BACKGROUND THE STEAM TURBINE IS A UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED APPARATUS UTILIZED TO CONVERT A HEATED GAS (IN THIS CASE STEAM) INTO EITHER MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL ENERGY DEPENDING UPON THE DRIVEN DEVICE.

THIS CONVERTING HEAT/POWER CYCLE REQUIRES STEAM AT AN ELEVATED PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE TO ENTER THE TURBINE WHERE THE INHERENT HEAT ENERGY OF THE STEAM IS CONVERTED INTO ROTATIONAL ENERGY.

THE NORMALLY ACCEPTED HEAT/POWER CYCLE FOR LARGE CAPACITY CENTRAL POWER STATION UNITS REQUIRES THE TURBINE DISCHARGE EXHAUST PRESSURE CONDITION BE AS LOW AS POSSIBLE-HIGH VACUUM.

THE HIGH VACUUM, IS INTENDED TO MAXIMIZE THE REMOVAL OF AVAILABLE ENERGY PER UNIT MASS OF STEAM THEREBY OBTAINING A MAXIMUM THERMODYNAMIC EFFICIENCY FROM THE STEAM TURBINE.

THE EQUIPMENT EMPLOYED AT THE TURBINE EXHAUST MUST EFFECTIVELY CONDENSE THE TURBINE DISCHARGE STEAM FLOW FOR ITS REUSE AS CONDENSATE IN THE HEAT POWER CYCLE. THIS CONDENSER, IS A SHELL AND TUBE HEAT EXCHANGER LOCATED AT THE STEAM EXIT OF THE TURBINE. THE COOLING MEDIUM, EITHER SEA OR FRESH WATER PASSES THROUGH THE TUBES WHILE THE EXITING STEAM CONDENSES WITHIN THE CONDENSER SHELL ON THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF THE TUBES ULTIMATELY FALLING TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CONDENSER (HOTWELL) FOR REUSE IN THE HEAT POWER CYCLE.

TODAY, ACCORDING TO THE POWER PLANT STATE-OF-THE-ART, LARGE POWER STATION UNITS ARE EQUIPPED WITH TWO IDENTICAL LOW PRESSURE DOUBLE FLOW TURBINES WHICH OPERATE IN PARALLEL. IN EFFECT THE LOW PRESSURE STEAM FLOW IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR PARALLEL PARTS EXITING FOUR LAST STAGE TURBINES, AT APPROXIMATELY 300 M/SEC.

AMONG MOST OF THE TURBINE MANUFACTURERS IN THE WORLD LOW PRESSURE TURBINE EXHAUST SHELL DESIGNS ARE INEFFECTIVE, SINCE THE EXISTING DESIGNS PRODUCE AN EXCESSIVE PRESSURE DROP IN THE EXHAUST STEAM FLOW, CAUSED BY OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE STEAM PATH IN COMBINATION WITH A LACK OF PROPER STEAM DUCTING TO THE CONDENSER WHICH CREATES UNDESIRABLE SWIRLING AND A DECREASE IN SYSTEM EFFICIENCY.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION THE PROCESS DESCRIBED HEREIN (FIG. 1/2, FIG. 2/2) IS DESIGNED TO INCREASE THE POWER OUTPUT OF THE STEAM TURBINE BY RECOVERING THE KINETIC ENERGY OF THE TURBINE HIGH VELOCITY EXHAUST STEAM 4 IN COMBINATION WITH A COUNTER CURRENT HEAT EXCHANGER 16 USING SEA WATER OR FRESH WATER AS COOLING MEDIUM.

THE PROPOSED PROCESS, REQUIRES TURBINE HIGH VELOCITY EXHAUST STEAM 4 AND CONTINUA COLD RECIRCULATED CONDENSATE SUPPLY 5 TO COLLIDE WITH CONDENSATE WATER 7.

THE LOW PRESSURE TURBINE EXHAUST HOOD 2 IS THE EXTERIOR ENVELOPE OF THE LOW PRESSURE TURBINE SHELL. ITS FUNCTION IS TO CONTAIN LOW PRESSURE STEAM DISCHARGING FROM THE LAST STAGE TURBINE BLADING FOR TRANSPORT TO THE CONDENSER.

TO ASSURE MINIMUM LOSSES IN THE TURBINE EXHAUST HOOD 2 MULTIPLE DIFFUSERS 3 MUST BE INTRODUCED BETWEEN THE LAST TURBINE STAGE BLADING 1 AND THE"WATER COLUMNS"7 PROPER VERY MODERATE DIFFUSERS DESIGN WILL RETAIN THE STEAM VELOCITY IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO IMPACT WITH THE"WATER COLUMNS".

