Air cooled vacuum steam condenser with flow-equalized mini-bundles
OwnerMichael W. Larinoffinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is disclosed a new and improved single-row, two-pass steam condensing bundle used for condensing steam in air-cooled vacuum steam condensers in power plant applications and the like. The new bundle is divided into a plurality of identically built mini-bundle sets. Each mini-bundle set has one centrally located 2nd-pass tube with symmetrically placed 1st-pass tubes positioned on either side of it. The steam leaving each 1st-pass tube is controlled by a flow equalizing device installed at the end of the tubes. The flow of the noncondensible gas mixture leaving each 2nd-pass tube is controlled by an individual orifice in the gas piping system. The larger the number of mini-bundle sets incorporated into the bundle, the greater its counterflow freeze protection feature.
Claims16
An improved single-row air-cooled steam condenser bundle with identical oblong heat exchange tubes arranged in a two-pass mode by grouping adjacent tubes into identical multiple sets positioned side-by-side where each tube-set has one centrally located and end-plugged 2nd-pass tube with a plurality of 1st-pass tubes symmetrically placed on either side of it with the steam entering one end of the 1st-pass tubes and exiting at the other end only partially condensed then entering the adjoining 2nd-pass tube to be completely condensed with its noncondensible gases induced to flow to the closed far-end of this 2nd-pass tube from whence the gases are removed by suction means.
A steam condensing bundle comprising a plurality of air-cooled heat exchange tubes, each tube having an input end and an output end with a generally oblong shaped cross sectional configuration, means to support the tubes inclined in a parallel side by side array of tubes, the array of tubes of the bundle including a plurality of 2nd-pass tubes and a plurality of 1st-pass tubes with the 2-pass tubes located between the 1st-pass tubes to form symmetric sets of tubes each set having a central 2nd-pass tube and 1st-pass tube means on opposite sides thereof, the input ends of the 1st-pass tubes located to receive steam and noncondensible gases for partially condensing the received steam in the 1st-pass tubes, the input ends of the 2nd-pass tubes being located adjacent to the output ends of the 1st-pass tubes to symmetrically receive the partially condensed steam and noncondensible gases from the 1st-pass tubes for condensing the received remaining steam in the 2nd-pass tubes, each 2nd-pass tube having vacuum means associated with its output end to remove the noncondensible gases.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.