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Condenser



INTRODUCTION

In systems involving heat transfer, a condenser is a device or unit used to condense a substance from
its gaseous to its liquid state, typically by cooling it. In so doing, the latent heat is given up by the
substance, and will transfer to the condenser coolant. Condensers are typically heat exchangers which
have various designs and come in many sizes ranging from rather small (hand-held) to very large
industrial-scale units used in plant processes. For example, a refrigerator uses a condenser to get rid
of heat extracted from the interior of the unit to the outside air. Condensers are used in air conditioning,
industrial chemical processes such as distillation, steam power plants and other heat-exchange systems.
Use of cooling water or surrounding air as the coolant is common in many condensers.
[1]

Example types of condensers
A surface condenser is an example of such a heat-exchange system. It is a shell and tube heat
exchanger installed at the outlet of every steam turbine in thermal power stations. Commonly,
the cooling water flows through the tube side and the steam enters the shell side where the
condensation occurs on the outside of the heat transfer tubes. The condensate drips down and
collects at the bottom, often in a built-in pan called ahotwell. The shell side often operates at
a vacuum or partial vacuum, often produced by attached air ejectors. Conversely, the vapor can be
fed through the tubes with the coolant water or air flowing around the outside.
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In chemistry, a condenser is the apparatus which cools hot vapors, causing them to condense into
a liquid. See "Condenser (laboratory)" for laboratory-scale condensers, as opposed to industrial-scale
condensers. Examples include the Liebig condenser,Graham condenser, and Allihn condenser. This
is not to be confused with a condensation reaction which links two fragments into a single molecule by
an addition reaction and an elimination reaction.
In laboratory distillation, reflux, and rotary evaporators, several types of condensers are commonly
used. The Liebig condenser is simply a straight tube within a cooling water jacket, and is the simplest
(and relatively least expensive) form of condenser. The Graham condenser is a spiral tube within a
water jacket, and the Allihn condenser has a series of large and small constrictions on the inside tube,
each increasing the surface area upon which the vapor constituents may condense. Being more
complex shapes to manufacture, these latter types are also more expensive to purchase. These three
types of condensers are laboratory glasswareitems since they are typically made of glass.
Commercially available condensers usually are fitted with ground glass joints and come in standard
lengths of 100, 200, and 400 mm. Air-cooled condensers are unjacketed, while water-cooled
condensers contain a jacket for the water.
Larger condensers are also used in industrial-scale distillation processes to cool
distilled vapor into liquid distillate. Commonly, the coolant flows through the tube side and distilled
vapor through the shell side with distillate collecting at or flowing out the bottom.


Condenser unit for central air conditioning for a typical house
A condenser unit used in central air conditioning systems typically has a heat exchanger section
to cool down and condense incoming refrigerant vapor into liquid, acompressor to raise the
pressure of the refrigerant and move it along, and a fan for blowing outside air through the heat
exchanger section to cool the refrigerant inside. A typical configuration of such a condenser unit
is as follows: The heat exchanger section wraps around the sides of the unit with the compressor
inside. In this heat exchanger section, the refrigerant goes through multiple tube passes, which
are surrounded by heat transfer fins through which cooling air can move from outside to inside
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the unit. There is a motorized fan inside the condenser unit near the top, which is covered by
some grating to keep any objects from accidentally falling inside on the fan. The fan is used to
blow the outside cooling air in through the heat exchange section at the sides and out the top
through the grating. These condenser units are located on the outside of the building they are
trying to cool, with tubing between the unit and building, one for vapor refrigerant entering and
another for liquid refrigerant leaving the unit. Of course, an electric power supply is needed for the
compressor and fan inside the unit.
Direct contact condenser
In this type of condenser, vapors are poured into the liquid directly. The vapors lose their latent heat of
vaporization; hence, vapors transfer their heat into liquid and the liquid becomes hot. In this type of
condensation, the vapor and liquid are of same type of substance. In another type of direct contact
condenser, cold water is sprayed into the vapour to be condensed.
Surface condenser



Surface condenser
A surface condenser is a commonly used term for a water-cooled shell and tube heat exchanger installed on
the exhaust steam from a steam turbine in thermal power stations.
[1][2][3]
These condensers are heat
exchangers which convert steam from its gaseous to its liquid state at a pressure below atmospheric pressure.
Where cooling water is in short supply, an air-cooled condenser is often used. An air-cooled condenser is
significantly more expensive and cannot achieve as low a steam turbine exhaust pressure as a water-cooled
surface condenser.
Surface condensers are also used in applications and industries other than the condensing of steam turbine
exhaust in power plants.


