Method of Monitoring Condenser Performance and System Therefor

This invention relates to condensers for steam for driving turbines of fossil fuel power generating plants, and more particularly it is concerned with a method of monitoring the performance of a condenser of the type described and a system suitable for carrying such method into practice.

A method of the prior art for monitoring the performance of a condenser has generally consisted in sensing the operating conditions of the condenser (such as the vacuum in the condenser, inlet and outlet temperatures of the cooling water fed to and discharged from the condenser, discharge pressure of the circulating water pump for feeding cooling water, etc.), and recording the values representing the operating conditions of the condenser so that these values can be monitored individually.

The performance of a condenser is generally judged by the vacuum maintained therein, in view of the need to keep the back pressure of the turbine at a low constant level. Except for the introduction of air into the condenser, the main factor concerned in the reduction in the vacuum in the condenser is a reduction in the cleanness of the cooling water tubes. No method for monitoring the performance of a condenser based on the concept of quantitatively determining the cleanness of the condenser cooling water tubes or the degree of their contamination has yet to be developed.

An object of this invention is to develop a method of monitoring the performance of a condenser based on values representing the operating conditions of the condenser, so that accurate diagnosis of the performance of the condenser can be made.

Another object is to provide a system for monitoring the performance of a condenser based on values representing the operating conditions of the condenser, so that accurate diagnosis of the condenser can be made.

Still another object is to provide a method of monitoring the performance of a condenser based on values representing the operating conditions of the condenser and passing judgment as to whether or not the performance of the condenser is normal, and a system suitable for carrying such method into practice.

According to the invention, there is provided a method of monitoring the performance of a condenser comprising the steps of: obtaining values representing the operating conditions of the condenser, and monitoring the performance of the condenser based on the cleanness of cooling water tubes of the condenser determinined by calculating the obtained values.

According to the invention, there is provided a system for monitoring the performance of a condenser comprising: sensing means for sensing the operating conditions of the condenser to obtain values representing the operating conditions of the condenser, and arithmetic units for calculating the cleanness of cooling water tubes of the condenser based on the values obtained by the sensing means, to thereby make accurate diagnosis of the performance of the condenser.

FIG. 1 is a systematic view of a condenser, in its entirety, for a steam turbine in which is incorporated the system for monitoring the performance of the condenser comprising one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing in detail the system for monitoring the performance of the condenser shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the manner in which monitoring of the performance of the condenser is carried out according to the invention.

The invention will now be described by referring to a preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings. In FIG. 1, a condenser 3 for condensing a working fluid in the form of steam for driving a turbine 1, which is in turn connected to drive a generator 2, includes a plurality of cooling tubes 13, and has connected thereto a cooling water inlet line 8 mounting therein a circulating water pump 15 for feeding cooling water and a cooling water outlet line 9 for discharging the cooling water from the condenser 3 after exchanging heat with the working fluid. Interposed between the cooling water inlet line 8 and the cooling water outlet line 9 is a condenser continuous cleaning device for circulating resilient spherical members 12 through the cooling water tubes 13 for cleaning same. The condenser continuous cleaning device comprises a spherical member catcher 4, a spherical member circulating pump 5, a spherical member collector 6, a spherical member distributor 7, a spherical member circulating line 11 and a spherical member admitting valve 10. The condenser continuous cleaning device of the aforesaid construction is operative to circulate the spherical members 12 through the cleaning water tubes 13 when need arises.

A pressure sensor 18 (See FIG. 2) is mounted on the shell of the condenser 3 for sensing the vacuum in the condenser 3. The cooling water inlet line 8 has mounted therein an inlet temperature sensor 19 and a temperature differential sensor 21, and the cooling water outlet line 9 has mounted therein an outlet temperature sensor 20 and another temperature differential sensor 22. Ultrasonic wave sensors 23 and 24 serving as ultrasonic wave flow meters are mounted on the surface of the cooling water inlet line 8 in juxtaposed relation, to detect the flow rate of the cooling water. The temperature differential sensor 21 mounted in the cooling water inlet line 8 and the temperature differential sensor 22 mounted in the cooling water outlet line 9 are mounted for the purpose of improving the accuracy with which the inlet temperature sensor 19 and the outlet temperature sensor 20 individually sense the respective temperatures. It is to be understood that the objects of the invention can be accomplished by eliminating the temperature differential sensors 21 and 22 and only using the temperature sensors 19 and 20.

