Comparison of power plant steam condenser heat transfer models for on-line condition monitoring

In this paper heat transfer models for large power plant condenser were examined. The goal was to develop a model capable of predicting not only the condenser pressure but the overall heat transfer coefficient. Such a model can be used for condenser condition monitoring. The results of a two-dimensional (2-D) condenser heat transfer model and single-point, zero-dimensional (0-D) model are presented together with the results from Heat Exchanger Institute (HEI) standards curves. Both 0-D and 2-D models can account for the effects of steam-side pressure drop and in a simplified manner also some effects of tube bundle geometry. For all models an experimental correction as a function of cooling water temperature was implemented to improve their accuracy. The results are presented in comparison with the measured plant data for three different tube bundle geometries, with and without the experimental correction factor. The 2-D model proved to be the most consistently accurate of the models both without the correction, and at varying steam and coolant flow with the correction applied. The results indicate significant local variation of pressure drop related effects, which the 0-D model failed to accurately predict particularly in cases of close temperature approach. In predicting the heat transfer coefficient the HEI model was the least accurate, significantly overestimating the impact of coolant flow rate change, and failing to match the measurements even with a correction applied. (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.