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Purpose
In thermal power plants, the primary purpose of a surface condenser is to condense the exhaust steam
from a steam turbine to obtain maximum efficiency, and also to convert the turbine exhaust steam into
pure water (referred to as steam condensate) so that it may be reused in the steam generator or boiler as
boiler feed water.
Why it is required
The steam turbine itself is a device to convert the heat in steam to mechanical power. The difference
between the heat of steam per unit mass at the inlet to the turbine and the heat of steam per unit mass at
the outlet from the turbine represents the heat which is converted to mechanical power. Therefore, the
more the conversion of heat per pound or kilogram of steam to mechanical power in the turbine, the
better is its efficiency. By condensing the exhaust steam of a turbine at a pressure below atmospheric
pressure, the steam pressure drop between the inlet and exhaust of the turbine is increased, which
increases the amount of heat available for conversion to mechanical power. Most of the heat liberated
due to condensation of the exhaust steam is carried away by the cooling medium (water or air) used by
the surface condenser
Diagram of water-cooled surface condense


Diagram of a typical water-cooled surface condenser
The adjacent diagram depicts a typical water-cooled surface condenser as used in power stations to
condense the exhaust steam from a steam turbine driving an electrical generator as well in other
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applications. There are many fabrication design variations depending on the manufacturer, the size of the
steam turbine, and other site-specific conditions.
Shell
The shell is the condenser's outermost body and contains the heat exchanger tubes. The shell is
fabricated from carbon steel plates and is stiffened as needed to provide rigidity for the shell. When
required by the selected design, intermediate plates are installed to serve as baffle plates that provide the
desired flow path of the condensing steam. The plates also provide support that help prevent sagging of
long tube lengths.
At the bottom of the shell, where the condensate collects, an outlet is installed. In some designs,
a sump (often referred to as the hotwell) is provided. Condensate is pumped from the outlet or the hotwell
for reuse as boiler feedwater.
For most water-cooled surface condensers, the shell is under vacuum during normal operating conditions.
Vacuum system


Diagram of a typical modern injector or ejector. For a steam ejector, the motive fluid is steam.
For water-cooled surface condensers, the shell's internal vacuum is most commonly supplied by and
maintained by an external steam jet ejector system. Such an ejector system uses steam as the motive
fluid to remove any non-condensible gases that may be present in the surface condenser. TheVenturi
effect, which is a particular case of Bernoulli's principle, applies to the operation of steam jet ejectors.
Motor driven mechanical vacuum pumps, such as the liquid ring type, are also popular for this service.



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Automobiles and motorcycles
In automobiles and motorcycles with a liquid-cooled internal combustion engine, a radiator is connected
to channels running through theengine and cylinder head, through which a liquid (coolant) is pumped.
This liquid may be water (in climates where water is unlikely to freeze), but is more commonly a mixture of
water and antifreeze in proportions appropriate to the climate. Antifreeze itself is usuallyethylene
glycol or propylene glycol (with a small amount of corrosion inhibitor).
The radiator transfers the heat from the fluid inside to the air outside, thereby cooling the fluid, which in
turn cools the engine. Radiators are also often used to cool automatic transmission fluids, air
conditioner refrigerant, intake air, and sometimes to cool motor oil or power steering fluid. Radiators are
typically mounted in a position where they receive airflow from the forward movement of the vehicle, such
as behind a front grill. Where engines are mid- or rear-mounted, it is common to mount the radiator
behind a front grill to achieve sufficient airflow, even though this requires long coolant pipes. Alternatively,
the radiator may draw air from the flow over the top of the vehicle or from a side-mounted grill. For long
vehicles, such as buses, side airflow is most common for engine and transmission cooling and top airflow
most common for air conditioner cooling.
Radiator construction
Automobile radiators are constructed of a pair of header tanks, linked by a core with many narrow
passageways, thus a high surface area relative to its volume. This core is usually made of stacked layers
of metal sheet, pressed to form channels and soldered or brazed together. For many years radiators were
made from brass or copper cores soldered to brass headers. Modern radiators save money and weight
by using plastic headers and may use aluminium cores. This construction is less easily repaired than
traditional materials.


