Condenser for a combined cycle power plant

Abstract

A combined cycle power plant includes a steam turbine section having an inlet section and an outlet section. The steam turbine section passes steam from the inlet section toward the outlet section. The combined cycle power plant also includes a condenser fluidly connected to the outlet section of the steam turbine section. The condenser includes a plurality of heat pipes configured to extract latent heat from steam passing from the steam turbine section to form condensed water.

1 . A combined cycle power plant comprising:
 a steam turbine section including an inlet section and an outlet section, the steam turbine section passing steam from the inlet section toward the outlet section; and   a condenser fluidly connected to the outlet section of the steam turbine section, the condenser including a plurality of heat pipes configured to extract heat from steam passing from the steam turbine section to form condensed water.   
   
   
       2 . The combined cycle power plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the condenser includes a vessel, each of the plurality of heat pipes including a first end portion extending into the vessel and a second end portion projecting out from the vessel. 
   
   
       3 . The combined cycle power plant according to  claim 2 , further comprising: a fan directed at the condenser, the fan directing a forced airflow over the second end portion of each of the plurality of heat pipes. 
   
   
       4 . The combined cycle power plant according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of heat pipes are hermetically sealed heat pipes that include a coolant in at least one of a liquid phase and a vapor phase. 
   
   
       5 . The combined cycle power plant according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of heat pipes includes an external surface and an internal surface, at least a portion of the plurality of heat pipes including a heat conductive coating on the internal surface. 
   
   
       6 . The combined cycle power plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the condenser does not include water as a coolant. 
   
   
       7 . A method of extracting latent heat from a steam flow passing from a steam turbine section, the method comprising:
 passing a steam flow from the steam turbine section;   guiding the steam flow to a condenser having a plurality of heat pipes; and   passing the steam flow over the plurality of heat pipes, the heat pipes absorbing heat from the steam flow to form condensed water.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising: passing the condensed water to a heat recovery steam generator. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising: passing the steam flow into a vessel, each of the plurality of heat pipes including a first end portion extending into the vessel and a second end portion projecting out from the vessel. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: passing a convective airflow over the second end portion of each of the plurality of heat pipes. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein, passing the steam from the steam turbine section comprises extracting steam from a low pressure (LP) steam turbine section. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the heat pipes absorb latent heat from the steam flow. 
   
   
       13 . A condenser fluidly connected to a steam turbine section, the condenser comprising:
 a plurality of heat pipes configured to extract latent heat from steam passing from a steam turbine section to form condensed water.   
   
   
       14 . The condenser according to  claim 13 , wherein the condenser includes a vessel, each of the plurality of heat pipes including a first end portion extending into the vessel that leads to a second end portion projecting out from the vessel. 
   
   
       15 . The condenser according to  claim 14 , further comprising: a fan directed at the condenser, the fan directing a forced airflow over the second end portion of each of the plurality of heat pipes. 
   
   
       16 . The condenser according to  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of heat pipes are hermetically sealed heat pipes that include a coolant in at least one of a liquid phase and a vapor phase. 
   
   
       17 . The condenser according to  claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of heat pipes includes an external surface and an internal surface, at least a portion of the plurality of heat pipes include a heat conductive coating on the internal surface. 
   
   
       18 . The condenser according to  claim 13 , wherein the condenser does not include water as a coolant. 
   
   
       19 . The condenser according to  claim 13 , wherein the condenser is fluidly connected to a heat recovery steam generator.