STEAM SURFACE CONDENSER & CLOSED FEEDWATER HEATER OPERATION, MAINTENANCE AND PERFORMANCE - 4 days

 

Presentation Time:               13 sessions totaling 4 days

 

 

Reference Material:   Each participant’s text material will serve as a guide and will mini­mize the need for note taking.  Background information, copies of diagrams, and rele­vant papers will be included in the text.

 

Lecture Abstract:  The Steam Surface Condenser and Closed Feedwater Heater Seminar is conducted in a slide assisted lecture/ discussion format. The seminar instructors are highly experienced power plant heat exchanger engineers.  The seminar content is directed towards plant engineers, results/perfor­mance engineers and plant operations/ maintenance supervisors. The intent of the seminar is to provide the participants with the necessary background information that is required to identify, evaluate, and correct condenser and feedwater heater performance, operation and maintenance problems.  This information includes a review of the related heat transfer principles, and techniques for identifying mechanical failures and heat transfer deficiencies. The multiple choices of possible corrective actions that can be taken in each given are presented.  Each seminar session is followed by discussions of the methods that are employed to select the optimum technical-economic corrective action, amongst all of the choices that were previously described.

 

This course also includes a session regarding the design of steam surface and fabrication of steam surface condensers, feedwater heaters and tubes.  Since this topic is extensive two session time slots are devoted for session 4.

 

 

SEMINAR OUTLINE

 

SESSION 1 -  Heat Transfer Principles For Steam Surface Condensers

 

This session material builds upon simple conduction   through a solid plate of a homogeneous material and adds the complexity of evaluating heat transfer through a series of plates of different materials to demonstrate the analysis of multiple heat transfer resistances. In addition, circular geometry is discussed.  This leads to the analysis of heat transfer in a heat exchanger tube.  Temperature duty diagrams for the condensing phase are reviewed.  The five resistances to heat transfer are identified and related to steam surface condenser rating methods.

 

SESSION 2 -  Steam Surface Condenser Functions and Theory of Operation

 

The heat transfer principles of single tube condensing are applied to large tube bundles.  Bundle design principles such as radial flow are discussed.  The theory of tube bundle operation is reviewed.  In addi­tion, the functions of a steam surface condenser in today's power plants are identified.              

 

SESSION 3 -  Feedwater Heater Functions and Theory of Operation/Application

 

The functions of a feedwater heater are discussed. The types of feedwater heaters and the types of   feedwater heaters zones are identified and advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed. The vent and drain system design practices are reviewed.  Design practices for preventing turbine water induction are also identified.

 

SESSION 4 – Selected Heat Exchanger Design and Construction

 

Topics Include:

 

• Drawn Tube Fabrication

• Seam Welded Tube Fabrication

• Condenser Tubesheet Design

• Tube-to-Tubesheet Connections

• Impingement Baffles

• Zone Baffles

• Support Plates

• Bundle Arrangement

 

 

SESSION 5 - Fouling in a Steam Surface Condensers

 

Forms of macrofouling and microfouling in various environments are discussed.  Control methods and con­denser cleaning technologies are identified.

                       

 

SESSION 6 - Feedwater Heater Failure Causes

 

An overview of the most frequent failure causes such   as impingement erosion is presented.  The relationship between feedwater design, feedwater heater normal and abnormal modes of operation, alternate tube materials and other component failures such as impingement plates are discussed.

 

 

SESSION 7 - Feedwater Heater Operation and Maintenance

 

The functions of a feedwater heater are discussed. The types of feedwater heaters and the types of feedwater heaters zones are identified and advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed. The vent and drain system design practices are reviewed.  Design practices for preventing turbine water induction are also identified.

 

 

SESSION 8 - Condenser Failure Causes

 

An overview of the most frequent tube problems both on the steamside (impingement attack, flow induced vibration, condensate corrosion and stress corrosion cracking) and on the waterside (such as galvanic corrosion, dealloying, pitting, and sulfide attack) is presented.  Proper design, operation and maintenance   methods are also identified.

 

SESSION 9 - Condenser Instrumentation and Performance Testing

 

Circulating waterside and steamside monitoring parameters and the instrumentation for determining these parameters on-line and in testing are identified.  Performance testing is discussed including the need for testing, available codes, and alternate techniques.

 

 

SESSION 10 - Condenser Operation and Maintenance

 

Operation and maintenance practices for the steam surface condensers are identified. These include performance monitoring and economic cleaning schedules.  The methods of equipment condition monitoring and assessment are also discussed.  These include recordkeeping, visual examination techniques, non-destructive examination techniques, and destructive examination.  Tube plugging and life extension technologies are also identified.

 

SESSION 11 – Nondestructive and Destructive Exami­nation Techniques

 

Principles of various techniques, in­cluding eddy current testing and ultrasonic testing will be discussed and their application to condensers and feedwa­ter heaters will be identified.

 

 

SESSION 12 – Condition Assessment

 

Condition assessment methods are discussed.  Examples of condenser and feedwater heater assessments are used.

 

 

SESSION 13 - Condenser Retubing and Rebundling

 

The available methods and tooling will be identified and the advantages and limitations of each will be discussed

 

 

For additional information regarding this course please email us.  If you would like to download the flyer for this course click here.