Effect of Wind on Air-Cooled Condenser Performance

This paper documents the results of a field tests to determine the effect of wind on the performance of air-cooled condensers (ACCs) at power plants. Continuous measurements of wind speed, wind direction, cell inlet temperature and air flow and plant operating variables were made for several days at the El Dorado Energy Center. ACC performance was shown to be affected both by hot air recirculation and by fan performance degradation. Average recirculation, defined as the difference between the average cell inlet temperature and the far-field inlet temperature, was usually less than 3 °F. Occasional excursions to 4 to 10 °F were noted. Fan performance degradation is more difficult to quantify or generalize. Under low wind conditions this was typically close to the design value. The reduction in air flow, estimated from inlet velocity measurements would sometimes exceed 60 to 70% of the average flow in cells near the edge of the ACC during high wind conditions. Fan performance degradation appears to be the more important mechanism. Comparisons with flow modeling results support design recommendations for suppressing unfavorable flow patterns under the ACC.