U.S. patent application number 13/393395 was filed with the patent office on 2012-06-28 for air condenser.
This patent application is currently assigned to GEA Energietechnik GmbH. Invention is credited to Alexander Scholz.
Application Number | 20120160464 13/393395 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43525174 |
Filed Date | 2012-06-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120160464 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Scholz; Alexander |
June 28, 2012 |
AIR CONDENSER
Abstract
An air condenser with upward oriented tube bundles for
condensing steam, wherein the tube bundles form sidewalls of a cell
in form of a circumferentially closed, vertically extending
polygon, wherein a fan is arranged above the polygon. Two of the
circumferential sidewalls of the cell are formed by tube bundles,
wherein these sidewalls enclose an angle smaller than 90.degree.
and wherein the at least one further side wall is impermeable to
air.
Inventors: |
Scholz; Alexander;
(Dinslaken, DE) |
Assignee: |
GEA Energietechnik GmbH
Bochum
DE
|
Family ID: |
43525174 |
Appl. No.: |
13/393395 |
Filed: |
September 1, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
September 1, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB2010/002789 |
371 Date: |
February 29, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/121 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28D 1/05316 20130101;
F28B 1/06 20130101; F28B 9/02 20130101; F28D 2001/0266 20130101;
F28B 7/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/121 |
International
Class: |
F28F 13/12 20060101
F28F013/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 1, 2009 |
DE |
10 2009 039 542.3 |
Claims
1.-11. (canceled)
12. An air condenser comprising: a plurality of cells arranged to
establish two horizontal rows in parallel side-by-side
relationship, each said cell configured as a circumferentially
closed, vertically extending polygon defined by sidewalls, wherein
two of the sidewalls enclose an angle of less than 90.degree. and
are formed by upward oriented tube bundles for condensing steam and
thereby define outer sides of the rows, and wherein further
sidewalls are configured to be impermeable to air and face one
another; and a fan arranged above the polygon.
13. The air condenser of claim 12, wherein each of the cells is
mirror symmetrical but not rotationally symmetric with regard to a
vertical plane of symmetry which intersects the cells.
14. The air condenser of claim 12, wherein the two sidewalls formed
by the tube bundles have a same length, and the further sidewalls
have a same length, said cells being configured deltoid-shaped and
defined by two pairs of said sidewalls, wherein one of the two
pairs is formed by the two sidewalls formed by the tube bundles and
the other one of the two pairs is formed by the further
sidewalls.
15. The air condenser of claim 12, wherein the tube bundles have
confronting ends, with one of the further sidewalls being arranged
between the ends and extending over a circumferential region which
is smaller than one of the tube bundles.
16. The air condenser of claim 12, wherein the angle defined
between the two sidewalls formed by the tube bundles is smaller
than an angle defined between the further sidewalls.
17. The air condenser of claim 12, wherein each cell has a cross
section in the shape of a trapeze, said tube bundles having legs
extending at an angle of less than 90.degree. to one another, said
further sidewalls forming parallel base sides of the trapeze.
18. The air condenser of claim 12, wherein the tube bundles have
spaced-apart ends which are interconnected by the further
sidewalls, said further sidewalls being arranged in a V or U-shaped
configuration.
19. The air condenser of claim 12, wherein the cells delimit a
straight cylinder space when arranged stacked on top of one
another, said fan being arranged above the cylinder space.
20. The air condenser of claim 12, further comprising a steam
manifold arranged between the parallel rows of cells.
21. The air condenser of claim 12, further comprising a steam
manifold which extends above the cells.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to an air condenser with the features
set forth in the preamble of patent claim 1.
[0002] Air-cooled condensers serve for the direct condensation of
exhaust steams, in particular of turbine steam. They can be
regarded as a special application of air-cooled heat exchangers,
which serve for the cooling of fluids in various processes of the
chemical, petrochemical and power generating industry by means of
ambient air. The used heat exchangers essentially include heat
exchanger tubes, which because of the poor thermal conductivity of
air are provided with fins on the outside to facilitate heat
transfer. Multiple of these tubes provided with fins, are combined
to so-called tube bundles which, in planar construction, are
exposed to a cooling air stream. The cooling medium air is advanced
through the heat exchanger bundles by means of ventilators in an
aspirating or pushing arrangement.
