Turbine Vacuum

System
*

PMI Revision 00
www.powerpointpresentationon.blogspot.com

Presentation outline
Why Vacuum system is required ?
Parts of Vacuum system?
Steam Ejectors
Vacuum Pumps

PMI Revision 00

Why is it required?

The steam turbineThe steam turbine is a device to convert the heatThe steam turbine
is a device to convert the heat in steamThe steam turbine is a device to convert the
heat in steam to mechanical power.
Enthalpy drop across the turbine decides the work output of the turbine. For
increasing this enthalpy drop across the turbine we need effective condenser
vacuum system.
By condensing the exhaust steamBy condensing the exhaust steam of turbine, the
exhaust pressure is brought down below atmospheric pressureBy condensing the
exhaust steam of turbine, the exhaust pressure is brought down below atmospheric
pressure, increasing the steam pressure drop between inlet and exhaust of steam
turbineBy condensing the exhaust steam of turbine, the exhaust pressure is brought
down below atmospheric pressure, increasing the steam pressure drop between
inlet and exhaust of steam turbine. This further reduction in exhaust pressure gives
out more heat per unit weight of steamBy condensing the exhaust steam of turbine,
the exhaust pressure is brought down below atmospheric pressure, increasing the
steam pressure drop between inlet and exhaust of steam turbine. This further
reduction in exhaust pressure gives out more heat per unit weight of steam input to
the steam turbine, for conversion to mechanical power.

PMI Revision 00

PMI Revision 00

Parts of Vacuum System

Condenser
CW system
Ejectors/Vacuum pumps
Gland Sealing System

PMI Revision 00

Power Loss Due to Excess Back

Pressure

PMI Revision 00

CONDENSER
The functions of condenser are:
To provide lowest economic heat rejection temperature
for the steam. Thus saving on steam required per unit of
electricity.
To convert exhaust steam to water for reuse for thus
saving on feed water requirement.
De-aeration of make-up-pump water introduced in the
condenser.
To form a convenient point for introducing make up
water.
PMI Revision 00

Steam Condenser

Steam condenser is a closed space into which steam exits the turbine
and is forced to give up its latent heat of vaporization.
It is a necessary component of a steam power plant because of two
reasons.
It converts dead steam into live feed water.
It lowers the cost of supply of cleaning and treating of working fluid.
It is far easier to pump a liquid than a steam.
It increases the efficiency of the cycle by allowing the plant to operate
on largest possible temperature difference between source and sink.
The steams latent heat of condensation is passed to the water flowing
through the tubes of condenser.
After steam condenses, the saturated water continues to transfer heat
to cooling water as it falls to the bottom of the condenser called,
hotwell.
This is called subcooling and certain amount is desirable.
The difference between saturation temperature corresponding to
condenser vaccum and temperature of condensate in hotwell is called
condensate depression.
PMI Revision 00

PMI Revision 00

A Device to Convert Dead Steam into

Live Water
Dead Steam

Water ready to take

Rebirth
PMI Revision 00

PMI Revision 00

Two-Pass Surface Condenser

PMI Revision 00

Thermal Processes Occurring in

Condensers

The condenser never receives pure seam from the turbine.

A mixture of steam and non-condensable gases (Air-steam
mixture) enters the condenser.
The ratio of the quantity of gas that enters the condenser to the
quantity of steam is called the relative air content.

The value of , depends on type, capacity, load and design dimensions

of the condenser plant.

