Evaluasi Tubes Plugging terhadap Kinerja Kondensor PLTU Adipala

Eri Prabowo (Institut Teknologi Perusahaan Listrik Negara (ITPLN))
Trassanda Scudetto Widestomo Putra (Institut Teknologi Perusahaan Listrik Negara (ITPLN))
Arash (Institut Teknologi Perusahaan Listrik Negara (ITPLN))

Jurnal Teknik Mesin
Vol 2 No 2 (2026)

This study evaluates the effect of tubes plugging on the condenser performance of Unit 1 at PLTU Adipala 1x660 MW. The analysis used operating data before plugging on 26 October 2017, 26 October 2018, and 29 November 2018, and after plugging on 29 October 2017, 2 November 2018, and 9 February 2019. Condenser performance was assessed using logarithmic mean temperature difference (LMTD), temperature rise (TR), heat-transfer area, heat load, and overall heat-transfer coefficient (U). The results show that after the third plugging condition, LMTD decreased to 7.413 °C in condenser A and 8.145 °C in condenser B, while TR decreased to 9.855 °C and 8.716 °C, respectively. Although U increased to 29.893 kW/m².°C in condenser A and 23.732 kW/m².°C in condenser B, the increase was associated with higher cooling-water flow demand and reduced active heat-transfer area. The findings indicate that tubes plugging is effective as short-term leakage mitigation, but increasing plug quantity reduces condenser heat-transfer capacity and requires monitoring of cooling-water flow, fouling, and condenser vacuum.