Cooling Tower and Condenser

Hub Power Services Limited

 Contents
NO TOPIC SLIDE NO TOPIC SLIDE
S
1 Condenser 3-9 8 Design Requirements 30-33
2 Condenser Principles 10- 9 Cooling tower 34-38
13
3 Terminal Temperature Difference 14 10 Pumps 39-40
4 Condenser design features 15 11 Screening plant 41-42
5 Arrangement of condenser tubes 16-
21
6 Operational Problems 22-
27
7 Condenser Safety features 28-
29

02022020 MANAGMENT TRAINEE MODULE 2

 Condenser
Condenser
• This module is concerned with the principles of operation of condenser and cooling systems and the
equipment which are associated with them. It will examine key design features and some operational
requirements. In particular it will consider:
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• Condenser Design Annual
• Condenser Cooling Water Options O&M Fee
• Cooling Water Equipment
• Air Extraction Systems For Condensers
• Operational Aspects
 Condenser
Condenser

• The process will extract only the latent heat at a required pressure and the condensate will be
returned to the boiler for re-use.
• The plant equipment required to play this crucial heat rejection role is the condenser and it
20% of
represents the largest and most important of the heat exchangers installed in the power station.
Annual
• The vast majority of condensers require a separate cooling medium,
O&M Fee which is
• usually water therefore the cooling water system is probably the most important auxiliary system in
a power station as, without a supply of cooling water to the condensers, a condensing turbine cannot
be operated
 Condenser
Condenser

• Condenser Types
• There are two main types of condenser:
• Jet condensers 20% of
• Surface condensers Annual
O&M Fee
 Condenser
Condenser
• Jet Condenser
• This is the simplest method of condensing the steam and was the first type of condenser fitted to
a steam turbine. 20% of
• Exhausting steam from the turbine is mixed with a spray of cool water in a closed vessel. The
Annual
water will remove the heat from the steam by direct contact
O&M with
Fee the steam causing the steam to
condense rapidly. Figure 1 illustrates the arrangement
Condenser

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 Condenser
Condenser

• Surface Condensers
• The surface condenser is a form of tubed heat exchanger. The exhausting steam passes over the
tubes, whilst the cooling water passes through the tubebundle.
20% of As the surface condenser is the
only type used, at present, by National Power, this module will generally confine itself to the
Annual
surface condenser and its auxiliary and associated plant.O&M
Figure
Fee2 shows a schematic diagram of a
surface condenser.
 Condenser

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Figure 2: A Schematic Diagram of a Surface Condenser

 Condenser Principles
Condenser Principles

• The primary purpose of a condenser is to:

• remove the latent heat from the steam which has been exhausted from the turbine and it must
do this at the lowest economic temperature 20% of
• collect the condensate. Annual
O&M Fee
• It also has to perform other functions, the main ones being to:
• return condensate of a high standard of purity to the feed system collect air and incondensable
gases ready for removal by the air pumps or ejectors
• receive drainage
• acts as first line deaerator
• for once through boilers, receive steam and water from the bypass starting systems
• act as a steam dump.
 Condenser Principles
Condenser Principles
• The key functions will be discussed below:
• For optimum thermal efficiency only latent heat should be removed, so that the condensate is
removed from the condenser at the same temperature as that of the incoming exhaust steam.
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The reason for this is that any energy given to the condenser cooling water is lost to the system,
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thus any overcooling of the condensate will result in that energy having to be restored by the
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combustion of fuel in the boiler for evaporation back into steam to take place. This effect can
lead to a considerable fall in thermal efficiency.
 Condenser Principles
Condenser Principles

• When the exhaust steam is condensed, its volume is reduced, by a factor in the order of 20 000
to 1. If the process is carried out rapidly, while at the same time any non-condensable gases such
as air are removed, pressures will be produced in the condenser which are well below
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atmospheric pressure, referred to as vacuum conditions
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• This low pressure enables the exhaust steam to be expanded O&M Fee down to a corresponding low
saturation temperature, thus increasing considerably the thermal efficiency of the plant. About
30% of the work done in a turbine is carried out below atmospheric pressure.
 Condenser Principles
Condenser Principles

