Modular air cooled condenser apparatus and method

• US 10,551,126 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2018
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SPG Dry Cooling USA LLC
• Original Assignee: SPG Dry Cooling USA LLC
• Inventors: Vouche, Michel, Deleplanque, Christophe, Fauconnier, Fabien
• Primary Examiner(s): Crenshaw, Henry T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tavakoldavani, Kamran
• Application Number:
  US16/196,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20190086151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/26 heat exchangers or the like making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02
• CPC Class Codes: F28B 1/06 using air or other gas as the cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: F28B 7/00 Combinations of two or more condensers, e.g. provision of reserve condenser
• CPC Class Codes: F28B 9/02 for feeding steam or vapour to condensers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 Heat exchanger or boiler making

Abstract

Modular air cooled condenser apparatus and related methods are disclosed. An example mechanical draft modular air cooled condenser disclosed herein includes an example condenser module that includes a plenum and a first condenser bundle having a first set of tubes having first ends and second ends and a first condensate header connected to the second ends of the tubes. The example condenser module also includes a second condenser bundle having a second set of tubes having third ends and fourth ends and a second condensate header connected to the fourth ends of the second set of tubes. In addition, the condenser module includes a third condenser bundle having a third set of tubes having fifth ends and sixth ends and a third condensate header connected to the sixth ends of the third set of tubes. The condenser module also includes a fourth condenser bundle having a fourth set of tubes having seventh ends and eighth ends and a fourth condensate header connected to the eighth ends of the fourth set of tubes. The condenser module further includes a shroud that houses a single fan, the single fan positioned to create a draft to flow over the first condenser bundle, over the second condenser bundle, over the third condenser bundle, and over the fourth condenser bundle. In addition, the condenser module includer a support frame that supports the first, second, third, and fourth condenser bundles.

Claims

1. A mechanical draft modular air cooled condenser comprising:

a first condenser pair including;

a first condenser bundle panel having a first top end and a first bottom end;

a first manifold disposed near the first top end;

a first condensate header connected to the first bottom end;

a second condenser bundle panel consecutive to the first condenser bundle panel, the second condenser bundle panel having a second top end and a second bottom end; and

a second condensate header connected to the second bottom end, the second condensate header parallel to the first condensate header, the first bottom end of the first condenser bundle panel and the second bottom end of the second condenser bundle converging toward each other;

a second condenser pair including;

a third condenser bundle panel consecutive to the second condenser bundle panel, the third condenser bundle panel having a third top end and a third bottom end, the second top end of the second condenser bundle panel and the third top end of the third condenser bundle panel converging toward each other;

a second manifold disposed near the second top end and the third top end, the first condensate header and the second condensate header disposed horizontally between and vertically below the first manifold and the second manifolds;

a third condensate header connected to the third bottom end, the third condensate header parallel to the first condensate header and parallel to the second condensate header;

a fourth condenser bundle panel consecutive to the third condenser bundle panel, the fourth condenser bundle panel having a fourth top end and a fourth bottom end; and

a fourth condensate header connected to the fourth bottom end, the fourth condensate header parallel to the third condensate header, the third bottom end of the third condenser bundle panel and the fourth bottom end of the fourth condenser bundle converging toward each other;

a shroud that houses a single fan, the single fan positioned to create a draft to flow over the first condenser bundle panel, over the second condenser bundle panel, over the third condenser bundle panel, and over the fourth condenser bundle panel; and

a support frame that supports the first, second, third, and fourth condenser bundle panels.

