IP Library Granted Patent US 8,322,139
Granted Patent B2
US 8,322,139 · App. 12/468,549 · Granted Dec 4, 2012

Condenser and steam turbine power plant

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,322,139
App. No.
12/468,549
Granted
Dec 4, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A condenser that restrains fluctuations in the condenser vacuum in a power generating installation. In particular, the condenser has a circulating path through which cooling water flows; a tube nest for condensing steam from a steam turbine with the cooling water; and a discharge path. Additionally, a bypass tube; a control valve for controlling the flow rate of the cooling water supplied from the circulating path to the discharge path; a recirculating path; and a booster pump that controls the flow rate of the cooling water are provided. One of the temperature, the flow rate and both the temperature and the flow rate of the cooling water to flow through the two tube nests is deviated from the temperature and the flow rate of the cooling water on the upstream side of the circulating path using the control valve and booster pump.

Claims (67)

1. A condenser used for a steam turbine power plant, comprising:

a circulating path through which cooling water taken from a water source flows;

a tube nest including a plurality of cooling tubes through which the cooling water coming from the circulating path flow, the tube nest condensing steam supplied from a steam turbine with the cooling water in the plurality of cooling tubes;

a discharge path through which the cooling water discharged from the tube nest flows;

a bypass tube disposed to bridge between the circulating path and the discharge path;

flow rate control means disposed in the bypass tube for controlling the flow rate of the cooling water supplied from the circulating path to the discharge path;

a recirculating path disposed to bridge between the discharge path and the circulation path; and

boosting means disposed in the recirculating path for controlling the flow rate of the cooling water supplied from the discharge path to the circulating path;

wherein, when a water temperature in the water source changes, at least one of the temperature and the flow rate of the cooling water to flow through the tube nest is deviated from the temperature and the flow rate of the cooling water coming from the water source by the flow rate control means and the boosting means,

wherein the flow rate at which the cooling water taken from the water source flows through the circulating path is maintained at a predetermined value.

2. The condenser according to claim 1 ,

wherein the temperature and flow rate of the cooling water to flow through the tube nest are controlled by the flow rate control means and the boosting means so that the steam temperature in the condenser is brought close to a value at which the output of the steam turbine power plant is maximized.

3. The condenser according to claim 1 ,

wherein an optimal steam temperature, at which the steam turbine generates maximum output, is included in a temperature range over which steam temperature changes as steam in the condenser is cooled by the tube nest.

4. The condenser according to claim 1 ,

wherein the recirculating path is disposed to bridge between the circulating path and the discharge path such that the recirculating path is closer to the tube nest than the bypass tube.

5. The condenser according to claim 1 ,

wherein the tube nest is formed of a plurality of tube nests; and

wherein each of the plurality of tube nests is connected with the circulating path and the discharge path.

6. The condenser according to claim 1 ,

the boosting means boosts the cooling water on the side of the discharge path to the pressure on the side of the circulating path.

7. A condenser used for a steam turbine power plant comprising:

a circulating path through which cooling water taken from a water source flows;

a tube nest including a plurality of cooling tubes through which the cooling water coming from the circulating path flow, the tube nest condensing steam supplied from a steam turbine with the cooling water in the plurality of cooling tubes;

a discharge path through which the cooling water discharged from the tube nest flows;

a bypass tube disposed to bridge between the circulating path and the discharge path;

flow rate control means disposed in the bypass tube for controlling the flow rate of the cooling water supplied from the circulating path to the discharge path;

a recirculating path disposed to bridge between the discharge path and the circulation path; and

boosting means disposed in the recirculating path for controlling the flow rate of the cooling water supplied from the discharge path to the circulating path;

wherein, when a water temperature in the water source changes, at least one of the temperature and the flow rate of the cooling water to flow through the tube nest is deviated from the temperature and the flow rate of the cooling water coming from the water source by the flow rate control means and the boosting means,

wherein the tube nest is formed of a pair of two tube nests each having a circulating path through which cooling water taken from the water source flows and a discharge path through which cooling water heated by steam flows,

wherein the bypass tube includes a first bypass tube for bypassing the cooling water of the circulating path of a first tube nest of the two tube nests to the discharge path of a second tube nest thereof, and a second bypass tube for bypassing the cooling water of the circulating path of the second tube nest to the discharge path of the first tube nest,

