STEAM

CONDENSERS
 Definition
 Condenser is a device in which steam is
condensed to water at a pressure less than
atmosphere.
 Condensation can be done by removing heat
from exhaust steam using circulating cooling
water
 A condenser is basically steam to water
exchanger in which heat from exhaust steam
is transferred to circulating cooling water
 Function
 To reduce the turbine exhaust pressure so as
to increase the specific output and hence
increase the plant efficiency and decrease the
specific steam consumption.

 To condense the exhaust steam from the

turbine and reuse it as pure feed water in the
boiler. Thus only make up water is required
to compensate loss of water
Advantages of condensers in steam power plant
1) High pressure ratio provides larger enthalpy drop
2) Work output per kg of steam increases and hence
specific steam consumption decreases
3) Condensate can be reused as hot feed water to
the boiler. This reduces the time of evaporation
and hence fuel economy
4) No feed water treatment is required and hence
reduces the cost of the plant
5) The formation of deposits in the boiler surface
can be prevented with the use of condensate
instead of feed water from outer sources
Elements of steam condensing plant
1) Condenser
2) Air extraction pump
3) Condensate extraction pump
4) Circulating cooling water pump
5) Hot well
6) Cooling tower
7) Make up water pump
8) Boiler feed pump
Elements of steam condensing plant
 Classification of condensers
1) Jet condensers (or) mixing type
a) Parallel flow type (Low level)
b) Counter flow type (High & Low levels)
c) Ejector type
2) Surface condensers (or) non-mixing type
a) Down flow type
b) Central flow type
c) Inverted type
d) Regenerative type
e) Evaporation type
Jet Condenser Vs Surface Condenser
Jet Condensers Surface Condensers
(Direct Contact type/Mixed type) (Indirect Contact type/Non-Mixed type)
 Comparison of jet & surface condensers
Jet Condensers Surface Condensers
1) Cooling water and steam are mixed up 1) Cooling water & steam aren’t mixed up
2) Low manufacturing cost 2) High manufacturing cost
3) Requires small floor space 3) Requires large floor space
4) The condensate cannot be used as feed 4) The condensate can be used as feed
water to boiler unless it is free from water to boiler as it is not mixed with
impurities cooling water
5) More power is required for air pump 5) Less power is required for air pump
6) Less power is required for water pump 6) More power is required for water pump
7) Requires less quantity of cooling water 7) Requires large quantity of cooling
8) The condensing plant is simple water
9) Less suitable for high capacity plants 8) The condensing plant is complicated
due to low vacuum efficiency 9) More suitable for high capacity plants
10)Lower upkeep as vacuum efficiency is high
10)Higher upkeep
 Jet condensers
 Jet condensers are used in small capacity
units where clean fresh water is available in
plenty.

 In jet condensers, water is in direct contact

with exhaust steam. Hence these are also
called direct contact type (or) mixed type
Advantages & disadvantages of Jet condensers
Advantages
1) As a result of effective mixing, it requires less circulating
cooling water
2) Equipment is simple and occupy less space
3) Maintenance is cheap
Disadvantages
1) Not suitable for higher capacities
2) Condensate cannot be used as feed water to boiler
3) Air leakages are more
4) Requires larger air pump
5) Less vacuum is maintained
 Surface condensers

 Surface condensers are used in large

capacity plants

 In surface condensers, exhaust steam and

water do not mix together. Hence they are
also called indirect contact type (or) non-
mixed type
 Advantages & disadvantages of surface condensers
Advantages
1) Can be used for large capacity plants
2) High vacuum can be created
3) Condensate is free from impurities and can be reused as
feed water to boiler
4) Impure water can also be used as cooling medium
5) Air leakage is comparatively less, hence less power is
required to operate air pump

Disadvantages
1) Design is complicated and costly
2) High maintenance cost
3) Occupies more space
4) Requires more circulating water
Parallel flow low level Jet condenser
Counter flow low level Jet condenser
High level Jet condenser
Ejector type Jet condenser
Down flow Surface condenser
Central flow Surface condenser
 Inverted type Surface condenser
 In this type of jet condensers, steam enters
at the bottom of the shell and flows
upwards.
 Air extraction pump is placed at the top.
 The condensate flows down and removed at
the bottom where condensate pump is
located.
 Regenerative type Surface condenser
 The condensers used in a regenerative method of heating
the condensate are called regenerative type condensers.
 In this type of condensers, the condensate after leaving
the condenser is passed through the exhaust steam where
the temperature is increased.
 The condensate at high temperature can be reused as
feed water to the boiler.
 This increases the efficiency of the plant and minimise
the fuel consumption.
Evaporative Surface condenser
 Sources of air in Condenser
1) Air leakage from atmosphere at the joints of
the parts which are internally under a
pressure less than atmosphere
2) Air accompanied with steam from the
boiler into which it enters dissolved with
feed water
3) In jet condensers, a little quantity of air
accompanies the injection of water in which
it is dissolved
 Effects of air leakage in a condenser

1) Lowered thermal efficiency

2) Increased requirement of cooling water

3) Reduced heat transfer

4) Corrosion
 Methods of obtaining maximum vacuum

1) Air pump

2) Steam air ejector

3) De-aerated feed water

4) Air tight joints

Vacuum Measurement
 Vacuum Efficiency
It is defined as the ratio of actual
vacuum to the maximum obtainable
vacuum.
Vacuum efficiency = Actual vacuum
 Maximum 
 
 
 obtainable 
 vacuum 
 
 

Vacuum efficiency = Actual Vacuum

 
 Barometer   Absolute 
  -  pressure 
   
 Pressure   
 of steam 
 Condenser Efficiency
It is defined as the ratio of difference
between the outlet and inlet temperatures
of cooling water to the difference between
the temperature corresponding to the
vacuum in the condenser and inlet
temperature of cooling water
Rise in temperature 


 
Condenser efficiency =  of
 cooling water 
Temperature

 
   Inlet temperature 
 corresponding  -  
   of cooling water 

 to vacuum 
 
Edward’s Air Pump
Two Stage Air Ejector