[0003] Oftentimes, the heat exchanger bundles are arranged
roof-shaped above the cooling air ventilators. In order to
guarantee air supply at the lowest possible pressure losses, the
heat exchanger bundles which are arranged roof-shaped, and the
ventilators which are arranged underneath, are together supported
by a support structure. The turbine exhaust steam to be condensed
is conducted through an exhaust steam duct and the adjoining upper
steam distributor ducts into the fin tubes. The constructional
effort for the support construction is not insignificant.
[0004] Beside the roof-shaped construction, the state of the art
also includes air condensers in which tube bundles extend
vertically and form a closed sheath of a polygon (EP 1 710 524 A1).
Such a polygon requires less space, because an elaborate support
structure is not needed. A disadvantage is however, that when
doubling of the cooling capacity is desired, the for example
hexagonally configured cells cannot be mounted in a space saving
manner directly adjacent to one another, because in this case the
two abutting sidewalls would cover one another and thus prevent
aspiration of air through the heat exchangers that are arranged in
these sidewalls. In a serial arrangement with for example three
hexagonal cells, the opposing heat exchanger elements of the middle
cell would be covered and of course also those of the neighboring
cells. Even more unfavorable is a honeycombed, i.e. staggered,
arrangement of three hexagonal heat exchanger elements, because in
this case even more side surfaces would block one another. Even in
the case of two adjacently extending rows of hexagonal cells, which
only contact each other at their tips, only relatively small
spaces, which lack a sufficient cross sectional surface for
adequate air supply, remain between the cells. In order to enlarge
the spaces, the distance between mutually parallel extending rows
would have to be increased, which in turn requires more
installation surface.
[0005] Based on the foregoing, the invention is based on the object
to provide an air condenser which in modular construction can also
be extended for higher cooling capacities, i.e. is easily scalable,
which however, does not require an elaborate steel construction for
supporting the tube bundles.
[0006] This object is solved by an air condenser with the features
of patent claim 1.
[0007] The sub claims relate to advantageous refinements of the
invention.
[0008] First, the air condenser according to the invention is
characterized by upwards oriented tube bundles for condensing
steam. The tube bundles form sidewalls of a cell in the form of a
circumferentially closed, upwards, i.e. vertically extending
polygon, wherein the polygon itself lies in a horizontal plane.
This polygon, which is configured with tube bundles as sidewalls,
is provided with a fan which is arranged above the polygon in a
manner so as to aspirate cooling air. In the air condenser
according to the invention, two of the circumferential sidewalls of
the cell are formed by tube bundles, while the at least one further
sidewall is impermeable to air. The sidewalls formed by the tube
bundles form an angle of 90.degree. with one another.
[0009] This construction purposely provides for not using more than
two sidewalls for the heat exchange, while the remaining sidewalls
are closed, in order to seal the space enclosed by the cell so that
cooling air is aspirated by the fan exclusively through the tube
bundles. This allows combining multiple cells having this
configuration, in a space-saving manner without blocking one
another or delimiting a too narrow air intake space outside the
cells.
[0010] The basic shape of such a cell is the triangle or a straight
cylindrical hollow space with a triangular base area, respectively.
Generally, it is assumed that such an air condenser is installed on
a solid floor surface, so that an arrangement of the air condenser
close to the ground obviates an elaborate support structure, as it
is required for air condensers which are arranged roof-shaped.
[0011] The sidewalls formed by the tube bundles can well be longer
than the at least one sidewall, which interconnects the spaced
apart ends of the tube bundles. This results in a non-isosceles
triangle. When multiple air-impermeable sidewalls are provided,
these extend either between the confronting ends of the tube
bundles or between the ends of the tube bundles which face away
from each other.
