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Condenser Basics

The Rankine Cycle

The Rankine cycle is the standard for steam power plants that are built around the world. The basic Rankine cycle consists
of four main components:
• Steam Generator
• Turbine
• Steam Condenser
• Pump

Figure 1

This Tech Sheet was developed by the members of the Heat Exchange Institute’s (HEI) Condenser Section. HEI is a trade association comprising the
leading manufacturers of heat exchange and vacuum equipment. HEI Tech Sheets are information tools and should not be used as substitutes for
instructions from individual manufacturers. Always consult with individual manufacturers for specific instructions regarding their equipment.

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The actual Rankine cycle used in modern power plants has many more components, but the above four components
are common to all power plants. In this cycle, water is heated in the steam generator to produce high temperature and
pressure steam. This steam is then expanded in a turbine to produce electricity from a generator that is connected to
the turbine. The steam from the turbine is then condensed back into water in the condenser. The pump then returns
the water to the steam generator.

Thus, the main purposes of the condenser are to condense the exhaust steam from the turbine for reuse in the cycle
and to maximize turbine efficiency by maintaining proper vacuum. As the operating pressure of the condenser is
lowered (vacuum is increased), the enthalpy drop of the expanding steam in the turbine will also increase. This will
increase the amount of available work from the turbine (electrical output). By lowering the condenser operating
pressure, the following will occur:
• Increased turbine output
• Increased plant efficiency
• Reduced steam flow (for a given plant output)

It is therefore very advantageous to operate the condenser at the lowest possible pressure (highest vacuum).

CONDENSER TYPES
There are two primary types of condensers that can be used in a power plant:
1. Direct Contact
2. Surface

Direct contact condensers condense the turbine exhaust steam by mixing it directly with cooling water. The older
type Barometric and Jet-Type condensers operate on similar principles.

Steam surface condensers are the most commonly used condensers in modern power plants. The exhaust steam from
the turbine flows on the shellside (under vacuum) of the condenser, while the plant’s circulating water flows in the
tubeside. The source of the circulating water can be either a closed-loop (i.e. cooling tower, spray pond, etc.) or once-
through (i.e. from a lake, ocean, or river). The condensed steam from the turbine, called condensate, is collected in
the bottom of the condenser, which is called a hotwell. The condensate is then pumped back to the steam generator to
repeat the cycle.

STEAM SURFACE CONDENSER OPERATION

The main heat transfer mechanisms in a surface condenser are the condensing of saturated steam on the outside of the
tubes and the heating of the circulating water inside the tubes. Thus for a given circulating water flow rate, the water
inlet temperature to the condenser determines the operating pressure of the condenser. As this temperature is
decreased, the condenser pressure will also decrease. As described above, this decrease in the pressure will increase
the plant output and efficiency.

Due to the fact that a surface condenser operates under vacuum, noncondensable gases will migrate towards the
condenser. The noncondensable gases consist of mostly air that has leaked into the cycle from components that are
operating below atmospheric pressure (like the condenser). These gases can also result from caused by the
decomposition of water into oxygen and hydrogen by thermal or chemical reactions. These gases must be vented
from the condenser for the following reasons:

This Tech Sheet was developed by the members of the Heat Exchange Institute’s (HEI) Condenser Section. HEI is a trade association comprising the
leading manufacturers of heat exchange and vacuum equipment. HEI Tech Sheets are information tools and should not be used as substitutes for
instructions from individual manufacturers. Always consult with individual manufacturers for specific instructions regarding their equipment.

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• The gases will increase the operating pressure of the condenser. Since the total pressure of the condenser will
be the sum of partial pressures of the steam and the gases, as more gas is leaked into the system, the
condenser pressure will rise. This rise in pressure will decrease the turbine output and efficiency.
• The gases will blanket the outer surface of the tubes. This will severely decrease the heat transfer of the
steam to the circulating water. Again, the pressure in the condenser will increase.
• The corrosiveness of the condensate in the condenser increases as the oxygen content increases. Oxygen
causes corrosion, mostly in the steam generator. Thus, these gases must be removed in order to extend the
life of cycle components.

