Freeze protected, air-cooled vacuum steam condensers

Abstract

An improved steam power system comprising a turbine for converting steam energy into mechanical energy upon expansion of steam therein, a boiler for generating steam to be fed to the turbine, and a conduit arrangement coupling the boiler to the turbine input and then coupling the turbine exhaust to the boiler through air cooled steam condensing mechanisms, the condensing mechanisms including a plurality of U-shaped tubes through which the expanded steam flows and is condensed; front header means at the input ends of the tubes located in the cooler ambient air exposed regions of the tubes for receiving exhaust steam from the turbine; rear header means at the output ends of the tubes located in the warmer unexposed regions of the tubes for receiving condensate and non-condensible gasses; and means in the rear headers to remove non-condensible gasses from the rear headers, the tubes being designed and constructed to protect the tubes from freezing for lack of steam by employing a tube arrangement that flows steam from the input headers not only for its exposed single row condensing duty but for a second row as well, the second row being located in the heated and protected unexposed center of the tube bundles thus insuring an additional supply of steam from the inner rows for the exposed tubes in the top and bottom faces of the bundles which require the most protection.