What are the factors affecting the condenser performance?
Condenser is the main heat sink in the entire power cycle. Plant heat rate is mostly depending on condenser performance. There are two types of condenser are available in power plant , one is water cooled and another is air cooled condenser. Air cooled condenser is considered when there is water availability is less. Isentropic heat drop through the turbine depends on the inlet steam pressure & temperature and condenser vacuum. If the vacuum in condenser is lower, the work done by the turbine will be reduced. In case of water cooled condenser cooling water supplied to the surface condenser tube side to cool the exhaust steam from the turbine. In this process undissolved air or gasses are separated and is evacuated from the shell side by ejector or vacuum pump to maintain the vacuum and proper heat transfer with steam and tube surface. Normally it is two pass , shell and tube type heat exchanger. We need to familiarize with the following terms : TTD- Terminal temper...