A plurality of heat flow sensors 25 are mounted on the outer surfaces of the arbitrarily selected cooling water tubes 13. In place of the pressure sensor 18, a temperature sensor 16 for directly sensing the temperature of the steam in the condenser 3 may be used.

The pressure sensor 18, cooling water inlet and outlet temperature sensors 19 and 20, cooling water temperature differential sensors 21 and 22, ultrasonic wave sensors 23 and 24, temperature sensor 16 and heat flow sensors 25 produce outputs representing the detected values which are fed into a condenser monitoring device 100 operative to monitor the operating conditions of the condenser 3 based on the detected values and actuate a cleaning device controller 200 when a reduction in the performance of the condenser 3 is sensed, to clean the condenser 3.

The detailed construction of the condenser monitoring device 100 for monitoring the operating conditions of the condenser 3 to determine whether or not the condenser 3 is functioning normally based on the values obtained by the sensors 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 16 will be described by referring to a block diagram shown in FIG. 2. The condenser monitoring device 100 comprises a heat flux monitoring section 100a and an overall heat transmission coefficient monitoring section 100b. The heat flux monitoring section 100a will be first described. The heat flow sensors 25 mounted on the outer wall surfaces of the cooling water tubes 13 each produce an output signal e which is generally detected in the form of a mV voltage. The relation between the outputs e of the heat flow sensors 25 and a heat flux q.sub.a transferred through the walls of the cooling water tubes 13 can be expressed, in terms of a direct gradient K, by the following equation (1):

Thus the transfer of the heat representing varying operating conditions can be readily detected. The measured heat flux q.sub.a is calculated from the inputs e based on the equation (1) at a heat flux calculator 29.

The pressure sensor 18 senses the vacuum in the condenser 3 and produces a condenser vacuum p.sub.s. When the vacuum in the condenser 3 is sensed and the condenser vacuum p.sub.s is produced, a saturated temperature t.sub.s is obtained by conversion from the condenser vacuum p.sub.s at a converter 26. The condenser vacuum p.sub.s is compared with a set vacuum p.sub.o from a setter 33 at a vacuum comparator 34. When the condenser vacuum p.sub.s is found to be lower than the set vacuum p.sub.o, an indicator 39 indicates that the condenser vacuum p.sub.s is reduced below the level of the value set at the setter 33. A condenser steam temperature t.sub.s may be directly sensed by the temperature sensor 16. The ultrasonic wave sensors 23 and 24 serving as ultrasonic wave flow meters produce a cooling water flow rate G.sub.a which is compared at a comparator 35 with a set cooling water flow rate G.sub.o from a setter 36. When the sensed flow rate of the cooling water is higher or lower than the level of the value set at the setter 36, the indicator 39 gives an indication to that effect. A cooling water inlet temperature t.sub.1 and a cooling water outlet temperature t.sub.2 from the sensors 19 and 20 respectively and the condenser steam temperature t.sub.s determined as aforesaid are fed into a logarithmic mean temperature differential calculator 37, to calculate a logarithmic mean temperature differential .theta..sub.m by the following equation (2): ##EQU1## In equation (2), the condenser steam temperature t.sub.s is directly obtained from the temperature sensor 16. However, the saturated temperature t.sub.s may be obtained by conversion from the condenser vacuum p.sub.s from the pressure sensor 18.