[0012] A further basic shape is represented by deltoid cells. A
deltoid, which is also referred to as kite quadrilateral, is a flat
quadrilateral with two pairs of adjacent sides of equal lengths.
Within the context of the invention, this means the convex shape of
the deltoid. Applied to the invention this means that the tube
bundles are one of two pairs of sidewalls of equal lengths, wherein
the other pair of mutually adjacent sidewalls is formed by the
air-impermeable sidewalls.
[0013] The strict deltoid shape can be interrupted by arranging a
very narrow sidewall between the mutually adjacent ends of the tube
bundles. Narrow in this context means that the sidewall extends
over a much smaller circumferential region of the cell than one of
the neighboring tube bundles, thus creating a pentagon.
[0014] Similar as in a triangle-shaped or deltoid-shaped cell, the
basic shape of the pentagonal cell is configured mirror-symmetrical
with regard to a vertical plane of symmetry intersecting the cell,
however not rotationally symmetric. This means that due to the
different lengths sidewalls, the basic shape of the cell cannot be
projected onto itself when rotated by an angle different from
360.degree.. This also has the consequence that the angle enclosed
by the tube bundles is smaller than the angle enclosed by the
air-impermeable sides. This means the inner angle of the cell
enclosed by the directly adjacent tube bundles. Enclosed angle
however, also means the angle which results when a narrow
air-impermeable sidewall is further arranged between the mutually
adjacent ends of the tube bundles.
[0015] As an alternative to deltoid-shaped cells it is also
conceivable, that the basic shape of the cell is trapeze-shaped.
This means that the tube bundles which form an angle smaller than
90.degree. with each other, form legs of the trapeze, while the
further air-impermeable sidewalls form the mutually parallel base
sides of the trapeze. Naturally, in this geometry the longer base
side is the one which extends between the ends of the mutually
distally positioned tube bundles. The other base side, which
extends parallel to the first base side, is significantly shorter
corresponding to the angular position of the tube bundles. The
trapeze-shaped cell is a special form of the triangle-shaped
cell.
[0016] In a further embodiment of a triangle-shaped or also
trapeze-shaped cell, the ends of the spaced apart positioned tube
bundles, are connected to one another by sidewalls which are
arranged U-shaped. U-shaped in this context means that the sidewall
does not extend in a straight line from the one tube bundle to the
other tube bundle, but rather has an arched course, however, in
particular is angled two-fold, resulting in a U-shaped course when
viewing the cell from the top. In this case, the cell has quasi a
triangle- or trapeze-shaped part, whose sidewalls are formed by the
tube bundles, and a rectangle-shaped part which is formed by the
air-impermeable sidewalls. Of course, no closed intermediate wall
is present between the triangle-shaped and the rectangle-shaped
region.
[0017] Within the context of the invention it is well possible to
provide sidewalls which are angled once or multiple times instead
of the U-shaped form, wherein a single angled portion corresponds
to a V-shape and thus a deltoid base structure, and multiple angled
portions in the extreme case lead to a semi-circle or arched
course.
[0018] In the context of the invention it is possible to arrange
multiple cells configured in this manner atop one another, thereby
delimiting a straight cylinder space above which a fan can be
placed. Because the fans are limited in their capacity to the
maximum inner circle of the cylinder space, additional fans may be
required. Additional fans can be arranged in the sidewalls
previously referred to as air-impermeable, which means in a right
angle relative to the head-side fan at the upper end of the
cylinder space.
[0019] As an alternative to the stacked arrangement it is regarded
particularly advantageous, when multiple cells are combined to form
an arrangement in which two rows are arranged horizontally adjacent
to one another and extend parallel to one another, and in which the
air-impermeable sidewalls are arranged so as to face one another
and the sidewalls which are formed by the tube bundles form the
outside of the rows. Here, the particular advantages of the
invention that the tube bundles do not block one another come to
bear. The triangle cells, trapeze cells and deltoid cells can be
arranged in one row without any impediment to airflow as well as in
two rows, also referred to as in blocks, with the cells again not
interfering with each other with regard to the air intake
space.
