Condenser classification in steam plants Identify the condenser type in which the circulating water flows inside a bundle of tubes while steam surrounds the outside of those tubes and condenses on their outer surfaces.

Introduction / Context:
Condensers are used in steam power plants to convert exhaust steam back to water (condensate), improving cycle efficiency and enabling feedwater recovery. Two broad types are non-contact (surface) and contact (jet, barometric). Knowing which fluids mix—or do not mix—helps identify the condenser from its flow arrangement.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Steam is on one side; cooling water is on the other, possibly separated by tube walls.
• Flow description: water inside tubes; steam outside around the tube bundle.
• Goal: condense steam without contaminating the condensate.

Concept / Approach:
A surface condenser is a non-mixing heat exchanger. Cooling water flows through tubes; exhaust steam condenses on the outer tube surfaces. Because the two streams are separated by metal walls, the condensate remains essentially pure and can be pumped back as feedwater. Jet or barometric condensers intentionally mix steam and water; evaporative condensers reject heat by partial evaporation to ambient air, not by a closed water circuit.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify whether fluids mix: here, they do not—this implies a surface (non-contact) type.Check flow path: water inside tubes, steam outside around the tube bank.Match the description with textbook configurations: shell-and-tube surface condenser.Conclude that the correct name is a surface condenser.

Verification / Alternative check:
Plant drawings show exhaust steam entering the condenser shell, contacting tube exteriors; circulating water is pumped through the tubes to a cooling tower or river, confirming non-contact operation.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Jet and barometric condensers mix cooling water with steam, contaminating condensate. An evaporative condenser rejects heat to air via evaporation and is typical in refrigeration, not steam-cycle exhaust service. A “contact-mixing condenser” is just a generic term for jet types.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing “barometric” (a jet condenser with a high tailpipe) with “surface.” Assuming any tube bundle automatically means evaporative type.

Final Answer:
surface condenser