Machinery Spaces
Home || Diesel Engines ||Boilers||Feed Systems ||Steam Turbines ||Fuel Treatment ||Pumps ||Refrigeration ||

Function of heat exchangers in a boiler feed system / steam turbines

The gland steam condenser, drains cooler and low-pressure feed heater are all heat exchangers of the shell and tube type. Each is used in some particular way to recover heat from exhaust steam by heating the feedwater which is circulated through the units.

The gland steam condenser collects steam, vapour and air from the turbine gland steam system. These returns are cooled by the circulating feed water and the steam is condensed. The condensate is returned to the system via a loop seal or some form of steam trap and any air present Is discharged into the atmosphere. The feedwater passes through U-tubes within the shell of the unit.

ships machinery spaces
container ships machinery info
The drains cooler receives the exhaust drains from various auxiliary services and condenses them: the condensate is returned to the feed system. The circulating feedwater passes through straight tubes arranged in tube plates in the drains cooler.

Baffles or diaphragm plates are fitted to support the tubes and also direct the flow of the exhaust drains over the outside surface of the tubes

Feed system drains cooler

Fig: Feed system drains cooler


The low-pressure feed heater is supplied with steam usually bled from the low-pressure turbine casing. The circulating feed is heated to assist in the de-aeration process. The bleeding-off of steam from the turbine improves plant thermal efficiency as well as reducing turbine blade heights in the final rows because of the reduced mass of steam flowing. Either straight or U-tube construction may be used with single or multiple passes of feedwater.


Summarized below more guidance for marine feed system:
  1. Open feed system for an auxiliary boiler - how it works
    2. In open feed system for an auxiliary boiler , the exhaust steam from the various services is condensed in the condenser. The condenser is circulated by sea water and may operate at atmospheric pressure or under a small amount of vacuum. The condensate then drains under the action of gravity to the hotwell and feed filter tank....


    More .....

  2. Closed feed system for an auxiliary boiler - operating principle
    3. A closed feed system for a high pressure watertube boiler supplying a main propulsion steam turbine is shown in Figure above. The steam turbine will exhaust into the condenser which will be at a high vacuum.

    More.....

  3. How De-aerator works in a boiler feed system
    4. The de-aerator completes the air and vapour removal process begun in the condenser. The condenser is a heat exchanger which removes the latent heat from exhaust steam so that it condenses and can be pumped back into the boiler

    More .....

  4. Heat exchangers in a boiler feed system /steam turbines
    5. The gland steam condenser, drains cooler and low-pressure feed heater are all heat exchangers of the shell and tube type. Each is used in some particular way to recover heat from exhaust steam by heating the feedwater which is circulated through the units.

    More .....

  5. Auxiliary Feed systems for boilers and steam turbines
    6. Where, for instance, steam-driven deck auxiliaries are in use, a separate auxiliary condenser operating at about atmospheric pressure will condense the incoming steam . An extraction pump will supply the condensate to an air ejector which will return the feedwater to the main system at a point between the gland steam condenser and the drains cooler.....

    More .....

    Boiler feed operation and maintenance
    Extraction pumps should be checked regularly to ensure that the sealing arrangements are preventing air from entering the system. It is usual with most types of glands to permit a slight leakage of water to ensure lubrication of the shaft and the gland.

    More .....

  6. Function of High pressure feed heater
    7. The high-pressure feed heater is a heat exchanger of the shell and tube type which further heats the feedwater before entry to the boiler. Further heat may be added to the feedwater without its becoming steam since its pressure has now been raised by the feed pump.....

    More .....

  7. Sea water circulation of coolers for lubricating oil, piston cooling, jacket water, charge air, turbo-charger
    8. The usual arrangement for motorships has been to have sea-water circulation of coolers for lubricating oil, piston cooling, jacket water, charge air, turbo-charger oil , fuel valve cooling, plus direct sea-water cooling for air compressors and evaporators.....

  8. Feed extraction pump - working procedure
    9. The extraction pump is used to draw water from a condenser which is under vacuum.The pump also provides the pressure to deliver the feed water to the de-aerator or feed pump inlet.

  9. How an air ejector works in a boiler feed system
    10. The air ejector draws out the air and vapours which are released from the condensing steam in the condenser. If the air were not removed from the system it could cause corrosion problems in the boiler. Also, air present in the condenser would affect the condensing process and cause a back pressure in the condenser.....

  10. Function of condenser in a feed system for boiler and steam turbine
    11. The condenser is a heat exchanger which removes the latent heat from exhaust steam so that it condenses and can be pumped back into the boiler. The feed system completes the cycle between boiler and turbine to enable the exhausted steam to return to the boiler as feedwater.




Marine machineries - Useful tags

Marine diesel engines ||Steam generating plant ||Air conditioning system ||Compressed air ||Marine batteries ||Cargo refrigeration ||Centrifugal pump ||Various coolers ||Emergency power supply ||Exhaust gas heat exchangers ||Feed system ||Feed extraction pump || Flow measurement || Four stroke engines || Fuel injector || Fuel oil system || Fuel oil treatment ||Gearboxes || Governor || Marine incinerator || Lub oil filters || MAN B&W engine || Marine condensers || Oily water separator || Overspeed protection devices || Piston & piston rings || Crankshaft deflection || Marine pumps || Various refrigerants || Sewage treatment plant || Propellers || Power Plants || Starting air system || Steam turbines || Steering gear || Sulzer engine || Turbine gearing || Turbochargers || Two stroke engines || UMS operations || Drydocking & major repairs || Critical machinery || Deck machineries & cargo gears || Control and instrumentation ||Fire protection ||Engine room safety ||





Machinery Spaces.com is about working principles, construction and operation of all the machinery items in a ship intended primarily for engineers working on board and those who working ashore . For any remarks please Contact us

Copyright © 2010-2016 Machinery Spaces.com All rights reserved.
Terms and conditions of use
Read our privacy policy|| Home page||