 condenser is the commonly used term for a

water cooled shell and tube heat exchanger

installed on the exhaust steam .
 condensers are heat exchangers which
convert steam to its liquid state at a
pressure below atmospheric pressure.
 About 60 % of heat of combustion is
rejected to the circulating water through
condenser
 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
 The shell is the condenser's
outermost body and contains the
heat exchanger tubes.
 The shell is fabricated from
carbon steel plates.
 At the bottom of the shell,an
outlet is installed & sump
(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.
 For water-cooled surface condensers, the
shell's internal vacuum is most commonly
supplied by and maintained by an external
steam jet ejector system. Such an ejector
system uses steam as the motive fluid to
remove any non-condensible gases.
 Motor driven mechanical vacuum pumps,
such as liquid ring type vacuum pumps,
are also popular for this service.
 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
 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.
 Titanium condenser tubes are usually
the best technical choice.
 The tube lengths range to about 55
ft (17 m) for modern power plants,
depending on the size of the
condenser.
 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.
 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
 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
 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.
 Two drain flash box provided , to
eliminate the pressure energy at
drainage points and to cool the
temperature of drainage water after
expansion down to the extent
acceptable by the collection device of
condensate water.
 Before a condenser is formally put
into service, a hydraulic pressure
test must be conducted for the water
side
 The hydraulic test pressure for condenser
is 0.525MPa, and the water temperature
shall not be lower than 15℃. The test
procedure is as follows:
 Close all the valves connected with water
chambers.
 Fill clean water and load a pressure to
0.525MPa (gauge pressure at the water
chamber bottom).
 Keep the pressure for 30 minutes.
 During testing, it has to be noted that
there shall be no leakage and seepage in
the chamber flanges, manholes, and all
attachment welds and the whole water
chamber cannot deformation. If any
problem is found, testing shall be
stopped immediately and remedial
actions shall be taken. If within the time
specified the check work cannot be
finished completely, then the pressure
hold time shall be prolonged.
 The water temperature for a water
filling test shall not be lower than
15℃. When a water filling test is
conducted, temporary supports shall
be available for the condenser. Prior
to the restart of a steam turbine just
after an overhaul, a water filling test
is also required.
 Close all the valves connected with the
shell.
 Fill clean water (the filling height shall be
300mm higher than the joint between
condenser and LP cylinder).
 Maintain such a height for 24 hours.
 During testing, if any leakage or seepage
in the joints between cooling pipe and end
pipe sheet and in the various attachment,
the test shall be halted immediately. The
clean water shall be discharged
completely.
 In order to test the unit’s installation level
and learn about the tightness of the whole
vacuum system, the gas tight test shall be
conducted. The testing method is to close
the electric control valve in the entry of
the air extractor to measure the falling
down of vacuum degree’s speed. During
testing, the stipulations or requirements
related to gas tight test stipulated by
Steam Turbine Start and Operation
Illustration shall be followed.
 Close the electric control valve in the air
extractor entry. Note the condenser
vacuum shall drop slowly (during testing,
the load shall be 80%~100% of the rated
load).
 Record the vacuum reading per minute a
time.
 Open the electric control valve in the air
extractor entry 5 minutes later.
 Take the average from the third minute to
the fifth minute as the speed of vacuum
falling.
 Record the load in the current time and the
average of vacuum falling.
 According to the testing results, the
installation level of the whole vacuum
system of the unit can be determined. If the
vacuum falling rate is less than
1mmHg/min.then the installation is
excellent; if less than 2mmHg/min.it is
good. if less than3mmHg/min.it is
acceptable. If the vacuum falling rate is
greater than5mmHg/minthe unit shall be
halted to find out causes and cannot be
restarted before the trouble is removed.
Effect Of varying Condenser Back
Pressure

Graph Heat consumption Vs Vacuum

Heat Consumption

Cond. Vacuum
Objectives Of Good Condenser Design
 To Condense The Exhaust Steam

 An Economical Heat Sink

 Minimum Under cooling Of The Condensate

 Minimum Pressure Drop On Steam Side

 Effective Removal Of Non Condensable

From The Steam

 Effective Prevention Of Cooling Water

Leakage
Condenser Design Parameters
 Sized For VWO Flow, 3 % Make Up And

Design CW Temp.
 Fouling Factor

- 0.9 For SS Tubes

- 0.85 For Cu-Ni
 Design As Per HEI Standard
Condenser Design Parameters
 Temp. Rise Across Condenser