PMI Revision 00

Condenser
Steam from last stage of
LPT Exhausts on
condenser tube
condensation of steam
takes place
Water collected in hot
well

PMI Revision 00

Inside a Shell and tube

condenser

PMI Revision 00
engineering-resource.com

Surface Condenser ( shell and

tube)
A surface condenser is basically a shell and tube
heat exchanger with phase change. The main parts
of a condenser are as follows.
1-SHELL
2-TUBES
3-TUBE SHEETS

PMI Revision 00
engineering-resource.com

Shell of the Condenser

The shell is the outer most body of the condenser

shell is fabricated from fairly thick carbon steel plates.
Due to its large size the shell is sufficiently strengthened or
stiffened internally with carbon steel plates to give sufficient
rigidity for the shell proper.
The shell also gives support to number of intermediate support
plates for the long tubes, depending on the size of the condenser.
At the same time the intermediate tube support plates allow for the
free movements of tubes in all directions particularly lengthwise
due to expansionAt the same time the intermediate tube support
plates allow for the free movements of tubes in all directions
particularly lengthwise due to expansion and contraction occurring
during operation.

PMI Revision 00

CONDENSER SUPPORT

The whole condenser is supported on heavy springs, mounted on

steel sole plates at suitable places on the concrete foundation
At the bottom of the shell where the condensate is allowed to
collect, a sump (often referred to as the hotwell) is provided.
This sump is common to both the halves but separated by a
partition wall in the middle up to the height of the bottom row of
tubes.
The inside of shell and outside the tubes as a whole remains
under vacuum under normal operating conditions. Inside the
tubes the cooling or circulating water passes through.

PMI Revision 00

InInorder
ordertotoallow
allow
expansion
expansionalong
alongthe
the
height,
height,the
thecondenser
condenser
isissupported
supportedon
on
springs
springsspecially
specially
design
designtototake
takeofofload
load
fig.
fig.5.9
5.9

PMI Revision 00

Air Zone

Inside the shell, a central or side portion

longitudinally is separated by an outer shield
except at the bottom. This partition is called the
Air zone.
All the gases released in the condenser due to
cooling are taken out via these air zone tubes.
From a suitable portion of this air zone inside the
shell an air vent pipe is taken out and brought out
of the shell for connection to an air extraction
device.

PMI Revision 00

Tube Sheets
At each end of the shell, tubeAt each end of the shell,
tube sheet of sufficient thickness is provided, with
holes for the tubes to be inserted and rolled.
To take care of length wise expansionTo 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.

PMI Revision 00

Condenser tubes are

secured to the end
tubes plates
expanding and
flanging of tube ends
which provides very
good arrangement
against penetration of
circulating water in to
the steam space.

Water Boxes

The tube sheet at each end with tube ends rolled, for each half
condenser is enclosed in a fabricated box known as water box.
These water boxes on inlet side will also have big size flanged
connections for cooling water inlet at lower level for butterfly
valves.
small vent pipe with hand valve small vent pipe with hand valve
for air venting at higher level, and hand operated drain valve at
bottom to drain the water box for maintenance.
Similarly thermometer pockets are located at inlet and outlet pipes
for local measurements cooling water temperature.

PMI Revision 00

The tubes have

been so
arranged that
there is equal
distribution of
steam on the
tube nest with
minimum
resistance to
steam flow.
PMI Revision 00

Condenser tubes..
Non-condensable gases are continuously sucked with
the help of steam ejectors With a view to allow a
relative expansion between tubes and the body of the
lower part, lens type compensator has been provided
in the body it self at rear water box end. This
arrangement prevents deformation of the body and
damage to connections between tubes and end
plates

PMI Revision 00

Condensate Depression
The temperature of condensate is always a few degrees
lower than the coincident condensing steam
temperature.
Subcooling of condensate is undesirable on two accouts:
It lowers the thermodynamic efficiency of the power
cycle.
It enhances the propensity of the condensate to
reabsorb non-condensibles.