STEAM SURFACE CONDENSER AIR REMOVAL

The two main devices that are used to vent the noncondensable gases are Steam Jet Air Ejectors and Liquid Ring
Vacuum Pumps. Steam Jet Air Ejectors (SJAE) use high-pressure motive steam to evacuate the noncondensables
from the condenser (Jet Pump). Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps use a liquid compressant to compress the evacuated
noncondensables and then discharges them to the atmosphere. (See the HEI Primer on Vacuum on the HEI Website,
www.heatexchange.org, for further information about Steam Jet Ejectors and Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps.)

To aid in the removal of the noncondensable gases, condensers are equipped with an Air-Cooler section. The Air-
Cooler section of the condenser consists of a quantity of tubes that are baffled to collect the noncondensables.
Cooling of the noncondensables reduces their volume and the required size of the air removal equipment.

Air removal equipment must operate in two modes: hogging and holding. Prior to admitting exhaust steam to a
condenser, all the noncondensables must be vented from the condenser. In hogging mode, large volumes of air are
quickly removed from the condenser in order to reduce the condenser pressure from atmospheric to a predetermined
level. Once the desired pressure is achieved, the air removal system can be operated in holding mode to remove all
noncondensable gases.

STEAM SURFACE CONDENSER CONFIGURATIONS

Steam surface condensers can be broadly categorized by the orientation of the steam turbine exhaust to the condenser.
Most common are side and down exhaust. In a side exhaust condenser, the condenser and turbine are installed
adjacent to each other, and the steam from the turbine enters from the side of the condenser. In a down exhaust
condenser, the steam from the turbine enters from the top of the condenser and the turbine is mounted on a foundation
above the condenser.

Condensers can be further delineated by the configuration of the shell and tube sides.

Tubeside
The tubeside of a steam surface condenser can be classified by the following:
• Number of tubeside passes
• Configuration of the tube bundle and waterboxes

Most steam surface condensers have either one or multiple tubeside passes. The number of passes is defined as how
many times circulating water travels the length of the condenser inside the tubes. Condensers with a once-through
circulating water system are often one pass. Multiple pass condensers are typically used with closed-loop systems.

This Tech Sheet was developed by the members of the Heat Exchange Institute’s (HEI) Condenser Section. HEI is a trade association comprising the
leading manufacturers of heat exchange and vacuum equipment. HEI Tech Sheets are information tools and should not be used as substitutes for
instructions from individual manufacturers. Always consult with individual manufacturers for specific instructions regarding their equipment.

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 #113

The tubeside may also be classified as divided or non-divided. In a divided condenser, the tube bundle and
waterboxes are divided into sections. One or more sections of the tube bundle may be in operation while others are
not. This allows maintenance of sections of the tubeside while the condenser is operating. In a non-divided tubeside,
all the tubes are in operation at all times.

Shellside
The shellside of a steam surface condenser can be classified by its geometry. Examples of types are:
• Cylindrical
• Rectangular

The choice of the above configuration is determined by the size of the condenser, plant layout, and manufacturer
preference. Steam surface condensers can be multiple shell and multiple pressure configurations, as well.

See HEI Standards for Steam Surface Condensers for examples of shell and tube configurations and for additional
information about steam surface condensers.

This Tech Sheet was developed by the members of the Heat Exchange Institute’s (HEI) Condenser Section. HEI is a trade association comprising the
leading manufacturers of heat exchange and vacuum equipment. HEI Tech Sheets are information tools and should not be used as substitutes for
instructions from individual manufacturers. Always consult with individual manufacturers for specific instructions regarding their equipment.

2/11/05 Page 4 of 4 This sheet is reviewed periodically and may be updated. Visit www.heatexchange.org for the latest version.