2. The modular air cooled condenser of claim 1, wherein

the first condenser bundle panel includes a first set of tubes having first ends and second ends, the second ends lower than the first ends, and the first condensate header connected to the second ends of the first set of tubes;

the second condenser bundle panel includes a second set of tubes having third ends and fourth ends, the third ends lower than the fourth ends, and the second condensate header connected to the third fourth ends of the second set of tubes;

the third condenser bundle panel includes a third set of tubes having fifth ends and sixth ends, the sixth ends lower than the fifth ends, and the third condensate header connected to the sixth ends of the third set of tubes; and

the fourth condenser bundle panel includes a fourth set of tubes having seventh ends and eighth ends, the seventh ends lower than the eighth ends, and the fourth condensate header connected to the seventh ends of the fourth set of tubes.

3. The modular air cooled condenser according to claim 2, wherein the tubes of each of the first and second set of tubes have fins attached thereto.

4. The modular air cooled condenser according to claim 2, wherein the tubes of each of the third and fourth sets of tubes have fins attached thereto.

5. The modular air cooled condenser according to claim 2, wherein the tubes of the first set of tubes and the tubes of the second set of tubes have a length equal to approximately two meters.

6. The modular air cooled condenser according to claim 2, wherein the tubes of the third set of tubes and the tubes of the fourth set of tubes have a length equal to approximately two meters.

7. The modular air cooled condenser according to claim 1, wherein the first condenser bundle panel is positioned at an angle to vertical and horizontal and the second condenser bundle panel is positioned at an angle to vertical and to horizontal.

8. The modular air cooled condenser according to claim 7, wherein each of the first and second condenser bundle panels is positioned at an angle to horizontal equal to approximately sixty degrees to approximately seventy degrees and wherein each of the first and second condenser bundle panels is positioned at an angle to vertical equal to approximately twenty degrees to approximately thirty degrees.

9. The modular air cooled condenser according to claim 8, wherein the third condenser bundle panel is positioned at an angle to vertical and horizontal and the fourth condenser bundle panel is positioned at an angle to vertical and to horizontal.

10. The modular air cooled condenser according to claim 9, wherein each of the third and fourth condenser bundle panels is positioned at an angle to horizontal equal to approximately sixty-four degrees and wherein each of the third and fourth condenser bundle panels is positioned at an angle to vertical equal to approximately twenty-six degrees.

11. The modular air cooled condenser according to claim 1, wherein the first condenser bundle panel, the second condenser bundle panel, and a plane including the first manifold and the second manifold form a shape of a triangular prism.

12. A mechanical draft modular air cooled condenser comprising:

a first condenser pair including;

a first condenser bundle panel having a first top end and a first bottom end;

a first manifold disposed near the first top end;

a first condensate header connected to the first bottom end;

a second condenser bundle panel consecutive to the first condenser bundle panel, the second condenser bundle panel having a second top end and a second bottom end; and

a second condensate header connected to the second bottom end, the second condensate header parallel to the first condensate header, the first top end of the first condenser bundle panel and the second top end of the second condenser bundle converging toward each other;

a second condenser pair including;

a third condenser bundle panel consecutive to the second condenser bundle panel, the third condenser bundle panel having a third top end and a third bottom end, the second bottom end of the second condenser bundle panel and the third bottom end of the third condenser bundle panel converging toward each other;

a third condensate header connected to the third bottom end, the third condensate header parallel to the first condensate header and parallel to the second condensate header;

a fourth condenser bundle panel consecutive to the third condenser bundle panel, the fourth condenser bundle panel having a fourth top end and a fourth bottom end;

a fourth condensate header connected to the fourth bottom end, the fourth condensate header parallel to the third condensate header, the third top end of the third condenser bundle panel and the fourth top end of the fourth condenser bundle converging toward each other; and

a second manifold disposed near the third top end and the fourth top end, the second condensate header and the third condensate header disposed horizontally between and vertically below the first manifold and the second manifold;

a shroud that houses a single fan, the single fan positioned to create a draft to flow over the first condenser bundle panel, over the second condenser bundle panel, over the third condenser bundle panel, and over the fourth condenser bundle panel; and

a support frame that supports the first, second, third, and fourth condenser bundle panels.

