Thermal power plant in Lome Port

Noise emissions from air-cooled condenser

In projects where cooling is required and there is no water available to condense the steam from the turbines, ESINDUS supplies air-cooled condensers that allow dry cooling. These condensers can however be a source of acoustic disturbance requiring specific acoustic treatment.

In a thermal power plant in Lome Port (Togo), it was found that the connection duct between the turbine and the air condenser was emitting noise levels that exceeded project requirements. 
Indeed, the 65 MW power plant required sound pressure levels not exceeding 85 dB(A) at a distance of 1 m from the duct and < 50 dB(A) at a distance of 80 meters from the property boundary.

An acoustic study carried out by ISOVER, on behalf of ESINDUS

ESINDUS, designer and manufacturer of air cooled condensers for power plants, approached ISOVER for the first time for an acoustic study to incorporate an acoustic solution that, installed around the duct, would reduce sound pressure levels at the indicated points and meet the project requirements. The diameter of the duct is 2,000 mm and its approximate length is 70 meters. 

ISOVER came to the rescue and designed an acoustic insulation solution based on TECH WIRED MAT MT 5.1, a mass layer and an external metallic cladding, successfully achieving insertion loss values of more than 25 dB. 

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How do air-cooled condensers work?

Air-cooled condensers are designed for each project to maximise efficiency and minimise operating costs. The way this works? The steam flows from the turbine through ducts until it reaches the condenser tube bundles where it condenses and is collected by gravity in a specially designed tank.

The start of a successful collaboration

This first collaboration between ISOVER and ESINDUS was a success, from the engineering developments up to the assembly of the designed acoustic solution.

And so the partnership between the two companies continues. We have worked with ESINDUS on acoustic insulation solutions for the connection ducts of air-cooled condensers in another 5 projects, and look forward to providing further joint solutions.