The heat flux q.sub.a calculated at the heat flux calculator 29 and the logarithmic mean temperature differential .theta..sub.m calculated at the logarithmic mean temperature differential calculator 37 are used to calculate at a heat transfer rate calculator 38 a heat transfer rate J.sub.a by the following equation (3):

A set heat transfer rate J.sub.d is calculated beforehand based on the operating conditions set beforehand at a heat transfer rate setter 41 or turbine lead, cooling water flow rate and cooling water inlet temperature as well as the specifications of the condenser 3, and the ratio of the heat transfer rate J.sub.a referred to hereinabove to the set heat transfer rate J.sub.d is obtained by the following equation (4):

The set heat transfer rate J.sub.d is obtained before the cooling water tubes 13 are contaminated. Thus any reduction in the performance due to the contamination of the cooling water tubes 13 can be sensed as R<1 in view of J.sub.a <J.sub.d. Therefore, the degree of contamination of the cooling water tubes 13 can be determined by equation (4). Now let us denote the tube cleanness at the time of planning by C'd which is fed to a setter 42. A tube cleanness C' during operation is calculated at a tube cleanness calculator 43 by the following equation (5):

Then a specific tube cleanness .theta.' is calculated at a specific tube cleanness calculator 44 by the following equation (6): ##EQU2## Thus by watching the tube cleanness C' or specific tube cleanness .theta.', it is possible to determine the degree of contamination of the cooling water tubes 13 of the condenser 3. The heat flow sensors 25 mounted on the outer wall surfaces of the cooling water tubes 13 produce a plurality of values which may be processed at the heat flux calculator 29 to obtain a mean heat flux as an arithmetic mean by equation (1) or q.sub.a .alpha.K.e, so that the aforesaid calculations by equations (2), (3), (4), (5) and (6) can be done. To analyze the performance of the condenser 3, the tube cleanness C' and the specific tube cleanness .theta.' calculated at the calculators 43 and 44 respectively are compared with allowable values C'.sub.o and .theta.'.sub.o set beforehand at setters 46 and 47 respectively, at a performance judging unit 45.

To enable the operator to promptly take necessary actions to cope with the situation based on the data analyzed at the performance judging unit 45, the presence of abnormality is indicated at the indicator 39 and a warning is issued when the tube cleanness C' or specific tube cleanness .theta.' is not within the tolerances, in the same manner as an indication is given when the condenser vacuum p.sub.s or cooling water flow rate G.sub.a is higher or lower than the level of value set beforehand, as described hereinabove. When the indication is given, the values obtained at the moment including the tolerances or changes occurring in chronological sequence in the value are also indicated. When the performance of the condenser 3 is judged to be abnormal by the performance judging unit 45, an abnormal performance signal produced by the performance judging unit 45 is supplied to the cleaning device controller 200 which makes a decision to actuate the cleaning device upon receipt of an abnormal vacuum signal from the vacuum comparator 34.

More specifically, assume that the condenser vacuum p.sub.s is lowered and this phenomenon is attributed to the tube cleanness C' and specific tube cleanness .theta.' not being within the tolerances by the result of analysis of the data by the performance judging unit 45. Then the cleaning device controller 200 immediately gives instructions to turn on the cleaning device, and an actuating signal is supplied to the spherical member circulating pump 15 and valve 10 shown in FIG. 1, thereby initiating cleaning of the cooling water tubes 13 by means of the resilient spherical members 12. The heat flux watching section 100a of the condenser watching device 100 is constructed as described hereinabove.

The overall heat transmission coefficient watching section 100b of the condenser watching device 100 will now be described. In FIG. 2, a measured total heat load Q.sub.a is calculated at a measured total heat load calculator 51. The total heat load Q.sub.a is calculated from the cooling water flow rate G.sub.a based on the inputs from the ultrasonic wave sensors 23 and 24, a temperature differential .DELTA.t based on the inputs from the cooling water inlet and outlet temperature sensors 19 and 20 or the cooling water temperature differential sensors 21 and 22, a cooling water specific weight .gamma., and a cooling water specific heat C.sub.p by the following equation (7): ##EQU3##

