"Optimizing Power Plant Efficiency: Understanding Main Steam, Condensate, and Feed Water Systems"
Steam Boiler – Condensate and Feed Water System – Principal Components The main steam system in a power plant controls the flow of high temperature, high pressure steam as it moves from a boiler to a turbine and is used to drive a generator. To increase overall plant efficiency, some steam is extracted from the turbine and used to heat the feed water for the boiler. The rest of the steam is exhausted from the turbine to a main condenser. Condensate from the main condenser goes through the condensate system and becomes feed water that returns to the boiler through the feed water system. In this way, the condensate and feed water systems work together to supply water at the proper rate to support normal boiler operation. Because the functions of these two systems are interdependent, they're often considered one system, the condensate and feed water system. To maintain normal operation of a power plant's boiler, the water going into the boiler must be equal to th...