 Tube Dia

 Tube Velocity

 Condenser Pressure Drop

 Tube OD < 19.05 mm Not Adopted Due To

Flow Induced Vibration Problems

 Tube Thickness

- 22 BWG For SS , Titanium

- 18 BWG For Cu – Ni
Condenser Design Parameters

 Shell Side Design Temp – 1200 C

 Condenser Shell Design For Full
Vacuum And Internal Pressure Of 1.08
Kg/cm2
 Water Box Design Pressure - CW Pump
Shut Off Pressure And Vacuum
 Water Box Design Temp. - 60 Deg C
 O2 (MAX) – 15 ppb

 Condensate Temp Not Less Than

Saturation Temp At All Loads

 Provision Of 10% Margin On The Number

Of Tubes Without Affecting Thermal,
Mechanical Performance
 Corrosion Allowance

– Water Box, Tube Plate -Min 3.2 MM

- Shell , Hot Well And -Min 1.6 MM
Condenser Tubes:

Tube Material Commonly Used

 Admirality Brass

 Cupro Nickel

 Stainless Steel

 Titanium
Admirality Brass
Advantage
-Good Heat Transfer Properties
-Prevent Bio fouling
Disadvantage
-Failures Mainly Due To Erosion/ Corrosion
,
Stress Corrosion Cracking & Pitting.
Cupro – Nickel

Advantages
- More Resistant To Stress Corrosion
Cracking
-Resistance To Bio fouling
Disadvantages
-Poor Resistance To Sulphur Compounds
 Stainless – Steel
Advantages
-Excellent Corrosion And Erosion Resistance In
Fresh Water
-Immunity To Ammonia And Sulfide Water
-No Stress Corrosion Cracking
-High Resistance To Condensate Corrosion
-Excellent Physical Properties
Disadvantages
-Susceptible To Waterside Chloride Attack
-Bio fouling
Titanium
Advantages
 Highly Resistant To Erosion/ Corrosion,

Stress Corrosion Cracking And Pitting

Disadvantage
 Most Expensive
Factors affecting Condenser Performance

• Tube fouling

• Air ingress into the system

• High Condenser heat load

• CW Inlet temperature

• CW Flow
 Tube Fouling

• Decision for condenser cleaning

 Cleaning of tubes at Part load / during

opportunity shut down / annual overhaul

 Fixing limit for deterioration in vacuum10-15

mm of Hg.
• HP Jet

• Sponge Rubber Balls (On Line)

• Back Washing (Use Of Four Way Valve)

• Water Powered Cleaners

• Chemical Cleaning (in Worst Case)

 TYPE :- DOUBLE PASS, SINGLE SHELL
 TOTAL SURFASE AREA OF HEAT TRANSFER 19000M2
 DESIGN HEAT LOAD(AT 3% MU) 396557Kj/hr
 STEAM FLOW RATE TPH 656
 NO. OF COOLING TUBES 20557+2283
 LENGTH OF EACH TUBE 10.25 Mt
 TUBE MATERIAL
 CONDENSING ZONE B10(Cu-Ni)
 AIR COOLING ZONE TP 304
 DESIGN CW TEMP. 33 C
 CW TEMP. RISE 10 C
 CW FLOW RATE :- 34500 t/h
 CW SIDE PRESS. DROP 0.05 MPa
 CONDENSER ABSOLUTE PR. 10.13 kPa
 TYPES OF TUBE SUPPORT FIX SUPPORT
 HYDROSTATIC TESTING AT WATER CHAMBER SIDE 6Ksc
 Condenser Back Yes CW Temp Higher Yes CT Not Cooling
Pressure High Than Design Water

No

CW Temp Rise
Yes CW Flow Low or
Higher
High Heat Load
Than Design
No

No TTD Higher Yes Low Flow +

Instrument Error CW DP High
Than Design High DP
Yes

High TTD & Normal Out No Micro Fouling

Temp Dirty Tube & Air Ingress

High Temp Rise

Low Pressure & Yes
TTD Close to Design CW Discharge Press Low
Normal TTD
Check Pump
No
No
Condenser TTD High Check Instrument

Yes

High Heat Load

Suspected