Abstract The condensers of steam turbine power plants are operated with cooling water which is, in turn, recooled by wet or dry cooling towers. In case of wet cooling towers, the condensers are of the mixing condenser type. It means that the exhaust steam is condensed by directly contacting the cooling water. Where the steam of such power plants is generated by atomic reactors such as boiling water reactors, the exhaust steam is radioactive and, therefore, must not directly contact the cooling water for reasons of ecology. The employment of surface condensers, on the other hand, in case of wet cooling towers is connected with a series of difficulties. In order to avoid this, it is suggested to employ a steam transformer upstream the low pressure stage of the steam turbine of the power plant. Then, the radioactive steam withdrawing from the high pressure stage of the turbine is condensed on the primary side of the steam transformer while the heat freed by such condensation will generate steam on the other side of the steam transformer from a condensate coming from a condenser. Thus, the secondary steam will not be contaminated by radioactive substances and, therefore, the steam of the low pressure stage of the steam turbine may already be condensed in a mixing condenser.
A steam turbine power plant, wherein water is converted to steam at high pressure by nuclear energy comprising steamgenerating means for utilizing said nuclear energy for said conversion, a high-pressure stage turbine, the outlet of said steam generating means being connected to the inlet of said high pressure stage turbine, a steam transformer having a primary side and a secondary side, the inlet of said primary side being connected to the outlet of said high pressure stage turbine, first pump means connected for transferring condensate froM said primary side to the inlet of said steam-generating means, a lowpressure stage turbine connected at its inlet to the outlet of said secondary side, a mixing condenser connected at an inlet to the outlet of said low-pressure stage turbine, a dry cooling tower connected to said mixing condenser for providing cooled water thereto, and second pump means connected to the outlet of said mixing condenser for recycling condensate from said mixing condenser to the inlet of the secondary side of said steam transformer and for recycling of warmed cooling water to said cooling tower, whereby the passing of radioactive water through said cooling tower may be avoided.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
194 words
A steam turbine power plant, wherein water is converted to steam at high pressure by nuclear energy comprising steamgenerating means for utilizing said nuclear energy for said conversion, a high-pressure stage turbine, the outlet of said steam generating means being connected to the inlet of said high pressure stage turbine, a steam transformer having a primary side and a secondary side, the inlet of said primary side being connected to the outlet of said high pressure stage turbine, first pump means connected for transferring condensate froM said primary side to the inlet of said steam-generating means, a lowpressure stage turbine connected at its inlet to the outlet of said secondary side, a mixing condenser connected at an inlet to the outlet of said low-pressure stage turbine, a dry cooling tower connected to said mixing condenser for providing cooled water thereto, and second pump means connected to the outlet of said mixing condenser for recycling condensate from said mixing condenser to the inlet of the secondary side of said steam transformer and for recycling of warmed cooling water to said cooling tower, whereby the passing of radioactive water through said cooling tower may be avoided.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The steam turbine power plant as defined in claim 1 wherein said high and low pressure stage generators are mounted on the same shaft and radioactive steam traverses said high pressure stage generator.