STEAM

CONDENSERS

Definition
Condenser is a device in which steam is
condensed
d
d to water at a pressure less
l
than
h
atmosphere.
Condensation can be done by removing heat
from exhaust steam using circulating cooling
water
A condenser is basically steam to water
exchanger in which heat from exhaust steam
i transferred
is
t
f
d to
t circulating
i l ti cooling
li water
t

Function
To reduce the turbine exhaust pressure so as
to increase
i
the
h specific
ifi output andd hence
h
increase the plant efficiency and decrease the
specific steam consumption.
To condense the exhaust steam from the
turbine and reuse it as pure feed water in the
boiler. Thus only make up water is required
t compensate
to
t loss
l
off water
t

Advantages of condensers in steam power plant

1) High
i h pressure ratio
i provides
id larger
l
enthalpy
h l drop
d
p p
per kg
g of steam increases and hence
2)) Work output
specific steam consumption decreases
3) Condensate can be reused as hot feed water to
the boiler. This reduces the time of evaporation
and hence fuel economy
4) No feed water treatment is required and hence
reduces
d
th costt off the
the
th plant
l t
5) The formation of deposits in the boiler surface
can be prevented with the use of condensate
instead of feed water from outer sources

Elements of steam condensing plant

1)) Condenser
2) Air extraction pump
3) Condensate extraction pump
4) Circulating cooling water pump
5)) Hot well
ll
6) Cooling tower
7) Makee up w
water
e pu
pump
p
8) Boiler feed pump

Elements of steam condensing plant

Classification of condensers
1) Jet condensers (or) mixing type
a) Parallel flow type (Low level)
b) Counter flow type (High & Low levels)
c)) Ejector
Ej t type
t
2) Surface condensers (or) non-mixing type
a) Down flow type
b) Central fflow type
yp
c) Inverted type
d) Regenerative type
e) Evaporation type

Jet Condenser Vs Surface Condenser

Jet Condensers
(Direct Contact type/Mixed type)

Surface Condensers
(Indirect Contact type/Non-Mixed type)

Comparison of jet & surface condensers

Jet Condensers

Surface Condensers

1) Cooling water and steam are mixed up

1) Cooling water & steam arent mixed up

2) Low manufacturing cost

2) High manufacturing cost

3) Requires small floor space

3) Requires large floor space

4) The condensate cannot be used as feed 4) The condensate can be used as feed
water
t to
t boiler
b il unless
l
it is
i free
f
f
from

water
t to
t boiler
b il as it is
i nott mixed
i d with
ith

impurities

cooling water

5) More power is required for air pump

5) Less power is required for air pump

6) Less power is required for water pump

6) More power is required for water pump

7) Requires less quantity of cooling water

7) Requires large quantity of cooling water

8) The condensing plant is simple

8) The condensing plant is complicated

9)) Less suitable for high

g capacity
p y p
plants 9)) More suitable for high
g capacity
p y p
plants
due to low vacuum efficiency
10)Lower upkeep

as vacuum efficiency is high

10)Higher upkeep

Jet condensers
Jet condensers are used in small capacity
units where clean fresh water is available in
plenty.
l t
In jet condensers, water is in direct contact
with
i h exhaust
h
steam. Hence these
h
are also
l
called direct contact type (or) mixed type

Advantages & disadvantages of Jet condensers

Advantages
1)

As a result of effective mixing, it requires less circulating

cooling
li water
t

2)

Equipment is simple and occupy less space

3)

Maintenance is cheap

Disadvantages
g
1)

Not suitable for higher capacities

2)

Condensate cannot be used as feed water to boiler

3)

Air leakages are more

4)

R i larger
Requires
l
air
i pump

5)

Less vacuum is maintained

Surface condensers
Surface condensers are used in large
capacity plants
In surface condensers, exhaust steam and
water do not mix together. Hence they are
also called indirect contact type (or) nonmixed type

Advantages & disadvantages of surface condensers

Ad
Advantages
t
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

Can be used for large capacity plants

High vacuum can be created
Condensate is free from impurities and can be reused as
feed water to boiler
Impure water can also be used as cooling medium
Air leakage is comparatively less, hence less power is
required to operate air pump

Disadvantages
1)
2)
3)
4)

Design is complicated and costly

High maintenance cost
Occupies more space
Requires more circulating water

Parallel flow low level Jet condenser

Counter flow low level Jet condenser

High level Jet condenser

Ejector type Jet condenser

Down flow Surface condenser

Central flow Surface condenser

Inverted type Surface condenser

In this type of jet condensers, steam enters
at the bottom of the shell and flows
upwards.
Air extraction pump is placed at the top.
top
The condensate flows down and removed at
the bottom where condensate pump is

Regenerative type Surface condenser

The condensers used in a regenerative method of heating
th condensate
the
d
t are called
ll d regenerative
ti type
t
condensers.
d
In this type of condensers, the condensate after leaving
the condenser is passed through the exhaust steam where
the temperature
temperat re is increased.
increased
The condensate at high temperature can be reused as
feed water to the boiler.
This increases the efficiency of the plant and minimise

Evaporative Surface condenser

Sources of air in Condenser

Air leakage from atmosphere at the joints
of the parts which are internally under a
pressure less than atmosphere
Air accompanied with steam from the
boiler into which it enters dissolved with
feed water
In jet condensers, a little quantity of air
accompanies the injection of water in

Effects of air leakage in a condenser

Lowered thermal efficiency
I
Increased
d requirement
i
t off cooling
li water
t
Reduced heat transfer
Corrosion

Methods of obtaining maximum vacuum

Air pump
St
Steam
air
i ejector
j t
De-aerated feed water
Air tight joints

Vacuum Measurement

Vacuum Efficiency

It is defined as the ratio of actual

vacuum to the maximum obtainable
vacuum.
vacuum
Vacuum efficiency = Actual
Maximum

bt
i
bl
obtainable

vacuum

Vacuum efficiency =

Actual Vacuum

Barometer Absolute

Condenser Efficiency

It is defined as the ratio of difference

etween the outlet and inlet temperatures
p
f cooling water to the difference between
he temperature
temperat re corresponding to the
vacuum in the condenser and inlet
emperature of cooling water

Rise in temperatur e

of
cooling
water

denser efficiency =

Temperatur e

I l t temperatur
t
t e

Inlet

Edwards Air Pump

Two Stage Air Ejector