Condition assessment of steam surface condensers
- Heat Exchanger Systems, Inc., Boston, MA (United States)
Steam Surface Condensers are often forgotten in condition assessments plans. While it has no moving parts, this component has a significant impact on plant performance and equivalent availability. The cost of poor condenser performance can exceed $1,000,000/year and the cost of partial load reductions for plugging leaking tubes can be extremely high if the condition approaches the steep portion of the typically exponential degradation rate. Chemistry excursions caused by tube leaks can also result in extensive costs incurred by other components such as the boiler. Periodic condition assessment of condensers are easily justified. Condition assessment of steam surface condensers includes not only an analysis of the tubing, which because of its thin wall nature is the primary objective of analysis, but other components such as waterboxes, tubesheets, tube joints and air removal equipment. For these reasons a comprehensive condition assessment program should be employed. This paper will identify the three level approach suggested by EPRI and many of the testing methods used to assess condenser condition. 2 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States); Stone and Webster Engineering Corp., Boston, MA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 414819
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-TR--106781; CONF-960857--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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