Mechanical-Draft Air-Cooled Condenser Modules to Reduce Turbine Back Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mechanical draft air cooled condensers face challenges in uniform steam distribution, leading to inefficiencies in heat transfer and increased turbine back pressure, and are labor-intensive and costly to assemble due to non-uniform ducting and large surface area requirements.
Innovation Solution
A modular mechanical draft cooling tower design featuring a vertical arrangement of condenser bundles with steam manifolds and condensate headers, allowing for efficient steam distribution and reduced pressure drop, combined with pre-assembled modules for reduced on-site assembly time and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a large surface area is provided in the condenser, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but steam side pressure drop increases thus increasing turbine back pressure and reducing power plant efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The condenser is divided into multiple independent condenser bundles arranged in parallel, each bundle handling a portion of the steam flow. This segmentation allows the total heat dissipation surface area to be distributed across multiple smaller units, maintaining efficient heat transfer while reducing the pressure drop in each individual bundle, thereby lowering turbine back pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a conventional horizontal condenser layout to a vertical arrangement where condenser bundles are stacked vertically. This dimensional change allows gravity to assist steam flow distribution and condensate drainage, improving heat dissipation efficiency without proportionally increasing steam side pressure drop, thus addressing the contradiction between heat transfer performance and back pressure.
2Temperature
If a large surface area is provided in the condenser, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but assembly becomes more labor intensive and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The condenser is segmented into multiple identical or modular condenser bundles that can be manufactured separately and then assembled on-site. This modular approach maintains the required large total surface area for efficient heat dissipation while significantly reducing assembly complexity and labor requirements, as the modular units can be pre-assembled and quickly installed in a standardized manner.
Solution Approach 2:
Condenser bundles are pre-assembled with their internal components (tubes, headers, supports) configured in the correct positions before shipping to the installation site. This preliminary assembly action reduces on-site labor intensity and assembly time, making it feasible to implement large surface area condensers without proportionally increasing assembly costs and complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional condenser design is used, then steam distribution may be non-uniform, but design and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The steam distribution system is segmented into multiple independent inlet manifolds, one for each condenser bundle. This segmentation ensures that steam is distributed uniformly to each bundle through dedicated inlet paths, eliminating the non-uniformity problems associated with conventional shared ducting systems. The complexity is managed by repeating a standardized manifold design across multiple bundles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adopts a vertical arrangement of condenser bundles with corresponding vertical steam distribution manifolds. This vertical configuration simplifies the ducting layout by utilizing the vertical dimension for steam distribution, allowing more direct and uniform steam delivery to each bundle compared to horizontal arrangements that require complex horizontal ducting networks.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The modular design enhances heat exchange efficiency by ensuring uniform steam distribution, reducing turbine back pressure, and significantly decreases assembly time and costs by allowing for pre-fabrication and efficient on-site assembly.
Implementation Method 1
Dry cooling towers dissipate heat by conduction and convection
Implementation Method 2
Dry cooling towers dissipate heat by conduction and convection
Implementation Method 3
airflow is induced or forced via an air flow generator such as a driven impeller, driven fan or the like
Data Source
AI summary
Modular air cooled condenser apparatus and related methods are disclosed. An example mechanical draft modular air cooled condenser disclosed herein includes an example condenser module that includes a plenum and a first condenser bundle having a first set of tubes having first ends and second ends and a first condensate header connected to the second ends of the tubes. The example condenser module also includes a second condenser bundle having a second set of tubes having third ends and fourth ends and a second condensate header connected to the fourth ends of the second set of tubes. In addition, the condenser module includes a third condenser bundle having a third set of tubes having fifth ends and sixth ends and a third condensate header connected to the sixth ends of the third set of tubes. The condenser module also includes a fourth condenser bundle having a fourth set of tubes having seventh ends and eighth ends and a fourth condensate header connected to the eighth ends of the fourth set of tubes. The condenser module further includes a shroud that houses a single fan, the single fan positioned to create a draft to flow over the first condenser bundle, over the second condenser bundle, over the third condenser bundle, and over the fourth condenser bundle. In addition, the condenser module includer a support frame that supports the first, second, third, and fourth condenser bundles.