Steam Condenser

CONDENSER
The main purposes of the condenser are to condense the exhaust
steam from the turbine for reuse in the cycle and to maximize
turbine efficiency by maintaining proper vacuum.
As the operating pressure of the condenser is lowered (vacuum is
increased), the enthalpy drop of the expanding steam in the
turbine will also increase.
This will increase the amount of available work from the turbine
(electrical output).
By lowering the condenser operating pressure, the following will
occur:
Increased turbine output
Increased plant efficiency
Reduced steam flow (for a given plant output)
It is therefore very advantageous to operate the condenser at the
lowest possible pressure (highest vacuum).

FUNCTION OF CONDENSER
Function of the condenser is to create a vacuum by condensing
steam, Removing dissolved non condensable gases from the
condensate.
Conserving the condensate for re-use as the feed water supply to
the steam generator.
Providing a leak-tight barrier between the high grade condensate
contained within the shell and the untreated cooling water.
Providing a leak-tight barrier against air ingress, preventing
excess back pressure on the turbine.
Serving as a drain receptacle, receiving vapor and condensate
from various other plant heat exchangers, steam dumps, and
turbine bleed-offs.

Classification of Condensers

Classification of Condensers

1. Jet condensers
2. Surface condenser
Jet Condensers:The exhaust steam and water
come in direct contact with each other and
temperature of the condensate is the same as
that of cooling water leaving the condenser. The
cooling water is usually sprayed into the exhaust
steam to cause, rapid condensation.
Surface Condensers:The exhaust steam and
water do not come into direct contact. The steam
passes over the outer surface of tubes through
which a supply of cooling water is maintained.

PARALLEL-FIOW TYPEOF JET CONDENSER:

The exhaust steam

and cooling water
find their entry at
the top of the
condenser and then
flow
downwards
and
condensate
and
water
are
finally collected at
the bottom.

LOW LEVEL JET CONDENSER (COUNTER-FLOW

TYPE JET CONDENSER):

The
steam
and
cooling water enter
the condenser from
opposite directions.
Generally,
the
exhaust
steam
travels in upward
direction and meets
the cooling water
which
flows
downwards.

HIGH LEVEL JET CONDENSER (COUNTER-FLOW TYPE JET

CONDENSER)

It
is
also
called
barometric condenser. In
this type the shell is
placed at a height about
10.363 meters above hot
well
and
thus
the
necessity of providing an
extraction pump can be
obviated.
However
provision
of
own
injection pump has to be
made if water under
pressure is not available.

EJECTOR FLOW TYPE JET CONDENSER

Here the exhaust steam and cooling
water mix in hollow truncated cones.
Due to this decreased pressure exhaust
steam along with associated air is
drawn through the truncated cones and
finally lead to diverging cone.
In the diverging cone, a portion of
kinetic energy gets converted into
pressure energy which is more than the
atmospheric
so
that
condensate
consisting of condensed steam, cooling
water and air is discharged into the hot
well.
The exhaust steam inlet is provided
with a non-return valve which does not
allow the water from hot well to rush
back to the engine in case a failure of
cooling water supply to condenser.

SURFACE CONDENSOR

SURFACE CONDENSERS

DOWN-FLOW TYPE:
The cooling water enters the
shell at the lower half section
and after traveling through
the upper half section comes
out through the outlet.
The exhaust steam entering
shell from the top flows down
over the tubes and gets
condensed and is finally
removed by an extraction
pump.
Due to the fact that steam
flows in a direction right
angle to the direction of flow
of water, it is also called
cross-surface condenser.

SURFACE CONDENSERS

CENTRAL FLOW TYPE:

In this type of condenser,
the suction pipe of the air
extraction pump is located
in the centre of the tubes
which results in radial flow
of the steam.
The
better
contact
between the outer surface
of the tubes and steam is
ensured, due to large
passages the pressure
drop of steam is reduced.

SURFACE CONDENSERS

INVERTED FLOW TYPE:

This type of condenser has the air
suction at the top, the steam after
entering at the bottom rises up and
then again flows down to the bottom
of the condenser, by following a path
near the outer surface of the
condenser.
The
condensate
extraction pump is at the bottom.

SURFACE CONDENSERS

EVAPORATIVE TYPE:
The principle of this condenser is that
when a limited quantity of water is
available, its quantity needed to condense
the steam can be reduced by causing the
circulating water to evaporate under a
small partial pressure.
The exhaust steam enters at the top
through gilled pipes. The water pump
sprays water on the pipes and descending
water condenses the steam.
The water which is not evaporated falls
into the open tank (cooling pond) under
the condenser from which it can be drawn
by circulating water pump and used over
again.
The evaporative condenser is placed in
open air and finds its application in small
size plants.