THE TECHNOLOGY TO INCLUDE DIFFUSERS BETWEEN THE LAST STAGE BLADING OF THE TURBINE AND THE CONDENSERS IS KNOWN, BUT WAS NOT IMPLEMENTED TO DATE FOR DIFFERENT REASONS SUCH AS TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS AT THE END OF THE DIFFUSERS ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE CONDENSER, PRODUCE INSTABILITY AT THE LAST STAGE OF THE TURBINE.

USUALLY, IN THE DESIGN OF POWER STATIONS, THE PURPOSE OF DIFFUSING, IS TO TRANSFORM VELOCITY IN TO PRESSURE. IN THIS INVENTION THE INTENTION OF DIFFUSING IS TO RETAIN STEAM VELOCITY, WITHOUT INCREASE IN PRESSURE, TOWARD IMPACT WITH THE"WATER COLUMNS".

THE CONDENSATE WATER IS ACCOMMODATED IN A"CONDENSATE WATER VESSEL" 8 WHICH IS IN FACT A BIG HOTWELL.

THE END OF THE DIFFUSERS ARE IMMERSED SUFFICIENTLY IN THE"CONDENSATE WATER"TOBE CONSIDERED AS THE PRINCIPAL COMPONENT OF THE"WATER COLUMNS"7.

THE MIXED FLOW OF THE HIGH VELOCITY EXHAUST STEAM TURBINE AND THE RECIRCULATED CONDENSATE WATER IN THE"END OF THE DIFFUSERS"AND THE CONDENSATE WATER IN THE"CONDENSATE WATER VESSEL"CREATE A SERIES OF "WATER COLUMNS". THE"WATER COLUMNS"RECEIVE, COMPRESS AND CONDENSE THE TURBINE HIGH VELOCITY EXHAUST STEAM AND THE TWO PHASE FLOW ASSURES A HIGHER"STAGNATION PRESSURE"WHICH PRODUCES A HIGHER INCREASE OF COMPRESSION.

TEMPERATURES MUST BE UNIFORM EVERYWHERE ON TOP 6 OF THE"WATER COLUMNS". THIS IS A NECESSARY CONDITION FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DIFFUSERS.

IN THIS PATENT, INCLUSION OF DIFFUSERS 3 PRODUCES AN INCREASE IN POWER OUTPUT DUE TO A REDUCTION IN EXHAUST HOOD 2 LOSSES, WHILE ASSURING A MAXIMUM VELOCITY OF TURBINE EXHAUST STEAM, BEFORE IMPACT WITH THE "WATER COLUMNS", AND AS A RESULT, A DEEPER COMPRESSION IS ACHIEVED.

IT IS POSSIBLE THE STEAM TOGETHER WITH THE RECIRCULATED COLD CONDENSATE WATER (TWO PHASE FLOW) WILL BE COMPRESSED DURING THE FLOW DUE TO THE LOSS OF VELOCITY, AND CORRESPONDING INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE.

IN THIS EVENT A PORTION OF THE CONDENSATION WILL TAKE PLACE DURING THE MIXED FLOW AND THE OTHER PORTION WILL CONDENSE DURING COLLISION WITH THE"CONDENSATE WATER COLUMNS".

AT THE JUNCTURE POINT 6, INSTANTANEOUS CONDENSATION OCCURS DUE TO A SUDDEN RISE IN VAPOR PRESSURE AND CORRESPONDING INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE.

THE REMAINING VAPOR BUBBLES WHICH DO NOT INSTANTANEOUSLY CONDENSE, WILL ULTIMATELY PENETRATE TO A DEPTH WITHIN THE"CONDENSATE WATER COLUMNS"WHEREVER THE"WATER COLUMNS"SATURATION TEMPERATURE AND HEAD PRESSURE WILL RELATE.

THE FINAL MIXED FLUID TEMPERATURE AT THE BOTTOM 9 OF THE "CONDENSATE WATER VESSEL"WILL REPRESENT THE DEPTH OF COMPRESSION AND THE RISE IN COOLANT TEMPERATURE RESULTING FROM THE REMOVAL OF HEAT OF VAPORIZATION (LATENT HEAT) FROM THE TURBINE EXHAUST STEAM. IT IS EXPECTED THIS CONDENSATE WATER TEMPERATURE FROM VAPOR COMPRESSION WILL AT LEAST 8°C ABOVE THE COLD RECIRCULATING CONDENSATE TEMPERATURE.

