Special requirements with circulating water pipes at power plants

Rodríguez Fernández, Ángel

Most of the thermal power plants are cooled with water. This water can be interchanged between a condenser and the sea, a river, a lake, a cooling tower, etc. But always there must be pipes that connect the steam turbine condenser with the place where the water is cooled. There are some special requirements to be considered when those pipes are designed and supported. Those pipes vary according to the quality of the cooling water (sea water, fresh water), the required water flow, the plant configuration, the pipe routing, above ground, below ground, under the sea, etc. The presentation shows the different type of circulating pipes, and the main special requirements to be fulfilled when the pipes are designed and supported.