Condenser Analysis

Tale Of The Tool

This tool assists in the performance analysis of steam-turbine condensers. It establishes key performance indicators, including computed values for:

• (1) The cooling water flow rate
• (2) The percentage change in the condenser's overall heat transfer coefficient
• (3) The partial pressure of ingressed air and its corresponding vacuum-decay equivalence

To convey the economic impact of deviations from spec, the total operating cost (with a breakdown highlighting the portion attributable to air infiltration) is also included for consideration.

Tip On The Tool

For conditions where prolonged operation creates no safety issues or impactful operational constraints, using the “Loss Equals Cost” method is a prudent principle for establishing the optimal timing for repairs (or for taking corrective actions). More explicitly stated: schedule the repair when the cost of sustaining the loss (cost per unit time of operating with the fault * optimal time) equates to the cost of effecting the repairs. Repair costs may include: labor expenses, cost of replacement parts or materials, lost revenue due to operational downtime, expenses incurred for temporary power generation replacement, and any other source of expense deemed applicable.

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