THE CONDENSATE WATER FLOW FROM THE"WATER COLUMNS"IS PHYSICALLY RETAINED BY THE CONDENSATE WATER VESSEL 8 WHICH FORCES THE CONDENSATE TO MAINTAIN A MINIMUM REVERSE ELEVATION WHICH VARIES ONLY WITH THE"WATER COLUMNS"HEAD PRESSURE REQUIRED TO PUSH CONDENSATE OVER THE SPILL LEVEL 10 FOR THE"WATER COLUMNS", DIFFUSING THE TURBINE HIGH VELOCITY EXHAUST STEAM IS AN IMPROVEMENT; FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF STEAM DIFFUSING, THE "WATER COLUMNS"IS A VITAL DEVICE.

THE LAMINAR OVER FLOW ALONG THE OUTSIDE WALL OF THE"CONDENSATE WATER VESSEL"INTERIOR, ASSURES EFFICIENT NON-CONDENSIBLES DEGASSING.

NON-CONDENSIBLES ARE EXTRACTED FROM THE UPPER CLOSED SPACE 11 OF THE"CONDENSATE VESSEL"WITH A VACUUM PUMP 12 AND EJECTED TO THE ATMOSPHERE.

THE MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL CONDENSATE WATER 13 IS RECIRCULATED BY THE RECIRCULATION PUMP 15, THROUGH THE"HEAT EXCHANGER". THE HEAT EXCHANGER 16 IS A"COUNTER CURRENT HEAT EXCHANGER", WHICH IS COOLED BY SEA OR FRESH WATER, THIS TYPE OF EQUIPMENT ACHIEVES A SMALL TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE RECIRCULATING CONDENSATE 5 AND THE INLET SEA WATER 17.

THE USE OF A"COUNTER CURRENT HEAT EXCHANGER"IN A POWER PLANT COOLING SYSTEM WHICH INCLUDED A"DIRECT CONTACT CONDENSER"HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN PUBLISHED. HOWEVER THE PUBLISHED APPLICATION HAS NO CONNECTION TO THE INCLUSION AND RESULTANT ADVANTAGES OF THE"COUNTER CURRENT HEAT EXCHANGER"IN COMBINATION WITH THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN THIS INVENTION.

THE TOTAL FLOW RATE OF THE RECIRCULATING CONDENSATE CONSIST OF A FLOW EQUAL TO THE FLOW RATE OF THE COOLING WATER AND THE CONDENSING TURBINE EXHAUST STEAM WHICH IS RETURNED BY THE CONDENSATE PUMP 14 TO THE HEAT POWER CYCLE (THROUGH VARIOUS HEAT EXCHANGERS AND ASSOCIATED BOOSTER PUMPS ULTIMATELY TO THE BOILER WHICH PRODUCES STEAM TO DRIVE THE TURBINES AND GENERATOR 30).

THE STEAM FLOWS FROM THE BOILER 20 TO THE HIGH PRESSURE (HP) TURBINE 22, RETURNS TO BE REHEATED 24 IN THE BOILER AND BACK TO THE INTERMEDIATE PRESSURE (IP) TURBINE 26 AND ACROSS TO THE LOW PRESSURE (LP) TURBINE 28 (FIG. 1/2).

THE COOLED RECIRCULATING CONDENSATE 5 RETURNS TO THE END OF THE DIFFUSERS, WHERE TOGETHER WITH THE EXHAUST STEAM THEY ONCE AGAIN COLLIDE WITH THE"CONDENSATE WATER COLUMNS"AND THE PROCESS IS REPEATED.

THE INTEGRATION OF A"COUNTER CURRENT HEAT EXCHANGER"IN A STEAM POWER STATION COOLING SYSTEM IS WORTHWHILE, IF ONE CAN COMPRESS AND CONDENSE THE TURBINE EXHAUST STEAM, BEFORE THE COOLING HEAT EXCHANGER.

THIS RESULTS IN A CORRESPONDING INCREASE IN VACUUM AT THE TURBINE EXHAUST WHICH IN TURN PRODUCES AN INCREMENTAL INCREASE IN THE ROTATIONAL ENERGY EXTRACTED FROM THE LOW-PRESSURE SECTION OF THE TURBINES.

SINCE ONE OF THE GOALS OF A POWER STATION COOLING SYSTEM IS TO REDUCE THE APPROACH TEMPERATURE BETWEEN THE INLET OF THE COOLING MEDIUM, SEA WATER OR FRESH WATER AND THE TEMPERATURE OF THE EXHAUST STEAM OF THE LOW PRESSURE TURBINE, THIS INVENTION IS THE MOST SUITABLE METHOD TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL.

PRELIMINARY CALCULATIONS INDICATE A NEED TO ADD ONE STAGE TO EACH LAST STAGE SECTION OF THE LOW PRESSURE ROTOR (S) SINCE THE INCREASED EXHAUST SHELL VACUUM SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASES THE STEAM-SPECIFIC VOLUME AND EXITING VELOCITY FROM THE LOW PRESSURE TURBINE LAST STAGE BLADING.