Honeycomb radiator tubes
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An earlier construction method was the honeycomb radiator. Round tubes were swaged into hexagons at
their ends, then stacked together and soldered. As they only touched at their ends, this formed what
became in effect a solid water tank with many air tubes through it.
[1]

Some vintage cars use radiator cores made from coiled tube, a less-efficient but simpler construction.
Coolant pumps


Thermosysphon cooling system of 1937, without circulating pump
Radiators first used downward vertical flow, driven solely by a thermosyphon effect. Coolant is heated in
the engine, becomes less dense, and so rises. As the radiator cools the fluid, the coolant becomes
denser and falls. This effect is sufficient for low-power stationary engines, but inadequate for all but the
earliest automobiles. All automobiles for many years have used centrifugal pumps to circulate the engine
coolant because natural circulation has very low flow rates.
Heater
A system of valves or baffles, or both, is usually incorporated to simultaneously operate a small radiator
inside the vehicle. This small radiator, and the associated blower fan, is called the heater core, and
serves to warm the cabin interior. Like the radiator, the heater core acts by removing heat from the
engine. For this reason, automotive technicians often advise operators to turn on the heater and set it to
high if the engine is overheating.
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Temperature control
Waterflow control


The engine temperature is primarily controlled by a wax-pellet type of thermostat, a valve which opens
once the engine has reached its optimum operating temperature.
When the engine is cold, the thermostat is closed except for a small bypass flow so that the thermostat
experiences changes to the coolant temperature as the engine warms up. Engine coolant is directed by
the thermostat to the inlet of the circulating pump and is returned directly to the engine, bypassing the
radiator. Directing water to circulate only through the engine allows the temperature to reach optimum
operating temperature as quickly as possible whilst avoiding localised "hot spots." Once the coolant
reaches the thermostat's activation temperature, it opens, allowing water to flow through the radiator to
prevent the temperature rising higher.
Once at optimum temperature, the thermostat controls the flow of engine coolant to the radiator so that
the engine continues to operate at optimum temperature. Under peak load conditions, such as driving
slowly up a steep hill whilst heavily laden on a hot day, the thermostat will be approaching fully open
because the engine will be producing near to maximum power while the velocity of air flow across the
radiator is low. (The velocity of air flow across the radiator has a major effect on its ability to dissipate
heat.) Conversely, when cruising fast downhill on a motorway on a cold night on a light throttle, the
thermostat will be nearly closed because the engine is producing little power, and the radiator is able to
dissipate much more heat than the engine is producing. Allowing too much flow of coolant to the radiator
would result in the engine being over cooled and operating at lower than optimum temperature. A side
effect of this would be that the passenger compartment heater would not be able to put out enough heat
to keep the passengers warm. The fuel efficiency would also suffer.
The thermostat is therefore constantly moving throughout its range, responding to changes in vehicle
operating load, speed and external temperature, to keep the engine at its optimum operating temperature.

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Shell and tube heat exchanger