• Heat Transfers Through Tubes

• Heat transfer through the tubes is complicated by the fact that on the inside and outside surfaces
there are various films which offer a resistance to the flow20%
of heat.
of
• On the steam side of the tube there is a thin film of condensate
Annual forming an adhesive coat on the
tube. On the outside of this condensate film there may sometimes
O&M Fee be a film of air and other
incondensable gases
 Terminal Temperature Difference
Terminal Temperature Difference

• The temperature difference between the exhaust steam and the cooling water is least at the top of
the condenser where the cooling water leaves. Here the cooling water has its highest temperature.
• This particular temperature difference is very important operationally and is called the terminal
temperature difference. The important point is that any increase in this terminal difference leads
directly to an increase in the saturation temperature of the exhaust steam and a higher back
pressure.
 Condenser Design Features
Condenser Design Features

• The design of condenser is influenced very much by the size of the turbine the
• space available equally, because the condenser is such a large item of plant it
• has an influence on the basement depth, foundation design and civil costs of
• stations.
• The condenser designer requires the following basic information before he/she
• can start to design a condenser:
• (a) The total quantity of heat rejected to the cooling water.
• (b) The absolute pressure to be maintained at the condenser steam inlet.
• (c) Details of source and nature of the cooling water.
• The last item is required for two reasons:
• so that the designer can decide on the materials to be used
• so that the designer can decide on a fouling factor for use in calculating the heat transfer rates.
 Arrangement of Condenser Tubes
Arrangement of Condenser Tubes
• By suitably partitioning the water box it is possible for the cooling water to make one, two or three
journeys across the condenser before reaching the outlet.
• These are called respectively:
• Single Pass Condensers
• Two Pass Condensers
• Three Pass Condensers.
• Figure 5 shows the arrangements for single and two pass condensers.
Arrangement of Condenser Tubes
Arrangement of Condenser Tubes
 Condenser Arrangements and Designs
Condenser Arrangements and Designs
• Condenser designs include:
• Underslung Condensers
• Integral And Radial Condensers
• Pannier Condensers
 Condenser
Condenser Tube Fixings
Tube Fixings
• Cooling water is very impure when compared with the water in the condensate system and to
prevent leakage of cooling water through the tube plate, and around the periphery of the tubes,
special fixing methods are used. The purpose of the tube fixing is to make a watertight joint between
the cooling water and the steam sides of the condenser, while at the same time allowing for possible
differences in the rates of expansion (as the condenser shell and the tube are heated).
Condenser Tube Fixings
 Operational Problems
Operational Problems
• Condenser Leakage
• There are two leakage problems associated with all surface condensers; these are:
• Air leakage into the steam and condensate space
• Cooling water leakage into the steam and condensate space.
 Air Leakage
Air Leakage

• Air leakage into the condenser is one of the main causes of poor vacuum. Air can leak into the
condenser from any part of the condensate system which is under vacuum, but leakage at the
condenser itself is usually via the flanges associated with the condenser mountings, such as at the
condenser flash box, and the gauge glass.
 Location of Air Leak
Location of Air Leak
• Off-load leak searches are carried out by filling the condensate system and steam space with water to
a level below the turbine blades. Care must be taken to ensure that the condenser supports have
first been set in the correct position to cater for the extra load in the condenser.
Figure 78 shows how the condenser supports are arranged.
 Location of Air Leak

Condenser support Arrangement to Deal with a Loaded Condenser

 Leak Check Method
Leak Check Method
• Fluorescein is added to the water, and if any leakage takes place the fluorescein can be detected by
the use of an ultraviolet lamp.
• Leakage is detected by this method, not only at the condenser mountings, but also on the low-
pressure feed heater train.
 Internal Leakage
Internal Leakage
• Leakage of cooling water into the condensate can be caused by several faults, but the main ones are:
• Tube To Tube Plate Fixings Leaking
• Internal Corrosion And Erosion Of The Tubes
• External Erosion Of The Tubes
• Fatigue And Stress Cracking Of The Tubes.
• Tube To Tube Plate Fixings
• The condenser tube has to be securely fastened into the tube plate to make a watertight joint and
yet has to be allowed to expand relative to the tube plate.
 Condenser
Condenser Safety Features
Safety Features

