Energy Engineering

Unit 5: Steam Condensers

Prepared by

A V Kulkarni
Course Syllabus
 Steam Condensers
Condenser is a heat transfer device in which the exhaust steam of
a turbine is condensed by means of cooling water at pressure
below atmospheric pressure.

Condensation is a process in which steam is condensed to water at

a pressure less than atmosphere.

Condensation can be done by removing heat from exhaust steam

using cooling water.

During this the working fluid changes its phase from vapour to
liquid and rejects its latent heat.
 Condensation -Functions

 To reduce the turbine exhaust pressure so as to increase the

specific output and hence increase the plant efficiency.

 To condense the exhaust steam from turbine and reuse it as

feed water in boiler.

 It enables to remove of air and other non condensable gases

from steam. Hence heat transfer rate can be improved.
 Condensate

The condensed Steam is called Condensate and can

be again returned to Boiler. It saves the cost of water.

Principle of Condensation

• In order to attain
maximum work,
according to Carnot
principle, the heat
must be supplied at
Maximum pressure
and temperature and
should be rejected at
Minimum pressure and
temperature.
V
 Advantages of Condensers

•It increases the work output per kg of steam supplied to the

power plant.
•Reduces the specific steam consumption.
•Reduces the size of power plant of given capacity.
•Improves the thermal efficiency of power plant.
•Saves the cost of water to be supplied to boiler.
Elements of Condensing Plant
Elements of Condensing Plant
Elements of Condensing Plant

• AIR EXTRACTION PUMP:

To remove air from the
condenser, such a pump is
called dry air pump. If air
and condensate both are
removed, it is called as wet
air pump.

• CIRCULATING PUMP: Used

to supply feed water either
from river or from the
cooling tower pond to the
condenser.
Elements of Condensing Plant

• COOLING TOWER:
1. The Ferro concrete made
device (hyperbolic
shape) in which the hot
water from the
condenser is cooled by
rejecting heat to current
of air passing in the
counter direction.
2. Ring troughs are placed
8-10m above the ground
level.
 Types of Condensers

• SURFACE CONDENSERS
• JET CONDENSERS
The cooling water flows
The exhaust steam and
through a network of tubes
cooling water come in direct and the exhaust steam
contact and as a result the passes over these tubes.
steam is condensed. It is The steam gets condensed
due to heat transfer to
also called direct contact
coolant by conduction and
condensers.
convection.
 Comparison

SN
Jet condensers Surface condensers
1. Steam and water comes in Steam and water does not come in
direct contact. direct contact.

2. Condensation is due to mixing Condensation is due to heat transfer

of coolant. by conduction and convection.
Condensate is fit for reuse as boiler
3. Condensate is not fit for use as
feed.
boiler feed until the treated
cooling water is supplied.
4. It is cheap. Does not affect plant It is costly. Improves the plant
efficiency. efficiency.
Maintenance cost is high.
5. Maintenance cost is low.

Vacuum created is up to 730 mm of

6. Vacuum created is up to 600 Hg.
mm of Hg.
JET CONDENSERS
 Classification of Jet Condensers

1. Low Level Jet Condensers

i) Counter Flow Type

ii) Parallel Flow Type

2. High Level Jet Condensers

3. Ejector Jet Condensers

Low Level Counter Flow Jet Condenser
Low Level Parallel Flow Jet Condenser

• Exhaust Steam & cooling

water both flow in same
direction
• The mixture of
condensate, coolant and
air are extracted with the
help of wet air pump.
• Vacuum created in the
condenser limits up to
600 mm of Hg.
High Level Jet Condenser/ Barometric Jet Condenser

• It is also called
Barometric jet condenser
since it is placed above
the atmospheric pressure
equivalent to 10.33 m of
water pressure.
• Condensate extraction
pump is not required
because tail pipe has
incorporated in place of
it.
Low Level VS High Level
EJECTOR
Ejector Jet Condenser

• The cooling water

enters the top of the
condenser at least
under a head of 6m of
water pressure with
the help of centrifugal
pump.
• This system is simple,
reliable and cheap.
• Disadvantage of mixing
of condensate with the
coolant.
SURFACE CONDENSERS
 Types of Surface condensers

• SURFACE • EVAPORATIVE
CONDENSERS CONDENSERS
In this steam flows In this condenser shell
outside the network of is omitted. The steam
tubes and water flows passes through
inside the tubes. condenser tubes, the
water is sprayed while
the air passes upward
outside the tube.
 Classification of Surface Condensers

• The number of water • The direction of

passes: condensate flow and

1. Single pass tube arrangement:

2. Multipass 1. Down flow condenser

2. Central flow
condenser
 Single Pass Surface condenser

STEAM IN

COOLING WATER

COOLING WATER
CONDENSATE OUT
 Double Pass Surface condenser

STEAM IN

COOLING WATER

CONDENSATE OUT
Double Pass Surface condenser

• It consist of air
tight cast iron
cylindrical shell.
• If cooling water is
impure, condenser
tubes are made up
of red brass.
 Down Flow Surface condenser

• Exhaust steam enters the

top of condenser shell &
flows downward over
water tubes
tubes..
• Water tubes are double
passed.. The cold water
passed
flows in lower side first
& then in upper side in
the reverse direction,
which enables the
maximum heat transfer
transfer..
 Central Flow Surface condenser

• The steam flows radially

inward
• The condensate is collected
at the bottom of the shell from
where it is taken out by the
condensate extraction pump
pump..
• The steam gets access to the
entire periphery of tubes, and
thus a large surface area for the
hear transfer is available as
compared to the down flow
flow..
 Evaporative condenser

• The evaporation of some

cooling water provides the
cooling effect, thereby
steam condenses.
• Steam to be condensed is
passed through grilled tubes
& cooling water is sprayed
over outer surface of tubes.
• The evaporative condensers
are most suitable for small
plants, where supply of cold
water is limited.
Evaporative condenser

• The exhaust steam is passed

through the series of gilled
tubes called condenser coils.
• Thin film of cooling water
trickles over these tubes
continuously from water
nozzles.
• During the condensation of
steam, this thin film of water is
evaporated and the remainder
water is collected in the water
tank.
• The condensate is extracted
with the help of wet air pump.
• The air passing over the tubes
carries the evaporated water in
the form of vapour and it is
removed with the help of
induced draft fan installed at
the top.
 Merits and Demerits of Jet Condensers
• MERITS
1. Less quantity of cooling
water is required to
condense the steam.
2. Simple in construction
and low in cost.
3. Does not require
cooling water pump.
4. Less space is required.
5. Low maintenance cost.
• DEMERITS
1. The condensate is a
waste.
2. Less suitable for high
capacity plants.
3. Large length of pipes
required, hence piping
cost is high.
4. Loss of vacuum due to
leakage of air from long
pipings.
 Merits and Demerits of Surface Condensers

• MERITS • DEMERITS
1. No mixing of cooling water
1. Require large quantity of
and steam, hence the
condensate directly cooling water.
pumped into the boiler.
2. Any kind of feed water can 2. System is complicated,
be used.
costly and requires high
3. Develops high vacuum,
therefore suitable fro large maintenance cost.
power plants.
4. Require less power to run 3. Require large floor space
the air extraction and since it is bulky.
water extraction pump.
5. System is more efficient.