PMI Revision 00

Condenser Pressure, mm of Hg

Effect of Air Leakage on Condenser Pressure

Air pump controlling the back pressure

Condenser controlling the back pressure

Air pump controlling the back pressure

Condenser controlling the back pressure

10

30
40
50
20
Cooling water Inlet Temperature

CONDENSER
Evolution of Tube material
Cu-Zn
Cu-Ni
SS304 / Titanium : Inert to all kind of
Water

PMI Revision 00

LIMITATIONS
Corrosion

Expansion

Arrangement

engineering-resource.com
PMI Revision 00

TYPES OF FAILURES IN
CONDENSER
Impingement attack :Erosion due to high inlet
water velocity or high localized water velocity
Bio Fouling
Stress Corrosion
Corrosion Fatigue
Deposit attack
Steam Side Ammonia Corrosion
PMI Revision 00

ONLINE
CLEANING
OF

CONDENSER
*

PMI Revision 00

PMI Revision 00

PMI Revision 00

CW system
CW pumps supply cooling
water to condensers
CW maintains vacuum in
condensers
CW flows through condensers
tubes

PMI Revision 00

Hot water in (95F)

Fan motor

Air in 95F dry bulb,

78F wet bulb

Air out

Cooled water out (85F)

Mechanical Draft Cooling Tower

PMI Revision 00

PMI Revision 00

STEAM EJECTORS

Air and water vapor are removed from the main

steam condenser, enter the 1st stage ejector and are
compressed to the interstage pressure by means of
the high pressure motive steam.
The load and motive steam are discharged to the
inter condenser and a portion of the water vapor
load and motive steam are condensed by
condensate from the main condenser.
Non-condensibles and associated water vapor are
removed from the inter condenser by the 2nd stage
ejector.

PMI Revision 00

STEAM EJECTORS
Discharge to condenser

Nozzle

Convergent
divergent
diffuser

Motive
steam

Non condensibile gases and

PMI Revision 00
water vapour from condenser

STEAM EJECTORS

Multistage condensing ejector systems can be designed to

operate at any condenser pressure and designs are not limited
by the available cooling water temperature to the
intercondenser (condensate cooled systems are common).
These systems have no moving parts, are the most reliable,
require the least maintenance of all venting systems, and are
the least expensive in initial cost.
Once equipment is built for a given motive steam pressure that
pressure must be maintained or the ejector will become
unstable and lose vacuum.

PMI Revision 00

STEAM EJECTORS

PMI Revision 00

EJECTORS

MAIN AIR EJECTOR

STARTING AIR EJECTORS

PMI Revision 00

Ejectors

PMI Revision 00

VACUUM PUMPS

The working parts of the liquid ring vacuum pump consist

of a multi-bladed impeller mounted eccentrically in a round
casing which is partly filled with liquid. As the impeller
rotates, the liquid is thrown by centrifugal force to form a
liquid ring which is concentric with the periphery of the
casing.

The liquid-ring vacuum pump is a specific form of rotary positive-displacement pump utilizing
liquid as the principal element in gas compression.

PMI Revision 00

Suction port

LRVP
Discharge port
Casing

Impeller

Gas vapour
mixture
*

PMI Revision 00

Liquid ring

LRVP
In addition to being the compressing medium, the
liquid ring absorbs the heat generated by
compression and friction, absorbs any liquid slugs
or vapor entering with the gas stream, and
condenses water vapor entering with the gas.
A closed loop (or total recirculation) seal system is
commonly used. The seal water temperature warmer
than the cooling water to the pump heat exchanger,
which is normally taken from the same source as the
condenser cooling water (CW or ARCW).

PMI Revision 00

LRVP
vent
Non condensible gases and water
vapour from condenser
Separator
Makeup

LRVP

Cooling
water

Seal water
Seal cooler

LiquidPMI
ring
vacuum
pump system
Revision
00

LRVP

The vacuum attainable by a liquid ring vacuum pump is limited by

the vapor pressure of the seal fluid.
As the operating vacuum approaches the vapor pressure of the
seal, more and more of the seal fluid will flash into vapor.
The capacity of the liquid ring vacuum pump is reduced as more of
the impeller space is occupied by vapor from the seal fluid, leaving
less space available to accept the incoming load.
If allowed to continue, cavitation will occur inside the pump,
resulting in damage to internal surfaces, and preventing the pump
from achieving greater vacuum levels.

PMI Revision 00

THANK YOU

PMI Revision 00