AN ADDITIONAL POSSIBILITY TO IMPROVE THE INVENTION, IS THE ARRANGEMENT TO COMPRESS AND TO CONDENSE IN TWO STAGES THE TURBINE HIGH VELOCITY EXHAUST STEAM, TO ASSURE THAT THE MINIMUM NECESSARY INCREASE IN COMPRESSION IS OBTAINED FOR THE PROCESS TO SUCCEED.

IN"PRESENT DAY"LARGE POWER PLANT DESIGN EMPLOYS TWO IDENTICAL LOW PRESSURE TURBINES IN PARALLEL AND TWO SEPARATE CONDENSER SHELLS WITH COOLING WATER FLOW IN SERIES.

COMPRESSION OF THE TURBINE EXHAUST STEAM MAY BE ACCOMPLISHED AT EACH LOW PRESSURE TURBINE EXHAUST AND THE TOTAL DEPTH OF COMPRESSION WILL BE THE RESULT OF THE SUM OF THE COMPRESSION WITHIN EACH OF THE TWO SHELLS (FIG. 2/2).

THE PROCESS, REQUIRES TURBINE HIGH VELOCITY EXHAUST STEAM 4 FROM TWO IDENTICAL LOW PRESSURE TURBINES AND RECYCLED CONDENSATE 5 TO COLLIDE WITH TWO"CONDENSATE WATER COLUMNS"7 AT THE JUNCTURE POINT 6 INSTANTANEOUS CONDENSATION OCCURS DUE TO A SUDDEN RISE IN VAPOR PRESSURE AND CORRESPONDING INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE. THE FINAL MIXED FLUID TEMPERATURE AT THE BOTTOM 9 OF THE TWO STAGES WILL REPRESENT THE DEPTH OF COMPRESSION AND THE RISE IN COOLANT TEMPERATURE RESULTING FROM THE REMOVAL OF HEAT OF VAPORIZATION (LATENT HEAT) FROM THE TURBINES EXHAUST STEAM.

IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE CONDENSATE TEMPERATURE RISE AT LEAST 4°C, IN THIS"WATER COLUMNS", AS A RESULT OF STEAM COMPRESSION.

AFTERWARDS THE RECIRCULATED CONDENSATE WATER FLOWS BY GRAVITATION FROM THE FIRST STAGE TO THE SECOND ONE, TOWARDS COLLISION WITH THE"WATER COLUMNS". HERE THE SECOND LOW PRESSURE TURBINE HIGH VELOCITY EXHAUST STEAM BY COMPRESSION AND CONDENSATION FURTHER INCREASES THE TEMPERATURE OF THE CONDENSATE IN THE SECOND STAGE BY AN ADDITIONAL AT LEAST 4°C.

THE TEMPERATURE OF THE RECIRCULATING CONDENSATE WATER INCREASES IN EVERY STAGE ACCORDING TO ITS FLOW RATE AND ACCORDING TO THE DEPTH OF COMPRESSION. EXCESS COMPRESSION PERMITS A DECISION TO DECREASE THE CONDENSATE FLOW RATE AND THE COOLING WATER FLOW RATE OR DECREASE THE VELOCITY OF STEAM BEFORE IMPACT WITH THE"WATER COLUMN"WHICH REDUCES THE EXHAUST STEAM TEMPERATURE FROM THE LAST STAGE BLADING.

THE ARRANGEMENT OF"WATER COLUMNS"IS IN PRINCIPLE THE SAME IN EVERY STAGE AND THE SAME AS IN THE FIRST VARIANT.

THE MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL CONDENSATE WATER FROM THE SECOND STAGE IS RECIRCULATED BY THE RECIRCULATION PUMP 15 THROUGH THE"HEAT EXCHANGER"16. THE REMAINING CONDENSATE WATER IS RETURNED BY THE CONDENSATE PUMP 14 TO THE HEAT POWER CYCLE (THROUGH VARIOUS HEAT EXCHANGERS AND ASSOCIATED BOOSTER PUMPS ULTIMATELY TO THE BOILER WHICH PRODUCES STEAM TO DRIVE-THE TURBINES AND GENERATOR).

THE COOLED RECIRCULATING CONDENSATE 5 RETURNS TO THE TOP OF THE "WATER COLUMNS", WHERE TOGETHER WITH THE TURBINE HIGH VELOCITY EXHAUST STEAM THEY ONCE AGAIN COLLIDE WITH THE"CONDENSATE WATER COLUMNS"AND THE PROCESS IS REPEATED.