[0020] This possibility to position the individual cells next to
one another in a space-saving manner results in the advantage to
install the scalable air condensers according to the invention also
in the case of higher cooling capacity without loss of performance.
In a standardized construction, the individual cells require no
modification. In particular, in contrast to the state of the art,
no heat exchanger surfaces are lost in the arrangement in
blocks.
[0021] Trapeze-shaped cells allow neighboring, confronting
sidewalls to be in such close proximity to one another that one of
the rear-side sidewalls can be omitted. In any case, however, one
sidewall is retained, so that in a direct back-to-back arrangement
no cooling air is aspirated by the fans of one of the
trapeze-shaped cells through the heat exchangers of the other
trapeze-shaped cell. Instead of being combined into a hexagonal
cell, two trapeze-shaped cells thus remain trapeze-shaped in their
layout.
[0022] When rows of cells which extending parallel to one another
are provided, the steam manifold, which supplies the steam which is
to be condensed, is arranged between the rows, so that junctions
which branch off from both sides of the steam manifold can be
guided to the top sides of the tube bundles. The steam enters into
the tube bundles from above. The condensate which is generated in
the tube bundles, drains downwards and is discharged via condensate
collecting mains.
[0023] The supporting structure of the tube bundles and the
sidewalls is configured so that the steam manifold is supported as
well. This applies to triangle-shaped and trapeze-shaped cells, as
well as to the cells with a deltoid-shaped cross section, which
substantially form a stable support with their sidewalls which abut
one another at their edges in back-to-back arrangement, exactly at
the site where the heavy steam manifold extends. This allows for
significant savings with regard to the support structure. Overall,
less tonnage has to be moved, which allows realizing the
installation of the entire air condenser in a more cost
efficient-manner. Depending on the dimensioning, it may be
necessary to support the main exhaust steam duct by a separate
steel structure or concrete supports.
[0024] In any way, the new construction is especially economical
compared to previous constructions. Especially compared to the
roof-type construction, significant savings can be achieved in
air-cooled condensers with regard to material costs and
installation costs. The cost saving is primarily due to the fact
that the heat exchanger bundles are mounted on a steel construction
or concrete support, which are horizontally arranged on the ground.
The ventilation system which includes the fan, engine and the
raceway which surrounds the fan, can be configured in a similar
manner as in wet cooling towers which are configured in cell-type
construction, wherein an inspection and maintenance of the
ventilation system can occur through a bridge which hangs
underneath the fan and is made in particular of glass
fiber-reinforced plastics.
[0025] Individual cells are accessed via a door arranged in the
tip. A tip means for example the region between two adjacent ends
of the condenser. Because a door is preferably located at this
position, the adjacent ends of the air condensers do not directly
border one another, but are connected to one another via a narrow
sidewall, which is not significantly wider than the door.
[0026] It is further regarded as particularly economical, when the
main supply of cells which are connected in series and arranged
parallel to one another, takes place by a steam manifold which
extends between the cells. The individual cells are each supplied
via two respective ducts with one Y-branch duct and two junctions
per cell, wherein each of these junctions leads to one respective
tube bundle.
[0027] Moreover, savings also result in the region of the steam
exhaust line. Steam exhaust duct means the duct between a turbine
and a steam manifold. In a roof-type construction, the steam
manifolds are arranged above the heat exchanger. Because of the
small height in triangle cells, trapeze cells, kite cells or also
in cells stacked upon one another, the steam exhaust duct does no
longer have to be led to such a height as it is required in heat
exchangers which are arranged roof-shaped. This results in a
further reduction of material costs with regard to the steam
exhaust duct.
[0028] As a result of the substantial reduction of material costs,
installation costs are also significantly reduced, because less
material has to be moved. A decreased construction height also
means that smaller cranes can be used, that scaffolds and safety
devices are not needed or can be reduced, and that installation can
take place with means used in residential construction. Moreover, a
parallel mounting is possible, allowing to shorten construction
time.