Then a measured logarithmic mean temperature differential .theta..sub.m is measured at a measured logarithmic mean temperature differential calculator 52. The calculation is done on the condenser saturated temperature t.sub.s corresponding to a corrected vacuum obtained by correcting the measured vacuum p.sub.s from the condenser pressure sensor 18 by atmospheric pressure, and the inlet temperature t.sub.1 and outlet temperature t.sub.2 from the cooling water inlet and outlet temperature sensors 19 and 20, by the following equation (8): ##EQU4##

Then a measured overall heat transmission coefficient K.sub.a is calculated at a measured overall heat transmission coefficient calculator 53. The measured overall heat transmission coefficient K.sub.a is determined based on the total heat load Q.sub.a calculated at the measured total heat load calculator 51, the measured logarithmic mean temperature differential .theta..sub.m calculated at the measured logarithmic mean temperature differential calculator 52 and a condenser cooling water surface area S, by the following equation (9): ##EQU5##

At a corrector 54, a cooling water temperature correcting coefficient c.sub.1 is calculated. This coefficient is a correcting coefficient for the cooling water inlet temperature t.sub.1 which is calculated from the ratio of a function .phi..sub.1 d of a designed value t.sub.d from a setter 59 to a function .phi..sub.1 a of a measured value t.sub.s, by the following equation (10): ##EQU6##

Then a cooling water flow velocity correcting coefficient c.sub.2 is calculated at another corrector 55. This coefficient is calculated from the square root of the ratio of a designed cooling water flow velocity v.sub.d to a measured cooling water flow velocity v.sub.a or the ratio of a designed cooling water flow rate G.sub.d to a measured cooling water flow rate G.sub.a, by the following equation (11): ##EQU7##

Then a corrected overall heat transmission coefficient converted to a designed condition is calculated at an overall heat transmission coefficient calculator 56. The corrected overall heat transmission coefficient is calculated from the measured overall heat transmission coefficient K.sub.a, the cooling water temperature correcting coefficient c.sub.1 which is a correcting coefficient representing a change in operating condition, and a cooling water flow velocity correcting coefficient c.sub.2 by the following equation (12):

A reduction in the performance of the condenser 3 due to contamination of the cooling water tubes 13 can be checked by comparing the corrected overall heat transmission coefficient K with a designed overall heat transmission coefficient k.sub.d from a setter 61, at another comparator 62.

Then a cooling water tube cleanness C is calculated at a tube cleanness calculator 58. The cooling water tube cleanness C is calculated from the corrected overall heat transmission coefficient K, the designed overall heat transmission coefficient K.sub.d fed as input data, and a designed cooling water tube cleanness c.sub.d from a setter 63, by the following equation (13) to obtain the tube cleanness C determined by comparison of the measured value with the designed value: ##EQU8##

Then a specific tube cleanness .theta. is calculated at a specific tube cleanness calculator 64 from the tube cleanness C obtained at the calculator 58 and the tube cleanness c.sub.d determined at the time of planning, by the following equation (14): ##EQU9## To analyze the performance of the condenser 3, the tube cleanness C and the specific tube cleanness .theta. calculated at the calculators 58 and 64 respectively are selectively compared at a performance judging unit 65 with allowable values C.sub.o and .theta..sub.o set at setters 66 and 67 respectively beforehand. In the same manner as described by referring to the heat flux watching section 100a, the presence of an abnormality in the operating conditions of the condenser 3 is indicated by the indicator 39 when the tube cleanness C and the specific tube cleanness .theta. are not within the tolerances, and the values obtained are also indicated. When the condenser 3 is judged to be abnormal in performance by the performance judging unit 65, an actuating signal is supplied to the cleaning device controller 200 from the judging unit 65 to actuate the cleaning device, to thereby clean the condenser cooling water tubes 13 by means of the resilient spherical members 12.

