How Air Inleakage Impacts Heat Rate and Overall Plant Performance

Heat rate is one of the most closely watched numbers in any power plant's performance program, and air inleakage is one of the quieter ways it gets worse over time.

The Chain Reaction

Non-condensable gas accumulating in the condenser insulates the tube bundle, reducing heat transfer efficiency. That raises condenser pressure, which raises turbine backpressure, which reduces the enthalpy drop available to do work in the last stages of the turbine. The net effect is more fuel burned per megawatt produced.

Compounding Effects

It doesn't stop at heat rate. Vacuum equipment runs harder and wears faster, dissolved oxygen rises and accelerates corrosion, and the added stress on ejectors or vacuum pumps increases the odds of an unplanned outage. What starts as a small efficiency penalty compounds into a maintenance and reliability issue.

Making the Business Case for Testing

A structured plant performance evaluation quantifies where a unit stands against its design heat rate and identifies which losses are recoverable through targeted maintenance. For most units, an air inleakage survey is one of the highest-return items on that list, since sealing a handful of leak points can measurably move the needle on heat rate.

StrongForce combines air inleakage testing with broader plant performance evaluation to help owners prioritize the repairs that actually pay back. Reach out at 833-735-3257 or info@StrongForceInc.com to discuss your unit's performance trends.