• Necessity for Safety Fittings

• The condenser requires certain safety fittings not only to protect personnel, but for its own and the
turbines protection.
• Whatever their origin these safety problems result from either:
• An increase in back pressure of the exhaust steam
• A rise in condensate level.
 Cooling Water

• The traditional method used to transport the heat rejected in the condenser to atmosphere is water.
• A number of methods are used, with the following being the most common:
• Using the principle of evaporation as the primary mechanism of heat transfer
• Water from rivers, canals, lakes, or the sea are used as the energy transfer medium
• Forced or natural convection of air
• Hybrid systems
 Design
Design Requirements
Requirements

• The cooling options available are:

• Once through systems (sea-side or river).
• Re-circulation systems
 Design Requirements
Design Requirements
• The basic aims of the designer are to provide:
• A guaranteed supply of suitable cooling water to the station for all perceived operating regimes
• A water quality which will ensure the long-term integrity of CW plant and heat transfer surfaces
• A balanced supply of water to all turbo-generators without recourse to unnecessary throttling.
• Minimum maintenance needs easily carried out
• Compliance with environmental legislative requirements
• Minimum overall capital and operating costs consistent with the above requirements.
 Design
Design

• Once-Through Systems
• Two variations of the once-through system will be considered:
• A typical river system
• A typical coastal system
 Design
Design
• Recirculation Systems
• The recirculation system is the most common method for cooling water
• Systems as many power stations are sited inland close, to a supply of fuel, but
• Where there are insufficient quantities of cooling water to support a once through system.
 Cooling Towers
Cooling Towers

• Cooling towers are designed and manufactured in numerous types, sizes and configurations ranging
from the relatively small factory-assembled type, used for compressor or air-conditioning plant for
example, to the structurally imposing reinforced concrete hyperbolic towers that dominate many
large coal-fired stations.
• There are four main types of cooling tower in use today:
• Natural Draught (Wet)
• Forced Or Induced Draught (Wet)
• Dry
• Hybrid (Wet/Dry).
 Induced Draught
Induced Draught

• In this type of tower the draught is provided by motor-driven fans instead of by the natural draught
from the chimney effect. The fan is located at the top of the tower and creates a negative pressure to
draw the air into the tower. Film rather than splash packing tends to be used for the majority of
modern installations.
Induced Draught

Typical Induced Draught Tower

 Induced Draught

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aN1WSxffg0
 MAINTENANCE
MAINTENANCEOF COOLINGTOWER
OF COOLING TOWER
Following parts/ equipment need maintenance activities
1) Induce draft fans: Gear box lub, temp, & vibration; fan blade angle adjustment with the limit- daily
surv & gear box monthly; fan stack symmetry ( if fibre glass or wooden)
2) Fill & drift eliminators : Normally of Fibre glass or PVC ; over the year get damaged due to hardening,
weathering- need replacement once in 3-4 years in a Shutdown or in Standby state
3) Top deck water inlet nozzles need cleaning once a year or replacement
4) Cooling water pumps: daily surv & PM as per plan for bearing inspection, impeller inspection,
Clearances & corrosion of casing or overhaul.
5) CW pumps discharge valves maintenance; check valve inspection & repairs
6) Strainers / Screens cleaning as per local environment – daily / weekly/ monthly
7) Settling Basin cleaning once a year during shutdown or long break; two basins may be cleaned one
by one in winter
 Pumps
Pumps

• There are three types of pump in general use in cooling water systems:

• Axial flow
• Centrifugal
• Mixed flow
 Pumps

Pump Impeller Arrangements

 Types
Types of
of Screening Plant
Screening Plant
• It is usual in cooling-water systems to screen water in two stages:
• Mixed coarse-screens are provided to prevent the entry of large debris.
• Finally moving screens are used to remove any debris larger than about 10 mm. The actual size of
a moving screen depends on the expected debris size and the sizes of the tubes used in the
system
 Types
Types of
of Screening Plant
Screening Plant

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYW6tAUuJIo