[0029] In the following, the invention is explained in more detail
by way of an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings. It is
shown in:
[0030] FIG. 1 a schematic three dimensional representation of an
air condenser with a trapeze shaped cross section;
[0031] FIG. 2 a schematic three dimensional representation of an
air condenser with a triangle shaped cross section;
[0032] FIG. 3 a plan view onto a deltoid shaped air condenser;
[0033] FIGS. 4 to 8 each a plan view on air condensers with
different cross sections;
[0034] FIG. 9 a plan view on air condensers arranged in series;
[0035] FIG. 10 a plan view on deltoid shaped air condensers
arranged in series;
[0036] FIG. 11 a plan view on a dual-row, block arrangement of
trapeze shaped air condensers;
[0037] FIG. 12 a plan view on two rows of adjacently arranged
deltoid shaped air condensers;
[0038] FIG. 13 a possible arrangement of multiple rows of trapeze
shaped air condensers;
[0039] FIG. 14 a simplified perspective representation of air
condensers stacked atop one another;
[0040] FIG. 15 a further schematic representation of air condensers
arranged atop one another and stacked with associated steam
distribution line, and
[0041] FIG. 16 a plan view on the supporting structure of deltoid
shaped air condensers arranged in blocks.
[0042] FIG. 1 shows an air condenser 1 in a highly simplified and
purely schematic representation which in cross section has a
trapeze-shaped base area. Multiple of these air condensers 1 can be
arranged adjacent to one another and as a result form a larger
unit, which is then also referred to as air condenser. In this
case, the individual unit shown in FIG. 1 is referred to as cell
2.
[0043] The shown cell 2 has vertically extending sidewalls. The
sidewall 3 facing the viewer or the sidewall 4 positioned left in
the image plane is formed by the not further shown tube bundles.
The rearward sidewall 5, like the face-side sidewall 6, is closed.
From the inside of cell 2, air can be exhausted upwards by
aspiration through a fan 7, of which only the fan opening is shown.
This causes cold ambient air to flow through the tube bundles or
the sidewalls 3, 4, respectively, into the inside of cell 2. Steam
which is conducted into the tube bundles of the sidewalls 3, 4 from
above, condenses and can be conducted away via a not further shown
condensate collecting main underneath the tube bundles. With the
exception of the fan opening, the top side 8 of the cell 2 is
closed, so that air can be aspirated exclusively through the tube
bundles.
[0044] In the following, the reference signs introduced in FIG. 1
are retained for all further cell types.
[0045] The embodiment of FIG. 2 differs from the one of FIG. 1
merely in that the front sidewall 6 is not present. The basic shape
of cell 2 is thus triangular. Correspondingly, the internal space
of cell 2 is wedge-shaped.
[0046] FIG. 3 provides for a modification of the triangular- or
trapeze-shaped cells 2, as they are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. From
this plan view it can be seen that it is a deltoid-shaped cell. The
deltoid-shaped cell 2, like the triangle- or trapeze-shaped cell 2,
again has two front sidewalls 3, 4 in which the tube bundles are
arranged. Located in the tip between the front sidewalls 3, 4 is a
narrow sidewall 6, as in the trapeze-shaped configuration of FIG.
1. Relevant is the difference on the rear side of cell 2. Instead
of a single sidewall, three closed sidewalls 5, 9, 10 are now
provided. The sidewalls 5, 9 of the deltoid-shaped cell 2 are
closed and form a greater enclosed angle with one another than the
sidewalls 3, 4 of the tube bundles. The closed sidewalls 5, 9,
however, do not abut each other pointedly, but rather are connected
to one another via a further sidewall 10, which extends parallel to
the front sidewall 6 between the tube bundles. In the sidewalls 6,
10 in the tips for example doors can be arranged for maintenance
work.
[0047] A significant difference compared to the embodiments of
FIGS. 1 and 2 is, that the fan opening in this type of construction
is shifted further backwards towards the closed sidewalls 5, 9 and
lies only partially between the front sidewalls 3, 4 or the tube
bundles, respectively. This allows realizing greater fan diameters
with regard to the total surface of the top side 8. On the other
hand, smaller cells 2 can be used with regard to the base area at
constant fan diameters. In this embodiment, the center M of the fan
7 lies on a straight line, which extends between the rear ends 11,
12 of the sidewalls 3, 4 or the tube bundles, respectively, which
rear ends face away from each other.
