Key Parameters for Air Cooled Condenser Design

Site topography and features Site elevation Site meteorology Annual temperature duration curves Prevailing wind speeds and directions Extreme conditions (hottest day, freezing conditions) Topography and obstructions Nearby hills, valleys, etc. Nearby structures, coal piles, etc. Nearby heat sources, including auxiliary coolers, plant vents, etc. Other heat sources or interferences. Noise limitations at the ACC itself or at some specified distance, as set by neighboring communities or open space sanctuaries Maximum height restrictions Footprint constraints (length, width) Location restrictions, particularly distance from turbine exhaust Seismic loads, requirements, and zones

Project Specific Data Required for Air Cooled Condenser Design

Plant capacity: Exhaust steam flow: Exhaust steam enthalpy: Exhaust steam back pressure: Ambient temperature a. Minimum : b. Maximum : c. Design ambient temperature : Type of fin : Relative humidity a. Minimum: b. Maximum : c. Average : Plant location : Site elevation or Mean sea level : Wind speed : Seismic zone : Dump steam arrangement, if any : Plant layout : HMBD from steam turbine

Air Cooled Condenser Scope of Supply

SCOPE OF SUPPLY ACC PACKAGE:

ACC Design Aspect

SCOPE OF SUPPLY ACC PACKAGE: Air-cooled steam condenser tower Air-flow control equipment. Wind and/or cell-partition walls Steam-bypass heating system Air removal equipment Condensate storage tank Condensate pumps Steam ducts and expansion joints Condensate drain and air-removal piping Instrumentation, controls and alarms Pressure-relief device for protection of steam-turbine exhaust casing Steam-duct condensate drain system.
The purchaser has the option of buying this complete system package, or requesting only a portion of it.

ACC Design Aspect

MECHANICAL SCOPE Finned-Tube Bundle Steel Structure Steam ducting Expansion bellows Condensate storage tank Ejector system Condensate Drain pump CEP pumps Condensate Drain tank Access ( Staircase/ Platform etc.) Piping valves Fan and Gear box Cleaning System ( DM water spray system) Hoists, Davits, Monorails
Abatement Systems (Abatement systems may involve noise abatement devices, wind screens, etc). Spare Parts

ACC Design Aspect

ELECTIRCAL SCOPE

Fan motors/Pump motors Supplied with pumps can be split) Cables , Instrumentation & Power Cable MCC Distribution board/Control panel Lightning Protection System

Instrumentation scope
Fan vibration, alarm, and cutout switches remote Gearbox lube oil pressure and level local Steam duct temperature sensors remote Steam duct pressure sensors remote Condensate return temperature sensors Condensate level sensors remote Vacuum pump skid hogging flow rate
Wind speed and direction sensor

ACC Design Aspect

Instrument required for PG test Turbine Exhaust Pressure At least four pressure taps with basket tips, symmetrically disposed, in the steam duct near the connection to the turbine exhaust flange Turbine Exhaust Temperature A minimum of one thermo well, in the steam duct, near the connection to the turbine exhaust flange Local Wind Speed and Direction Anemometer and wind vane at least 3 m above the wind walls, on the corner of the ACC facing the prevailing wind.
Condensate Flow Rate The flow element should be installed at a point at least 10 diameters of straight pipe in the condensate line downstream of the condensate pump, with a removable flanged spool that can be used to install an in-line flow transducer Condensate Temperature At least two thermo wells in the condensate tank Isolation valves on all drain inlets to the condensate tank Fan Power Measurements Accessible wattmeter taps where the fan power cables exit the motor control center (MCC) or variable frequency drive (VFD) cabinets

ACC Vendors
Potential Vendor
GEA Cooling tower India Shriam cooling Tower Cortell India Paharpur Cooling Tower Thermax SPX GEI Cooling system

ACC Cost variations

Major Cost variations Single header Design Vs Multi header Design Concrete Structure Vs Steel Structures Single Speed drive motors Vs Variable speed drive motors Auxiliary Power Consumption cost Multi row Fin tube design/ Single row fin tube design Steam Ejector Vs Vacuum Pump

ACC DESIGN ASPECTS

ACC Performance Characteristics
The ACC design point is frequently characterized by the difference between the condensing temperature (Tcond) and the entering air temperature (Ta inlet), known as the initial temperature difference (ITD). ITD = Tcond Ta inlet Equation -1

For a given ACC, the heat load Q [Btu/hr (W/s)] is related to the ITD by
Q/ITD = Constant Equation - 2 Alternatively, for a given heat load, the size (number of cells, heat transfer surface) is inversely related to the ITD as ACC Size 1/ITD Equation -3 where a low ITD corresponds to a large ACC.

ACC DESIGN ASPECTS

ACC Performance Characteristics
The ACC design point is frequently characterized by the difference between the condensing temperature (Tcond) and the entering air temperature (Ta inlet), known as the initial temperature difference (ITD). ITD = Tcond Ta inlet Equation -1

For a given ACC, the heat load Q [Btu/hr (W/s)] is related to the ITD by
Q/ITD = Constant Equation - 2 Alternatively, for a given heat load, the size (number of cells, heat transfer surface) is inversely related to the ITD as ACC Size 1/ITD Equation -3 where a low ITD corresponds to a large ACC.

ACC DESIGN ASPECTS

ACC Evaluation
Thermal Duty It is important to verify that the thermal duty solicited (i.e., the amount of heat to be rejected) is matched or exceeded by the suppliers offering. Qrequired - = m`steam x (h steam, (turbine exhaust) h (condensate)) Q rejected = U x A x LMTD