What is a Steam Condenser?
Steam from low-pressure turbine exhaust is converted into water through a steam condenser, a closed vessel-style heat exchanger. It is a mechanical device that changes the gaseous state of steam into a liquid state by using cooling water from the cooling tower.
A steam condenser’s purpose is to maintain low pressure at the steam turbine’s end in order to maximise energy and minimise specific steam consumption. It is used in steam power plants, distillation, industrial chemical processes, air conditioning, and other heat-exchange systems.
The condenser, condensate extracting pump, hot well, boiler feed pump, air extraction pump, cooling tower, and cooling water pump are the main components of a steam condenser. The cooling tower water serves as the coolant, receiving heat from the condenser.
Condensate is transferred from the condenser to the hot well by the condensate extraction pump, and feed water is transferred from the condenser’s own condensate pump to the hot well. The hot well’s feed water is sent to the steam boiler through the boiler feed pump. Air is extracted or removed from the steam condenser using the air extraction pump. The condenser’s steam is circulated and cooled by the cooling tower.
There are two kinds of steam condensers: surface condensers and jet condensers. In contrast to jet condensers, which are mixing-type condensers, which have direct contact between the exhaust steam and cooling water, surface condensers, which are non-mixing type condensers.
Surface condensers serve as a heat sink for the turbine bypass system by condensing and deaerating exhaust steam from the main turbine. Jet condensers, on the other hand, are mixing-type condensers that produce quick and effective condensation because they have direct contact between the cooling water and the exhaust steam. However, because of condensate loss, thermal power plants usually avoid using jet condensers. Both types of condensers are necessary for producing steam effectively.
In a steam power plant, low-pressure exhaust steam loses heat and condenses into water in the steam condenser, which is an essential part of the system. The cooling water that flows within the condenser removes this heat.
When the steam condenses into water, the pump, which is installed on the condenser, helps in the steam’s return to the steam generator. In order to provide constant condensate flow and straightforward cooling water circulation, the air extraction pump produces a vacuum.
Reducing power generation costs, improving efficiency, recovering steam pressure, and lowering heat provided per kilogramme of steam generated are the key benefits of installing a steam condenser. On the other hand, contaminants in the condensate may harm the process equipment and steam system.