13. The modular air cooled condenser of claim 12, wherein

the first condenser bundle panel includes a first set of tubes having first ends and second ends, the first ends lower than the second ends, and the first condensate header connected to the first ends of the first set of tubes;

the second condenser bundle panel includes a second set of tubes having third ends and fourth ends, the fourth ends lower than the third ends, and the second condensate header connected to the fourth ends of the second set of tubes;

the third condenser bundle panel includes a third set of tubes having fifth ends and sixth ends, the fifth ends lower than the sixth ends, and the third condensate header connected to the fifth ends of the third set of tubes; and

the fourth condenser bundle panel includes a fourth set of tubes having seventh ends and eighth ends, the eighth ends lower than the seventh ends, and the fourth condensate header connected to the eighth ends of the fourth set of tubes.

14. The modular air cooled condenser according to claim 13, wherein the tubes of each of the first, second, third, and fourth set of tubes have fins attached thereto.

15. The modular air cooled condenser according to claim 13, wherein the tubes of the first set of tubes, the tubes of the second set of tubes, the tubes of the third set of tubes, and the tubes of the fourth set of tubes have a length equal to approximately two meters.

16. The modular air cooled condenser according to claim 12, wherein the first condenser bundle panel, the second condenser bundle panel, the third condenser bundle panel, and the fourth condenser bundle panel are each positioned at an angle to vertical and an angle to the horizontal.

17. The modular air cooled condenser according to claim 16, wherein the angle to horizontal is equal to approximately sixty degrees to approximately seventy degrees and the angle to the vertical is equal to approximately twenty degrees to approximately thirty degrees.

18. The modular air cooled condenser according to claim 16, wherein the angle to horizontal is equal to approximately sixty-four degrees and the angle to vertical is equal to approximately twenty-six degrees.

19. The modular air cooled condenser according to claim 12, wherein the second condenser bundle panel, the third condenser bundle panel, and a plane including the first manifold and the second manifold form a shape of a triangular prism.

20. A mechanical draft modular air cooled condenser comprising:

a condenser module including;

a first condenser bundle having a first set of tubes having first ends and second ends, the second ends lower than the first ends, and a first condensate header connected to the second ends of the first set of tubes;

a second condenser bundle consecutive to the first condenser bundle in the condenser module, the second condenser bundle having a second set of tubes having third ends and fourth ends, the third ends lower than the fourth ends, and a second condensate header connected to the third ends of the second set of tubes, the second condensate header parallel to the first condensate header, the second condensate header consecutive to the first condensate header;

a third condenser bundle consecutive to the second condenser bundle in the condenser module, the third condenser bundle having a third set of tubes having fifth ends and sixth ends, the sixth ends lower than the fifth ends, and a third condensate header connected to the sixth ends of the third set of tubes, the third condensate header parallel to the first condensate header and parallel to the second condensate header, the third condensate header consecutive to the second condensate header, wherein the second condensate header and the third condensate header are disposed in a same plane, wherein the second condenser bundle is positioned at an angle from a vertical axis in a clockwise direction, the third condenser bundle is positioned at the angle from the vertical axis in a counter-clockwise direction, the angle being approximately twenty degrees to approximately thirty degrees; and

a fourth condenser bundle consecutive to the third condenser bundle in the condenser module, the fourth condenser bundle having a fourth set of tubes having seventh ends and eighth ends, the seventh ends lower than the eighth ends, and a fourth condensate header connected to the seventh ends of the fourth set of tubes, the fourth condensate header parallel to the third condensate header, the fourth condensate header consecutive to the third condensate header, wherein the first condensate header, the second condensate header, the third condensate header, and the fourth condensate header are substantially horizontal;

a shroud that houses a single fan, the single fan positioned to create a draft to flow over the first condenser bundle, over the second condenser bundle, over the third condenser bundle, and over the fourth condenser bundle; and

a support frame that supports the first, second, third, and fourth condenser bundles.