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Surface condenser
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A surface condenser is a commonly

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used term for a water-cooled shell and

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tube heat exchanger installed on the

exhaust steam from a steam turbine in

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thermal power stations.[1][2][3] These

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condensers are heat exchangers which

convert steam from its gaseous to its

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liquid state at a pressure below

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Surface condenser

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atmospheric pressure. Where cooling

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water is in short supply, an air-cooled

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condenser is often used. An air-cooled condenser is however, significantly more

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expensive and cannot achieve as low a steam turbine exhaust pressure (and
temperature) as a water-cooled surface condenser.

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Surface condensers are also used in applications and industries other than the
condensing of steam turbine exhaust in power plants.

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Contents [hide]
1 Purpose

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2 Why it is required

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3 Diagram of water-cooled surface condenser

3.1 Shell

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3.2 Vacuum system

3.3 Tube sheets
3.4 Tubes
3.5 Waterboxes
4 Corrosion

Deutsch

4.1 Effects of corrosion

Hrvatski

4.2 Protection from corrosion

5 Effects of tube side fouling

Polski

6 Other applications of surface condensers

Portugus

7 Testing

Simple English

8 See also

Svenska

9 References
Edit links

10 External links

Purpose

[edit]

In thermal power plants, the primary purpose of a surface condenser is to

condense the exhaust steam from a steam turbine to obtain maximum

efficiency, and also to convert the turbine exhaust steam into pure water
(referred to as steam condensate) so that it may be reused in the steam
generator or boiler as boiler feed water.

Why it is required

[edit]

The steam turbine itself is a device to convert the heat in steam to mechanical
power. The difference between the heat of steam per unit mass at the inlet to
the turbine and the heat of steam per unit mass at the outlet from the turbine
represents the heat which is converted to mechanical power. Therefore, the
more the conversion of heat per pound or kilogram of steam to mechanical
power in the turbine, the better is its efficiency. By condensing the exhaust
steam of a turbine at a pressure below atmospheric pressure, the steam
pressure drop between the inlet and exhaust of the turbine is increased, which
increases the amount of heat available for conversion to mechanical power.
Most of the heat liberated due to condensation of the exhaust steam is carried
away by the cooling medium (water or air) used by the surface condenser

Diagram of water-cooled surface condenser

[edit]

The adjacent
diagram depicts a
typical watercooled surface
condenser as used
in power stations to
condense the
exhaust steam
from a steam
turbine driving an
electrical generator
as well in other
Diagram of a typical water-cooled surface condenser

applications.[2][3][4][5] There are many fabrication design variations depending on

the manufacturer, the size of the steam turbine, and other site-specific
conditions.

Shell [edit]
The shell is the condenser's outermost body and contains the heat exchanger
tubes. The shell is fabricated from carbon steel plates and is stiffened as
needed to provide rigidity for the shell. When required by the selected design,
intermediate plates are installed to serve as baffle plates that provide the
desired flow path of the condensing steam. The plates also provide support that
help prevent sagging of long tube lengths.
At the bottom of the shell, where the condensate collects, an outlet is installed.

In some designs, a sump (often referred to as the hotwell) is provided.

Condensate is pumped from the outlet or the hotwell for reuse as boiler
feedwater.
For most water-cooled surface condensers, the shell is under vacuum during
normal operating conditions.

Vacuum system [edit]

For watercooled
surface
condensers,
the shell's
internal
vacuum is
most
commonly
supplied by
and

Diagram of a typical modern injector or ejector. For a steam ejector,

the motive fluid is steam.

maintained
by an
external steam jet ejector system. Such an ejector system uses steam as the
motive fluid to remove any non-condensible gases that may be present in the
surface condenser. The Venturi effect, which is a particular case of Bernoulli's
principle, applies to the operation of steam jet ejectors.
Motor driven mechanical vacuum pumps, such as the liquid ring type, are also
popular for this service.

Tube sheets [edit]

At each end of the shell, a sheet of sufficient thickness usually made of stainless
steel is provided, with holes for the tubes to be inserted and rolled. The inlet end
of each tube is also bellmouthed for streamlined entry of water. This is to avoid
eddies at the inlet of each tube giving rise to erosion, and to reduce flow friction.
Some makers also recommend plastic inserts at the entry of tubes to avoid
eddies eroding the inlet end. In smaller units some manufacturers use ferrules
to seal the tube ends instead of rolling. To take care of length wise expansion of
tubes some designs have expansion joint between the shell and the tube sheet
allowing the latter to move longitudinally. In smaller units some sag is given to
the tubes to take care of tube expansion with both end water boxes fixed rigidly
to the shell.

Tubes [edit]
Generally the tubes are made of stainless steel, copper alloys such as brass or
bronze, cupro nickel, or titanium depending on several selection criteria. The
use of copper bearing alloys such as brass or cupro nickel is rare in new plants,
due to environmental concerns of toxic copper alloys. Also depending on the

steam cycle water treatment for the boiler, it may be desirable to avoid tube
materials containing copper. Titanium condenser tubes are usually the best
technical choice, however the use of titanium condenser tubes has been
virtually eliminated by the sharp increases in the costs for this material. The
tube lengths range to about 55 ft (17 m) for modern power plants, depending on
the size of the condenser. The size chosen is based on transportability from the
manufacturers site and ease of erection at the installation site. The outer
diameter of condenser tubes typically ranges from 3/4 inch to 1-1/4 inch, based
on condenser cooling water friction considerations and overall condenser size.

