ES303777A1 - Steam surface condenser - Google Patents

Abstract

An air-cooled steam surface condenser having steam-condensate lanes (16) branching from a steam distribution chamber 4 and in communication with a condensate collecting tank 5 is characterized by baffles 17 disposed in the steam-condensate lanes to establish lower and upper condensing zones and to provide tapered steam paths and the lower condensing zones are separated from subcooling zones 20 by condensate collection trays 21. In the form shown, steam enters through a pipe 3 extending through the tank 5 and flows through the lower condensing zones and up over the baffles 17, through the upper condensing zones and the saturated uncondensable gases reach a chamber 18 at which point the cross-sectional area of the steam path is between 8 and 10% of that at the inlet. Pipes 19 convey these gases to subcooling zones 20, located at the cooling air inlet, where entrained water vapour is finally condensed out, before the uncondensable gases leave via pipes 24. Cooling air 13 is drawn through finned ducts (151) (Figs. 2 and 8, not shown), by a variable speed fan 11. In one form (Fig. 3, not shown) the inclination of the trays (21) is reversed so that the condensate and steam flow concurrently in the lower cooling zone, the condensate being collected in tanks (511) arranged at the outer ends of the lanes and in communication with central tank (51) through pipes (28). In another form (Fig. 4, not shown), baffle plates (32) are placed in the steam distribution chamber (4) to constrain the incoming steam to enter the upper parts of the lower condensing zones.