HEAT EXCHANGER APPLICATIONSDOE-HDBK-1018/1-93Heat ExchangersBecause air is such a poor conductor of heat, the heat transfer area between the metal of theradiator and the air must be maximized. This is done by using fins on the outside of the tubes.The fins improve the efficiency of a heat exchanger and are commonly found on most liquid-to-air heat exchangers and in some high efficiency liquid-to-liquid heat exchangers. AirConditionerEvaporatorand CondenserAll air conditioning systems contain at least two heat exchangers, usually called the evaporatorand the condenser. In either case, evaporator or condenser, the refrigerant flows into the heatexchanger and transfers heat, either gaining or releasing it to the cooling medium. Commonly,the cooling medium is air or water. In the case of the condenser, the hot, high pressurerefrigerant gas must be condensed to a subcooled liquid.The condenser accomplishes this by cooling the gas, transferring its heat to either air or water.The cooled gas then condenses into a liquid. In the evaporator, the subcooled refrigerant flowsinto the heat exchanger, but the heat flow is reversed, with the relatively cool refrigerantabsorbing heat from the hotter air flowing on the outside of the tubes. This cools the air andboils the refrigerant.LargeSteamSystemCondensersThe steam condenser, shown in Figure 9, is a major component of the steam cycle in powergeneration facilities. It is a closed space into which the steam exits the turbine and is forced togive up its latent heat of vaporization. It is a necessary component of the steam cycle for tworeasons. One, it converts the used steam back into water for return to the steam generator orboiler as feedwater. This lowers the operational cost of the plant by allowing the clean andtreated condensate to be reused, and it is far easier to pump a liquid than steam. Two, itincreases the cycle's efficiency by allowing the cycle to operate with the largest possible delta-T and delta-P between the source (boiler) and the heat sink (condenser).Because condensation is taking place, the term latent heat of condensation is used instead oflatent heat of vaporization. The steam's latent heat of condensation is passed to the waterflowing through the tubes of the condenser.After the steam condenses, the saturated liquid continues to transfer heat to the cooling wateras it falls to the bottom of the condenser, or hotwell. This is called subcooling, and a certainamount is desirable. A few degrees subcooling prevents condensate pump cavitation. Thedifference between the saturation temperature for the existing condenser vacuum and thetemperature of the condensate is termed condensate depression. This is expressed as a numberof degrees condensate depression or degrees subcooled. Excessive condensate depressiondecreases the operating efficiency of the plant because the subcooled condensate must bereheated in the boiler, which in turn requires more heat from the reactor, fossil fuel, or other heatsource.ME-02Rev. 0Page 14
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