Air cooling system

watersteamindustrial

Information
In thermal power plants, high‑temperature, high‑pressure steam from the boiler drives the steam turbine and is exhausted to the condenser where heat is first removed. Heat transfers to cooling water and the steam condenses to condensate which is returned to the boiler by the feed pump.

Indirect dry cooling system with surface condenser
Exhaust steam enters a surface condenser and transfers heat to a closed cooling water loop. Heated cooling water is pumped to aluminum tube‑fin radiators arranged around the indirect air cooling tower; natural draft ventilates the radiator and lowers the water temperature before it returns to the condenser for the next cycle.

Features

• The radiator uses aluminum tubes with aluminum fins in a vertical arrangement on the outside of the cooling tower.
• Cooling water and condensate circuits are separated, allowing independent water quality control per circuit.
• The circulating water loop is closed and operates with low pump lift and reduced electrical power requirements.

Indirect dry cooling system with mixed condenser
Steam turbine exhaust enters a mixed condenser where it contacts circulating cooling water from the air cooling tower and condenses. Condensate mixes with the cooling water; approximately 2% of the mixed stream is returned to the regenerative/feed system, while the remainder is recirculated to the radiator for cooling.

Features

• Aluminum tube‑fin radiator arranged vertically outside the air cooling tower.
• Compact footprint and lower capital expenditure.
• Hybrid condenser has reduced volume and can be positioned beneath the turbine, shortening exhaust piping and decreasing vacuum system size.

Tube bundle introduction
Tube bundles adopt aluminum tubes with aluminum fins providing:

• High heat transfer efficiency — Pure aluminum tube and fin material gives higher thermal conductivity than steel, improving heat transfer.
• Low air‑side resistance — Optimized open‑seam spoiler geometry enhances heat transfer while minimizing aerodynamic resistance.
• Double‑pass & reverse counter‑flow — Flow arrangement increases overall heat transfer coefficient versus single‑pass cross‑flow designs.
• Corrosion resistance — Stable aluminum oxide surface reduces corrosion risk and avoids bimetallic corrosion issues associated with steel radiators.

Cooling module introduction

• Cooling tube bundle — Basic unit composed of multiple finned tube modules and expansion tube plates; 2–4 bundles form a cooling column of varying height.
• Cooling column — Series connection of tube bundles fixed by bolts and plates; connects top and bottom water chambers to create double‑pass flow. Water chambers are aluminum alloy.
• Cooling delta — Two cooling columns mounted on a triangular steel frame (~50°) create an air passage on the third side; a shutter controls air flow below 0℃ to avoid overcooling.
• Cooling section — Multiple cooling triangles arranged vertically around the natural‑draft tower, grouped with inlet/outlet manifolds, electric valves and discharge valves for modular operation.

Typical Case
Shenhua Xinjiang Zhundong Wucaiwan Power Plant — Unit 1×350 MW, tower height 132 m. Field performance: successful operation after a 168‑hour test (November 2012) and continued operation with minimum ambient temperatures below −35℃ without freezing incidents.

Specifications

• Product name: Indirect Cement Tower Dry Cooling System
• Application: Condenser cooling for thermal power plants (steam turbine exhaust condensation)
• Condenser types: Surface condenser (separate condensate and cooling water) or mixed condenser (condensate mixes with circulating water)
• Radiator material: Aluminum tube with aluminum fin
• Radiator arrangement: Vertical, external to air cooling tower
• Cooling module: Tube bundles → cooling columns → cooling deltas (triangles) → cooling sections
• Circulating water system: Closed loop (surface condenser option) with low pump lift
• Mixed water handling: ~2% returned to regenerative system with mixed condenser
• Design: For natural‑draft cooling towers; compatible with concrete or steel tower structures