wherein the flow rate control means includes first flow rate control means disposed in the first bypass tube for controlling the flow rate of the cooling water supplied from the circulating path of the first tube nest to the discharge path of the second tube nest, and second flow rate control means disposed in the second bypass tube for controlling the flow rate of the cooling water supplied from the circulating path of the second tube nest to the discharge path of the first tube nest,

wherein the recirculating path includes a first recirculating path used for returning the cooling water of the discharge path of the second tube nest to the circulating path of the first tube nest, and a second recirculating path used for returning the cooling water of the discharge path of the first tube nest to the circulating path of the second tube nest,

wherein the boosting means includes first boosting means disposed in the first recirculating path for controlling the flow rate of the cooling water supplied from the discharge path of the second tube nest to the circulating path of the first tube nest, and second boosting means disposed in the second recirculating path for controlling the flow rate of the cooling water supplied from the discharge path of the first tube nest to the circulating path of the second tube nest, and

wherein any one of the temperature, the flow rate and both the temperature and the flow rate of the cooling water to flow through the two tube nests is deviated from the temperature and the flow rate of the cooling water from the water source by the first flow rate control means, the second flow rate control means, the first boosting means, and the second boosting means.

8. The condenser according to claim 7 ,

wherein the flow rate of the cooling water in the first and second bypass tubes is identically controlled by the first and second flow rate control means, respectively; and

wherein the flow rate of the cooling water in the first and second recirculating paths is identically controlled by the first and second boosting means, respectively.

9. A power generating installation comprising,

a condenser including:

a circulating path through which cooling water taken from a water source flows;

a tube nest including a plurality of cooling tubes through which the cooling water coming from the circulating path flow, the tube nest condensing steam supplied from a steam turbine with the cooling water in the plurality of cooling tubes;

a discharge path through which the cooling water discharged from the tube nest flows;

a bypass tube disposed to bridge between the circulating path and the discharge path;

flow rate control means disposed in the bypass tube for controlling the flow rate of the cooling water supplied from the circulating path to the discharge path;

a recirculating path disposed to bridge between the discharge path and the circulation path; and

boosting means disposed in the recirculating path for controlling the flow rate of the cooling water supplied from the discharge path to the circulating path;

a turbine driven by a condensable fluid having a larger saturated steam density than steam introduced into the condenser;

a cold heat source condenser for condensing the condensable fluid from the turbine; and

an evaporator disposed on the downstream side of the boosting means in the recirculating path for evaporating the condensable fluid from the cold heat source condenser with cooling water to supply steam to the turbine;

wherein the temperature and/or the flow rate of the cooling water flowing in the two tube nests is deviated respectively from the temperature and/or the flow rate of the cooling water on the upstream side of the circulating path by the flow rate control means and the boosting means,

wherein the flow rate at which the cooling water taken from the water source through the circulating path is maintained at a predetermined value.

10. The power generating installation according to claim 9 ,

wherein the cold heat source condenser is disposed on the upstream side of the flow rate control means in the bypass tube to condense the condensable fluid from the turbine with cooling water.

11. The power generating installation according to claim 9 ,

wherein the cold heat source condenser condenses the condensable fluid from the turbine by use of a cold heat source having a lower temperature than the water source of the cooling water of the condenser.

12. The power generating installation according to claim 11 ,

wherein the cold heat source of the cold heat source condenser is deep ocean water or a liquefied natural gas.

13. The power generating installation according to claim 9 ,

wherein the condensable fluid is ammonia or chlorofluorocarbon.

14. The condenser according to claim 1 ,

wherein the water temperature at which cooling water is discharged to the water source through the discharge path is maintained at a predetermined value.

15. The power generating installation according to claim 9 ,

wherein the water temperature at which cooling water is discharged to the water source through the discharge path is maintained at a predetermined value.

16. The condenser according to claim 7 ,

wherein the flow rate at which the cooling water taken from the water source flows through the circulating path is maintained at a predetermined value.

Assignments (2)
CONFIRMATORY ASSIGNMENT Recorded Oct 8, 2014
From: HITACHI, LTD.
To: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 033917/0209 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 22, 2014
From: HITACHI, LTD.
To: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 033003/0648 →