Combined Circulation Condenser

Abstract

The combined circulation condenser will increase the overall efficiency of a steam plant. Less fuel will be consumed for a given power level. It has become increasingly important to conserve fuel and resources. This is true with power generation plants, as well as propulsion plants, Civilian, as well as Military. This combined circulation condenser will do just that.

Description

The traditional steam cycle using high energy steam to operate turbines or auxiliary equipment exhausts into a condenser.

Here, the steam is condensed and delivered by the condensate pumps to the feed pumps, which in turn returns the water to the steam generator. Subcooling in the condenser is avoided to preclude loss of efficiency for the overall cycle. Subcooling, however does increase the efficiency of the turbines, and condensate pump. This combined circulation condenser, takes the discharge of the condensate pump, and directs the condensate through a bundle of tubes in the condenser to pick up heat from the steam exhausting the turbine. This allows a degree of subcooling in the condenser, and the loss of BTU's is recovered in the tube bundle, relfecting an overall increase of efficiency of the steam cycle. This condensate passing through condenser tubes accounts for a portion of the cooling water flow through the condenser. Hence the term combined circulation condenser.

Claims

1. This combined circulation condenser increases the efficiency of the steam cycle, and uses less fuel for a given power level. The condenser allows subcooling of the condensate, which increases the efficiency of the turbine and the condensate pump, and recovers the lost BTU's by passing the condensate through a bundle of tubes in the condenser picking up BTU's from the steam exiting the turbine.