Compact multi-stage condenser dump device
A multi-stage, torispherical drilled-hole dump device which mounts on the surface of an air cooled condenser (ACC) duct, and provides a compact and lightweight method for discharging steam into the duct by presenting a large surface area which minimizes noise and vibration, while also having a low-profile shape which minimizes projection into the duct and flow disturbance in the duct.
1. A low profile dump device for mounting to a duct and facilitating a discharge of steam from a steam inlet into the duct at prescribed velocities during normal operating and trip conditions of a turbine, the dump device comprising:
a first stage fluidly connectible to the steam inlet, and comprising:
a first head having a geometric center, an interior surface and an opposed exterior surface which is of a first surface area; and
a multiplicity of first discharge holes disposed in the first head in a prescribed arrangement and extending therethrough between the interior and exterior surfaces thereof along respective flow axes so as to be placeable into fluid communication with the steam inlet when the first stage is connected thereto;
a second stage attached to the first stage and fluidly connectible to the duct, the second stage comprising:
a second head having a geometric center, an interior surface and an opposed exterior surface which is of a second surface area exceeding the first surface area by a prescribed percentage; and
a multiplicity of second discharge holes disposed in the second head in a prescribed arrangement and extending therethrough between the interior and exterior surfaces thereof along respective flow axes so as to be in fluid communication with the first discharge holes of the first head, and placeable into fluid communication with the duct when the second stage is connected thereto;
the first and second stages being attached to each other such that the geometric centers of the first and second heads are separated from each other by a prescribed distance, and further such that when the first stage is fluidly connected to the steam inlet and the second stage is fluidly connected to the duct, an inlet axis defined by the steam inlet will extend through the geometric centers of the first and second heads and in generally perpendicular relation to a duct axis defined by the duct;
the prescribed percentage differential between the first and second surface areas and the prescribe distance between the geometric centers of the first and second heads being selected such that a steam velocity across the dump device will be subsonic during a normal operating condition of the turbine to reduce noise, and transonic during a trip condition of the turbine to prevent excessive reaction loads.
2. The dump device of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second heads is torispherical.
3. The dump device of claim 1 wherein a majority of the flow axes defined by the first and second discharge holes diverge from and extend in non-parallel relation to the steam inlet axis when the dump device is attached to the steam inlet.
4. The dump device of claim 3 wherein each of the first and second heads includes a blank area which defines the geometric center thereof and is devoid of any of the first or second discharge holes.
5. The dump device of claim 4 wherein the blank area of each of the first and second heads has a generally circular configuration.
6. The dump device of claim 3 wherein the first and second discharge holes are evenly distributed within respective ones of the first and second heads.
7. The dump device of claim 3 wherein each of the first and second discharge holes formed in a respective one of the first and second heads has a generally circular cross-sectional configuration of a first prescribed diameter.
8. The dump device of claim 3 wherein the first discharge holes are formed in the first head and the second discharge holes are formed in the second head in prescribed geometrical patterns as further facilitates the formation of a prescribed arrangement of blank areas between the first and second discharge holes within respective ones of each of the first and second heads.
9. The dump device of claim 1 wherein the first discharge holes are formed in the first head and the second discharge holes are formed in the second head in a plurality of segregated sets which are each of a prescribed shape.
10. The dump device of claim 9 wherein the shapes of each of the sets of the first and second discharge holes formed in respective ones of the first and second heads is identical.
11. The dump device of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second heads is toriconical.
12. The dump device of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second heads is elliptical.
13. The dump device of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second heads is generally flat.
14. A low profile dump device for mounting to a duct and facilitating a discharge of steam from a steam inlet into the duct at prescribed velocities during normal operating and trip conditions of a turbine, the dump device comprising:
a first stage fluidly connectible to the steam inlet, and comprising:
a first head having a geometric center, an interior surface and an opposed exterior surface which is of a first surface area; and
a multiplicity of first discharge holes disposed in the first head in a prescribed arrangement and extending therethrough between the interior and exterior surfaces thereof along respective flow axes so as to be placeable into fluid communication with the steam inlet when the first stage is connected thereto;
a second stage attached to the first stage and fluidly connectible to the duct, the second stage comprising:
a second head having a geometric center, an interior surface and an opposed exterior surface which is of a second surface area exceeding the first surface area by a prescribed percentage; and
a multiplicity of second discharge holes disposed in the second head in a prescribed arrangement and extending therethrough between the interior and exterior surfaces thereof along respective flow axes so as to be in fluid communication with the first discharge holes of the first head, and placeable into fluid communication with the duct when the second stage is connected thereto;
the first and second stages being attached to each other such that the geometric centers of the first and second heads are separated from each other by a prescribed distance;
the prescribed percentage differential between the first and second surface areas and the prescribe distance between the geometric centers of the first and second heads being selected such that a steam velocity across the dump device will be subsonic during a normal operating condition of the turbine to reduce noise, and transonic during a trip condition of the turbine to prevent excessive reaction loads.
15. The dump device of claim 14 wherein the first and second discharge holes are evenly distributed within respective ones of the first and second heads.
16. The dump device of claim 14 wherein each of the first and second discharge holes formed in a respective one of the first and second heads has a generally circular cross-sectional configuration of a first prescribed diameter.
17. The dump device of claim 14 wherein a majority of the flow axes defined by the first and second discharge holes diverge from and extend in non-parallel relation to a steam inlet axis defined by the steam inlet when the dump device is attached thereto.
18. The dump device of claim 14 wherein each of the first and second heads is elliptical.