Theoretical Investigation Into Air Cooled Condenser Performance Optimization Through Parameterization for a 10 MW Power Plant

Abstract

Cooling is a significant part of any power generation cycle. An Air Cooled Condenser (ACC) is used to condense steam vapors from the steam turbine, lower heat rejection temperature and increase the power generation efficiency. An ACC works in a closed loop with the power turbine and its performance is directly linked to the power output of the power plant. In this paper, the heat transfer characteristics of ACCs are evaluated based on condenser design theory. For a given set of operating conditions and process parameters, it is possible to have multiple ACC designs. A case study has been presented on design optimization for real world steam turbine process parameters. The design optimization has been carried out through the parameterization of ACC parameters including, tube and fin diameters, their number, fin height, pitch, spacing and thickness. Each design parameter is affected by multiple ACC parameters and operating variables, which makes the optimization process challenging. Therefore, such optimization requires very systematic methodologies that are presented in the paper. Most commercial ACCs are designed through software simulations, that perform iterations based on the design criteria set by the user to arrive at an optimum design. The knowledge and results from the paper will help designers understand the contribution of critical ACC parameters affecting overall performance and input the best design criteria. This will help the industry to design thermally optimized ACCs.