Waterboxes [edit]
The tube sheet at each end with tube ends rolled, for each end of the
condenser is closed by a fabricated box cover known as a waterbox, with
flanged connection to the tube sheet or condenser shell. The waterbox is
usually provided with man holes on hinged covers to allow inspection and
cleaning.
These waterboxes on inlet side will also have flanged connections for cooling
water inlet butterfly valves, small vent pipe with hand valve for air venting at
higher level, and hand operated drain valve at bottom to drain the waterbox for
maintenance. Similarly on the outlet waterbox the cooling water connection will
have large flanges, butterfly valves, vent connection also at higher level and
drain connections at lower level. Similarly thermometer pockets are located at
inlet and outlet pipes for local measurements of cooling water temperature.
In smaller units, some manufacturers make the condenser shell as well as
waterboxes of cast iron.

Corrosion

[edit]

On the cooling water side of the condenser:

The tubes, the tube sheets and the water boxes may be made up of materials
having different compositions and are always in contact with circulating water.
This water, depending on its chemical composition, will act as an electrolyte
between the metallic composition of tubes and water boxes. This will give rise to
electrolytic corrosion which will start from more anodic materials first.
Sea water based condensers, in particular when sea water has added
chemical pollutants, have the worst corrosion characteristics. River water with
pollutants are also undesirable for condenser cooling water.
The corrosive effect of sea or river water has to be tolerated and remedial
methods have to be adopted. One method is the use of sodium hypochlorite, or
chlorine, to ensure there is no marine growth on the pipes or the tubes. This
practice must be strictly regulated to make sure the circulating water returning
to the sea or river source is not affected.
On the steam (shell) side of the condenser:
The concentration of undissolved gases is high over air zone tubes. Therefore

these tubes are exposed to higher corrosion rates. Some times these tubes are
affected by stress corrosion cracking, if original stress is not fully relieved during
manufacture. To overcome these effects of corrosion some manufacturers
provide higher corrosive resistant tubes in this area.

Effects of corrosion [edit]

As the tube ends get corroded there is the possibility of cooling water leakage to
the steam side contaminating the condensed steam or condensate, which is
harmful to steam generators. The other parts of water boxes may also get
affected in the long run requiring repairs or replacements involving long duration
shut-downs.

Protection from corrosion [edit]

Cathodic protection is typically employed to overcome this problem. Sacrificial
anodes of zinc (being cheapest) plates are mounted at suitable places inside
the water boxes. These zinc plates will get corroded first being in the lowest
range of anodes. Hence these zinc anodes require periodic inspection and
replacement. This involves comparatively less down time. The water boxes
made of steel plates are also protected inside by epoxy paint.

Effects of tube side fouling

[edit]

As one might expect, with millions of gallons of circulating water flowing through
the condenser tubing from seawater or fresh water, anything that is contained
within the water flowing through the tubes, can ultimately end up on either the
condenser tubesheet (discussed previously) or within the tubing itself. Tube side
fouling for surface condensers falls into five main categories; particulate fouling
like silt and sediment, biofouling like slime and biofilms, scaling and
crystallization such as calcium carbonate, macrofouling which can include
anything from zebra mussels that can grow on the tubesheet, to wood or other
debris that blocks the tubing, and finally, corrosion product (discussed
previously).
Depending on the extent of the fouling, the impact can be quite severe on the
condenser's ability to condense the exhaust steam coming from the turbine. As
fouling builds up within the tubing, an insulating effect is created and the heat
transfer characteristics of the tubes are diminished often requiring the turbine to
be slowed to a point where the condenser can handle the exhaust steam
produced. Typically, this can be quite costly to power plants in the form of
reduced output, increase fuel consumption and increased CO2 emissions. This
"derating" of the turbine to accommodate the condenser's fouled or blocked
tubing is an indication that the plant needs to clean the tubing in order to return
to the turbine's nameplate capacity. A variety of methods for cleaning are
available including online and offline options depending on the plant's sitespecific conditions.

Other applications of surface condensers

[edit]

Vacuum evaporation
Vacuum refrigeration
Ocean Thermal Energy (OTEC)
Replacing barometric condensers in steam-driven ejector systems
Geothermal energy recovery
Desalination systems

Testing

[edit]

National and international test codes are used to standardize the procedures
and definitions used in testing large condensors. In the U.S., ASME publishes
several performance test codes on condensers and heat exchangers. These
include ASME PTC 12.2-2010, Steam Surface Condensers,and PTC 30.1-2007,
Air cooled Steam Condensers.

See also

[edit]

Condensing steam locomotive

Deaerator
Feedwater heater
Fossil fuel power plant
Jet condenser
Power station

References

[edit]

1. ^ Robert Thurston Kent (Editor in Chief) (1936). Kents Mechanical Engineers

Handbook (Eleventh edition (Two volumes) ed.). John Wiley & Sons (Wiley
Engineering Handbook Series).
2. ^

a b

Babcock & Wilcox Co. (2005). Steam: Its Generation and Use (41st edition

ed.). ISBN 0-9634570-0-4.

3. ^

a b

Thomas C. Elliott, Kao Chen, Robert Swanekamp (coauthors) (1997).

Standard Handbook of Powerplant Engineering (2nd edition ed.). McGraw-Hill

Professional. ISBN 0-07-019435-1.
4. ^ Air Pollution Control Orientation Course

from website of the Air Pollution

Training Institute
5. ^ Energy savings in steam systems

Figure 3a, Layout of surface condenser

(scroll to page 11 of 34 pdf pages)

External links

[edit]

Overview of power plant condenser and cooling systems

Categories: Power station technology
Energy conversion

Heat exchangers

Steam power

This page was last modified on 23 November 2014 at 13:51.

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