Steam Surface Condenser: Basic Principles, Performance Monitoring and Maintenance

This volume is a comprehensive presentation of analytical theory and real-world practical solutions. It clearly illustrates updated approaches that plant managers and performance engineers can use in judging condenser performance and in making maintenance decisions. The author examines current methods for modeling, diagnosing and improving condenser performance. He describes how to calculate heat transfer coefficients, provides details of the new ASME Power Test Code PTC 12.2-1998, and explains the significance of heat transfer coefficients in measuring the overall performance of an operating condenser. Further discussion includes condenser cleaning schedules that save money and reduce CO2 emissions, diagnostic methods that help unit operators pinpoint problem areas, monitoring techniques that help predict the onset of tube fouling and deposit accumulation, and proper methods of tube plugging. New topic areas are also explored: assigning a dollar amount and excess carbon emissions to condenser fouling; methods for estimating cooling water flow rate; and performance analysis for multicompartment condensers. Contents Include: Basic Principles Condenser Performance Monitoring Condenser Performance Modeling Model of Turbine Low Pressure Stage and Estimation of Condenser Duty Interactive Model of Condenser and L.P. Turbine Stage Case Studies Optimization of Condenser Cleaning Schedules Condenser Maintenance Importance of Managed Condenser Maintenance Unit Operator Diagnostics Fouling, Corrosion and Water Contamination Mechanical Cleaning of Condenser Tubes On Site Air and Water in Leakage Detection/Eddy Current Testing Performance Monitoring of Power Plant Heat Exchangers.