Fluid flow simulation for a shell and tube style exchanger; The shell inlet is at the top rear and outlet in the foreground at the
bottom
A shell and tube heat exchanger is a class of heat exchanger designs.
[1][2]
It is the most common type of heat
exchanger in oil refineries and other large chemical processes, and is suited for higher-pressure applications.
As its name implies, this type of heat exchanger consists of a shell (a large pressure vessel) with a bundle of
tubes inside it. One fluid runs through the tubes, and another fluid flows over the tubes (through the shell) to
transfer heat between the two fluids. The set of tubes is called a tube bundle, and may be composed of several
types of tubes: plain, longitudinally finned, etc.
Theory and Application
Two fluids, of different starting temperatures, flow through the heat exchanger. One flows through the
tubes (the tube side) and the other flows outside the tubes but inside the shell (the shell side). Heat is
transferred from one fluid to the other through the tube walls, either from tube side to shell side or vice
versa. The fluids can be either liquids or gases on either the shell or the tube side. In order to transfer
heat efficiently, a large heat transfer area should be used, leading to the use of many tubes. In this way,
waste heat can be put to use. This is an efficient way to conserve energy.
Heat exchangers with only one phase (liquid or gas) on each side can be called one-phase or single-
phase heat exchangers. Two-phase heat exchangers can be used to heat a liquid to boil it into a gas
(vapor), sometimes called boilers, or cool a vapor to condense it into a liquid (called condensers), with the
phase change usually occurring on the shell side. Boilers in steam engine locomotives are typically large,
usually cylindrically-shaped shell-and-tube heat exchangers. In large power plants with steam-
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driven turbines, shell-and-tubesurface condensers are used to condense the exhaust steam exiting the
turbine into condensate water which is recycled back to be turned into steam in the steam generator.
Shell and tube heat exchanger design
There can be many variations on the shell and tube design. Typically, the ends of each tube are
connected to plenums (sometimes called water boxes) through holes in tubesheets. The tubes may be
straight or bent in the shape of a U, called U-tubes.

In nuclear power plants called pressurized water reactors, large heat exchangers called steam
generators are two-phase, shell-and-tube heat exchangers which typically have U-tubes. They are used
to boil water recycled from a surface condenser into steam to drive aturbine to produce power. Most shell-
and-tube heat exchangers are either 1, 2, or 4 pass designs on the tube side. This refers to the number of
times the fluid in the tubes passes through the fluid in the shell. In a single pass heat exchanger, the fluid
goes in one end of each tube and out the other.
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Surface condensers in power plants are often 1-pass straight-tube heat exchangers (see Surface
condenser for diagram). Two and four pass designs are common because the fluid can enter and exit on
the same side. This makes construction much simpler.

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There are often baffles directing flow through the shell side so the fluid does not take a short cut through
the shell side leaving ineffective low flow volumes. These are generally attached to the tube bundle rather
than the shell in order that the bundle is still removable for maintenance.
Counter current heat exchangers are most efficient because they allow the highest log mean temperature
difference between the hot and cold streams. Many companies however do not use single pass heat
exchangers because they can break easily in addition to being more expensive to build. Often multiple
heat exchangers can be used to simulate the counter current flow of a single large exchanger.

CONCLUSION
To be able to transfer heat well, the tube material should have good thermal conductivity. Because heat is
transferred from a hot to a cold side through the tubes, there is a temperature difference through the
width of the tubes. Because of the tendency of the tube material to thermally expand differently at various
temperatures, thermal stresses occur during operation. This is in addition to anystress from
high pressures from the fluids themselves. The tube material also should be compatible with both the
shell and tube side fluids for long periods under the operating conditions (temperatures, pressures, pH,
etc.) to minimize deterioration such as corrosion. All of these requirements call for careful selection of
strong, thermally-conductive, corrosion-resistant, high quality tube materials, typicallymetals,
including copper alloy, stainless steel, carbon steel, non-ferrous copper
alloy, Inconel, nickel, Hastelloy and titanium.
[3]
Poor choice of tube material could result in a leak through
a tube between the shell and tube sides causing fluid cross-contamination and possibly loss of pressure.
References
1. Jump up^ Sadik Kaka and Hongtan Liu (2002). Heat Exchangers: Selection, Rating and Thermal
Design (2nd Edition ed.). CRC Press. ISBN 0-8493-0902-6.
2. Jump up^ Perry, Robert H. and Green, Don W. (1984). Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook (6th Edition
ed.). McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-049479-7.
3. Jump up^ "Shell and Tube Exchangers". Retrieved 2009-05-08.
4. Jump up^ "Applications and Uses". Retrieved 2011-08-23.
5. Jump up^ Heat Exchanger Shell Bellows Piping Technology and Products, (retrieved March 2012)