Steam condensation system

Claim 1

A steam condenser comprising: a stack of elongated ducts, a water manifold at one side of said stack for feeding water in respective streams to said ducts; a steam manifold at said side of said stack for feeding respective flows of steam to said ducts whereby said steam passes through each of said ducts in codirectional flow with the water therein whereby said water is progressively heated by the heat of condensation of the steam as the water and steam flow along said ducts; means including a respective body within each of said ducts progressively constricting the steam flow cross-sections of each of said ducts from the upstream to the downstream ends thereof; a collection manifold on the other side of said stack communicating with each of said ducts for withdrawing water therefrom, each of said ducts being generally of rectangular cross section, horizontal and formed with an upwardly convex curvature; a flap at the downstream end of each of said ducts for limiting flow therefrom into the last-mentioned manifold exclusively to water; and a tube connected to each of said ducts at a downstream end thereof between the respective body and flap for removing gas therefrom.