[0048] FIGS. 4 to 8 show different variants of possible cross
sectional shapes of the individual cells. Common to all
constructions is that the front sidewalls 3, 4 i.e. the tube
bundles, form an angle W with one another, which is smaller than
90.degree.. This also applies when the sidewalls 3, 4 are not
directly adjacent to one another as in the triangular cell
according to FIG. 4, but are connected to one another via a very
narrow face-side sidewall 6, as in the variants of FIGS. 5, 7 and
8.
[0049] While the embodiments of the FIGS. 4 and 5 essentially
correspond to the ones of FIGS. 2 and 1, the variant of FIG. 6 and
the one of FIG. 3 differ in that the sidewalls 6, 10 in the tips
are not present, thus resulting in an exact deltoid or kite
quadrilateral. Moreover, in these variants, in contrast to the
embodiment of FIG. 3, the center M of the fan 7 does not lie
exactly on the connecting line between the rear ends 11, 12 of the
sidewalls 3, 4, but is shifted somewhat in the direction of the
sidewalls 3, 4. The fan opening thus lies to a larger degree
between the tube bundles. A small portion lies outside of the tube
bundles.
[0050] The variant of FIG. 7, in contrast to the one of FIG. 3,
provides for only one front sidewall 6, however no rear sidewall
10. At this position, the sidewalls 5, 9 abut each other pointedly
in an angle W1. However, the angle W1 is still greater than the
angle W between the front sidewalls 3, 4 in which the tube bundles
are arranged.
[0051] The embodiment of FIG. 8 is a combination between a
trapeze-shaped and a rectangle-shaped region. As in the embodiments
of FIGS. 1 to 7, the front region with the sidewalls 3, 4 is formed
by tube bundles, which in turn are interconnected via a narrow
sidewall 6. Extending rearwards, i.e. adjoining the rear ends 11,
12 of the tube bundles, is a sidewall 5 which is substantially
configured U-shaped. The rearward sidewall 5 extends parallel to
the front sidewall 6 and has been shifted further towards the back.
The resulting free space between the sidewall 5 and the rear ends
11, 12 of the tube bundles has been closed via shorter sidewall
sections which are perpendicular to the rearward sidewall 5,
resulting in the U-shape. Accordingly, the deltoid-shaped cell
shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 can be referred to as V-form.
[0052] All shown constructions have in common to be configured
mirror symmetrical with regard to the drawn in axis of symmetry S,
however, because of the different angles W, W1, cannot be projected
onto themselves by rotation about a vertical axis, i.e. they are
not configured rotationally symmetric.
[0053] FIGS. 9 to 12 show different possibilities of arranging
multiple cells to a greater air condenser 1.
[0054] In FIG. 9, the individual cells 2 are configured
trapeze-shaped. The bolder lines symbolize tube bundles 13, 14. The
thin lines represent closed sidewalls 5, 6. FIG. 9 shows, that
multiple of the shown cells 2 can be arranged in series, without
the surfaces of the heat exchanger being covered.
[0055] The same applies to the deltoid-shaped cells 2, as they are
shown in FIG. 10. The comparison between FIGS. 9 and 10 again makes
clear how the fan 7 on the deltoid-shaped cells is shifted to the
rearward region, which is closed by air-impermeable sidewalls 5, 9.
In contrast to the embodiment of FIG. 9, this allows the cells 2 to
move slightly closer together, while the heat exchanger surface
remains the same.
[0056] FIGS. 11 and 12 show possible block set-ups of the air
condensers 1. FIG. 11 uses the cell type shown in FIG. 9. The cells
2 are arranged rearwards and at first sight form hexagons. However,
it is a serial arrangement of purely trapeze-shaped cells 2,
wherein the trapeze-shaped cells 2 are closed by their rearward
sidewalls 5. Air, which is aspirated via fans 7 of the upper row
15, can thus be aspirated only via heat exchangers of the upper row
15, but not via the cells 2 of the lower row 16.
