet temperature = 16.5°C, outlet temperature = 31°C.
Determine (i) the mass of air present per unit condenser volume, (ii) dryness fraction of
steam entering the condenser, (iii) vacuum efficiency, (iv) the condensate undercooling, and
(v) condenser efficiency. [Ans. 0.02686 kg/m3, 94%, 97.51%, 6°C, 78.37%]