CONDENSER OPERATION
The main heat transfer mechanisms in a surface condenser are the
condensing of saturated steam on the outside of the tubes and the heating
of the circulating water inside the tubes.
Thus for a given circulating water flow rate, the water inlet temperature to
the condenser determines the operating pressure of the condenser.
As this temperature is decreased, the condenser pressure will also decrease.
As described above, this decrease in the pressure will increase the plant
output and efficiency.
Due to the fact that a surface condenser operates under vacuum, non
condensable gases will migrate towards the condenser.
The non condensable gases consist of mostly air that has leaked into the
cycle from components that are operating below atmospheric pressure (like
the condenser).
These gases can also result from caused by the decomposition of water into
oxygen and hydrogen by thermal or chemical reactions. These gases must
be vented from the condenser .

SOURCES OF AIR IN LEAKAGE IN A CONDENSER:

Atmospheric relief valves or vacuum breakers

Rupture disks
Drains that pass through the condenser
Turbine seals
Turbine instrumentation lines
Turbine/condenser expansion joint
Tube sheet to shell joints
Air-removal suction components
Penetrations
Condenser instrumentation, sight glasses, etc.
Low-pressure feed water heaters, associated piping, valves and
instruments
Valve stems, piping flanges, orifice flanges
Manhole
Shell welds
Condensate pump seals

REASON FOR REMOVING AIR/GAS

The gases will increase the operating pressure of the condenser.
Since the total pressure of the condenser will be the sum of partial
pressures of the steam and the gases, as more gas is leaked into
the system, the condenser pressure will rise.
This rise in pressure will decrease the turbine output and efficiency.
The gases will blanket the outer surface of the tubes. This will
severely decrease the heat transfer of the steam to the circulating
water. Again, the pressure in the condenser will increase.
The corrosiveness of the condensate in the condenser increases as
the oxygen content increases. Oxygen causes corrosion, mostly in
the steam generator. Thus, these gases must be removed in order
to extend the life of cycle components.

COOLING TOWERS

COOLING TOWER

The cooling towers are used in many applications in

engineering. The main application are in power plants and
refrigeration plants.
Its function is to cool the hot water from the condenser by
exposing it to the atmospheric air, so that the cold water
may be used again for circulation.
The cooling towers are used in steam power plants where
there is a limited supply of cooling water.
It is placed at a certain height (at about 9 metres from the
ground level).
The hot water falls down in radial sprays from a height and
the atmospheric air enters from the base of tower.
The partial evaporation of water takes place which reduces
the temperature of circulating water.
This cooled water is collected in the pond at the base of the
tower and pumped into the condenser.

Factors Affecting the cooling of water in a

cooling tower

Size and height of cooling tower,

Arrangement of plates in cooling
tower,
Velocity of air entering the cooling
tower,
Temperature of air,
Humidity of air, and
Accessibility of air to all parts of
cooling tower.

Types of Cooling Towers

1. According to the type of draught

a) Natural draught cooling towers
b) Mechanical Draught Cooling Towers
i)Forced draught cooling towers, and
ii)Induced draught cooling towers
2. According to the material used
a)Timber cooling tower
b) Concrete (ferro-concrete, multideck
concrete hyperbolic) cooling towers, and
c) Steel duct type cooling tower

a)Natural draught cooling tower

In a natural draught
cooling tower, as shown
in fig., the circulation of
air is produced by the
pressure difference of air
inside and outside the
cooling tower.
In this type of tower, the
hot water from the
condenser is pumped to
the troughs and nozzles
situated near the bottom.

b)Mechanical Draught Cooling Towers

In these towers the draught of air for

cooling the tower is produced
mechanically by means of propeller
fans.
These towers are usually built in cells
or units, the capacity depending
upon the number of cells used.

i)Forced draught cooling tower

In Forced draught
cooling tower, as
shown in fig, the
circulation of air is
produced
by
means
of
fans
placed at the base
of the tower.

ii)Induced draught cooling tower

In
an
Induced
draught
cooling
tower, as shown in
fig, the circulation
of air is provided
by means of fans
placed at the top of
the tower.

2. According to the material used

a)Timber cooling tower are rarely used due to the
following disadvantages:
(i) Short life (ii) High maintenance charges
(iii)Limited cooling capacity (iv) Design generally
does not facilitate proper circulation of air.
b) Concrete (ferro-concrete, multideck
hyperbolic) cooling towers, has the
advantages :
(i) Large capacity (ii) Improved draught
circulation (iii) Increased stability under
(iv) Low maintenance.

concrete
following
and air
pressure

c)Steel duct type cooling tower are rarely used in case

of modern power plant due to their small capacity.