[0057] The same applies to the variant of FIG. 12. There, it can be
recognized that the deltoid-shaped cells of FIG. 10 are arranged in
a block set-up. As a result of the more expansive rearward
sidewalls 5, 9 of the cells 2, the rows 15, 16 are overall wider.
However, in return more installation space is available between the
fans 7, which installation space can be used for guiding a steam
manifold between the fans 7.
[0058] FIG. 13 shows a possible arrangement of multiple rows 15, 16
of trapeze-shaped cells 2. This fanned-out air condenser 1 can be
fed by a central exhaust steam duct. The individual cells 2 do not
interfere with one another during air aspiration. Theoretically,
any desired increase in cooling capacity is possible by extending
the rows.
[0059] FIG. 14 shows a variant in which two cells 2, 17 were placed
in stacked arrangement atop one another. The upper cell 2
corresponds to the construction of FIG. 1 with fan 7 positioned on
top. The lower cell 17 has no fan on its top side, but one in the
rearward sidewall 5. The fan 7 of the lower cell 17 thus is
perpendicular to the fan 7 of the upper cell 2.
[0060] FIG. 15 shows a further variant of stacked cells 2, wherein
for the four cells which are stacked atop one another, overall four
fans 7 are provided, which are arranged in series adjacent to one
another. Only the respective outer fans 7 protrude into the
pointed, trapeze-shaped region of the cells 2. The intermediate
fans 7 lie outside of the lower cells 17, which have an
air-impermeable rear side. The air flows through the not further
shown heat exchanger of the lower cells 17 into the space
underneath the middle fan 7 and is then discharged upwards. A steam
manifold 18 is provided to conduct steam to the cells 2, 17 which
are stacked atop one another. The steam manifold 18 is located at
about half the height of the upper cell 2, wherein respective
junctions 19 lead from the steam manifold to the upper edges of the
not further shown tube bundles of the cells 2, 17.
[0061] Finally, FIG. 16 shows a plan view on the supporting steel
structure of an air condenser 1, similar to the construction in
FIG. 12. The individual cells 2 are supported by a support
structure, which in this case is deltoid-shaped corresponding to
the base area of the cell. In this exemplary embodiment it can be
recognized that the steam manifold 18, which is marked in a dashed
line, can be passed exactly between the rearward regions of the
individual cells 2. The steam manifold 18 is located above the top
sides of the cells 2, i.e. also above the fan 7. Transverse to the
respective tube bundles, a junction 19 branches off from the steam
manifold 18, which is shown as an example for two cells 2 in the
lower row 16. The junction 19 can also be referred to as Y-branch
duct, i.e. as duct which bifurcates again. Each junction 20, 21
leading from the bifurcation conducts steam to the top sides of the
shown tube bundles 13, 14. In this case, steam is conducted through
the common junction 19 to the tube bundles 13, 14 of mutually
adjacent cells. Of course, it is also conceivable to provide a
respective junction for each cell 2, wherein the junction 19 in
this case would have to be led around the fan 7. However, the
shortest duct paths result when the junction 19 is passed between
two adjacent cells 2.
REFERENCE SIGNS
[0062] 1 Air condenser [0063] 2 Cell [0064] 3 Sidewall [0065] 4
Sidewall [0066] 5 Sidewall [0067] 6 Sidewall [0068] 7 Fan [0069] 8
Sidewall [0070] 9 Sidewall [0071] 10 Sidewall [0072] 11 End [0073]
12 End [0074] 13 Tube bundle [0075] 14 Tube bundle [0076] 15 Row
[0077] 16 Row [0078] 17 Cell [0079] 18 Steam manifold [0080] 19
Junction [0081] 20 Junction [0082] 21 Junction [0083] M Center
[0084] S Axis of symmetry [0085] W Angle [0086] W1 Angle
* * * * *