Steam Surface Condenser Design Software
Thermal and mechanical design and sizing of steam surface condensers per HEI standards, for thermal and nuclear power plants.
Complete condenser design per HEI standards
This program performs the thermal and mechanical design and sizing of steam surface condensers, with heat transfer coefficients calculated in accordance with HEI standards (Heat Exchange Institute). It is valid for small cylindrical units as well as for the large condensers used in thermal and nuclear power plants, and it also generates the performance pressure curves of the unit as a function of heat load and cooling water temperature.
Other separate and complementary programs exist for specific internal systems and for related applications (performance testing, dual pressure condensers and condenser revamping).
Data entry
The main input window collects the steam conditions (shell pressure, steam flow, enthalpy and specific volume), additional drains, cooling water data (inlet and outlet temperature, flow, velocity, cleanliness factor and type of water, brackish or sea water) and the tube geometry: tube diameter and thickness for the normal, impact and air extraction zones, tube pitch, number of passes and tube bundles. The tube material is selected from a list: admiralty brass, aluminium brass, copper-nickel 90/10 and 70/30, stainless steel TP 304 and TP 316, carbon steel and titanium. S.I. or U.S. units can be used.
Thermal results
The results sheet gives the condensation temperature, cooling water outlet temperature and flow, heat load, LMTD, overall heat exchange coefficient, exchange surface, number of tubes and tube length between tube sheets, cooling water pressure drop, tube sheet dimensions, number of tube support plates, water box and cooling water nozzle diameters, hotwell height and total condenser length.
Dimensional drawings
The program draws the condenser with its main dimensions. Several arrangements are covered: rectangular units with one or two shells and cylindrical units, with dimensions in millimetres or inches.
Performance curves
Condenser pressure versus heat load is calculated for each cooling water inlet temperature (up to ten curves) and for the selected cleanliness factor, giving the full performance map of the unit.
Mechanical calculation and weights
The mechanical module calculates the shell and water box thickness according to HEI and the weights of the main parts: tubes and tube sheets, shell, water boxes, hotwell, shell neck and turbine neck. It then summarizes the final weights of the condenser: empty, in service, and under tube side and shell side hydraulic tests.
Documentation
See the complete example with every input and results window in the program documentation:
Steam Surface Condenser – full documentation (PDF)Related programs
- Steam Surface Condenser Performance – condenser performance test analysis, tube fouling and ineffective surface
- Dual Pressure Condenser – condensers with a different turbine pressure in each shell
- Condenser Revamping – modular renovation with complete tube bundle replacement and production gains
- Deaerator – thermal and mechanical design of horizontal and vertical deaerators
Condensers, feedwater heaters, deaerators, district heating, natural gas heaters and more, with a description of each program on the home page.
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