The operation of the system for monitoring the performance of the condenser 3 described hereinabove will now be described by referring to a flow chart shown in FIG. 3. A computer program for doing calculations for the system for monitoring the performance of the condenser 3 includes the specifications of the condenser, such as the cooling area S, cooling water tube dimensions (outer diameter, thickness, etc.) and the number of material of the cooling water tubes, and the standard designed values, such as total heat load Q.sub.a, designed condenser vacuum p.sub.o, designed cooling water flow rate G.sub.a, designed overall heat transmission coefficient K or tube cleanness C and specific tube cleanness .theta., cooling water flow velocity, cooling water loss head, etc.

First of all, the monitoring routine is started and data input is performed at a step 151. The data includes the condenser pressure p.sub.s from the pressure sensor 18, the condenser temperature t.sub.s from the temperature sensor 16, the temperatures t.sub.1 and t.sub.2 from the cooling water inlet and outlet temperature sensors 19 and 20 respectively, the temperature differential .DELTA.t from the cooling water temperature differential sensors 21 and 22, the cooling water flow rate G.sub.a from the ultrasonic wave sensors 23 and 24, and cooling water tube outer wall surface heat load q.sub.a, as well as various operating conditions. By feeding this data into the computer, the step of data input of the monitoring routine is completed.

At a step 152, selection of the method for monitoring the performance of the condenser 3 is carried out. The method available for use in monitoring the performance of the condenser 3 includes the following three methods: a method relying on the amount of heat based on the cooling water wherein the overall heat transmission coefficient and the cooling water tube cleanness are measured as indicated at 154 (hereinafter referred to as overall heat transmission coefficient monitoring); a method relying on the amount of heat based on the steam wherein the heat flux is measured as indicated at 155 (hereinafter referred to as heat flux monitoring); and a method wherein the aforesaid two methods are combined with each other. At step 152, one of the following three cases is selected:

Case I: the overall heat transmission coefficient monitoring 154 and the heat flux monitoring 155 are both performed, and the results obtained are compared to enable the performance of the condenser 3 to be analyzed;

Case II: the overall heat transmission coefficient monitoring 154 is performed to analyze the performance of the condenser 3 based on the result achieved: and

Case III: the heat flux monitoring 155 is performed to analyze the performance of the condenser 3 based on the result achieved.

The steps followed in carrying out the overall heat transmission coefficient monitoring 154 and the heat flux monitoring 155 are described as indicated at 153.

When the monitoring routine is started, the computer is usually programmed to carry out case I and select either one of cases II and III when need arises.

The overall heat transmission coefficient monitoring 154 will first be described. This monitoring operation is carried out by using the overall heat transmission watching section 100b shown in FIG. 2. In calculating the measured heat load in a step 71, the measured heat load Q.sub.a is calculated at the measured total heat load calculator 51 from the cooling water temperatures t.sub.1 and t.sub.2 and cooling water flow rate G.sub.a. In calculating the measured logarithmic mean temperature differential .theta..sub.m in a step 72, the calculation is done from the cooling water temperatures t.sub.1 and t.sub.2 and the condenser temperature t.sub.s at the measured logarithmic mean temperature differential calculator 52. In a step 73, the measured overall heat transmission coefficient K.sub.a is calculated from the measured heat load Q.sub.a, the measured logarithmic mean temperature differential .theta..sub.m and the cooling surface area S of the condenser 3 at the measured overall heat transmission coefficient calculator 53. Following the calculation of the cooling water temperature correcting coefficient c.sub.1 in a step 74 and the calculation of the cooling water flow velocity correcting coefficient c.sub.2 in a step 75, the designed state conversion overall heat transmission coefficient K is calculated from the measured overall heat transmission coefficient Ka, the cooling water temperature correcting coefficient c.sub.1 and the cooling water flow velocity correcting coefficient c.sub.2 at the overall heat transmission coefficient calculator 56 in a step 76. In a step 77, the tube cleanness C is calculated from the designed state conversion overall heat transmission coefficient K, the designed overall heat transmission coefficient K.sub.d and the designed cooling water tube cleanness C.sub.d at the tube cleanness calculator 68. In a step 78, the specific tube cleanness .theta. is calculated from the tube cleanness C and the designed tube cleanness C.sub.d at the specific tube cleanness calculator 64. The values of tube cleanness C and specific tube cleanness .theta. is analyzed in the step of performance analysis 156. When the performance of the condenser 3 is judged to be reduced, a warning is given in a step 157 and the cleaning device is actuated in a step 158, so as to restore the performance of the condenser 3 to the normal level.

