What does a condenser do in a power plant?

• A. Condenses steam leaving the turbines to liquid water.
• B. Produces steam for the turbine.
• C. Heats the primary coolant.
• D. Stores heat energy.

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that the condenser acts as a heat exchanger that removes the remaining heat from the steam after it leaves the turbine and turns that steam back into liquid water. By condensing the exhaust steam at a low pressure, the turbine sees a relatively low back pressure, which helps keep the cycle efficient and allows more work to be extracted from the steam. The resulting condensate is then returned to the feedwater system to be reheated and turned back into steam, closing the cycle. The cooling medium (such as cooling water) carries away the latent heat absorbed by the steam. This function is distinct from generating steam, heating the primary coolant, or storing heat energy, which are not responsibilities of the condenser.