The Numerical and Experimental Study of a Power Plant Condenser

Abstract

A numerical and experimental study to evaluate the performance of a power plant condenser has been carried out. Numerically, physically relevant effects are taken into consideration through a quasi-three-dimensional approach. The equations governing the conservation of mass, momentum, and air mass fraction are solved in primitive variable form using a semi-implicit consistent control-volume formulation in which a segregated pressure correction linked algorithm is employed. The modeling of the condenser geometry, including tube bundle and baffle plates, is carried out based on a porous medium concept using applicable flow, heat, and mass transfer resistances. The measurement program included determinations of the steam pressures on the tube bundle perimeter (96 points), steam temperatures (96 locations), inlet tube sheet water pressure distributions (26 measurements), outlet tube sheet flows and temperatures (26 points), hot well flow, and enthalpy in addition to all makeup and extraction flow rates as a function of load. The measurement program and its implementation are briefly described. One data set is compared with the numerical predictions.