The heat flux monitoring 155 will now be described. This monitoring operation is carried out by using the heat flux monitoring section 100a shown in FIG. 2. In a step 81, the measured heat flux q.sub.a is calculated from the outputs of the heat flow sensors 25 at the heat flux calculator 29. Then in a step 82, the measured logarithmic mean temperature differential .theta..sub.m is calculated from the cooling water temperatures t.sub.1 and t.sub.2 and the condenser temperature t.sub.s at the logarithmic mean temperature differential calculator 37. In a step 83, the measured heat transfer rate J.sub.a is calculated from the measured heat flux q.sub.a and the measured logarithmic mean temperature differential .theta..sub.m at the heat transfer rate calculator 38. In a step 84, the specific heat transfer rate R is calculated from the measured heat transfer rate J.sub.a and the designed heat transfer rate J.sub.d at the specific heat transfer rate calculator 40. In a step 85, the tube cleanness C' is calculated from the specific heat transfer rate R and the designed tube cleanness C'.sub.d at the tube cleanness calculator 43. From the tube cleanness C' and the designed tube cleanness C'.sub.d, the specific tube cleanness .theta.' of the cooling water tubes 13 is calculated at the specific tube cleanness calculator 44. The values of tube cleanness C' and specific tube cleanness .theta.' obtained in this way are judged in the performance judging step 156 in the same manner as the overall heat transmission coefficient monitoring 154 is carried out. When it is judged that the performance of the condenser 3 is reduced, a warning is given in step 157 and the cleaning device is actuated in step 158, so as to restore the performance to the normal level. In the performance analyzing step 156, the tube cleanness C and specific tube cleanness .theta. obtained in the overall heat transmission coefficient monitoring 154 and the tube cleanness C' and specific tube cleanness .theta.' obtained in the heat flux watching 155 may be compared, to judge the performance of the condenser 3.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that in the system for watching the performance of a condenser according to the invention, the cooling water inlet and outlet temperatures t.sub.1 and t.sub.2 or the cooling water temperature differential .DELTA.t, condenser temperature t.sub.2, condenser vacuum p.sub.s, cooling water flow rate G.sub.a and the flow flux of the cooling water tubes are measured by sensors, and the tube cleanness is watched by calculating the overall heat transmission coefficient of the cooling water tubes of the condenser and also by calculating the heat flux of the cooling water tubes of the condenser. By virtue of these two functions, the condenser performance monitoring system can achieve the following results:

(1) It is possible to monitor the performance of the condenser by following the operating conditions (load variations, cooling water inlet temperature, etc.);

(2) Monitoring of the condenser performance can be carried out at all times for judging the cleanness of the cooling water tubes with respect to the vacuum in the condenser;

(3) Cleaning of the condenser cooling water tubes can be performed continuously while grasping the cleanness of the cooling water tubes, thereby enabling the performance of the condenser to be kept at a high level at all times; and

(4) Combined with the overall heat transmission monitoring, the heat flux monitoring enables the monitoring of the performance of the condenser to be carried out with a high degree of accuracy.

It is to be understood that the art of monitoring the performance of a condenser according to the invention can also have application in other heat exchangers of the tube system than condensers in which contamination of the cooling water tubes causes abnormality in their performances.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the method of and system for monitoring the performance of a condenser provided by the invention enables assessment of the performance of a condenser to be effected by determining the operating conditions of the condenser and processing the values obtained by arithmetical operation.