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12thOctober2014

MainTurbineSteamTurbineTheory

MainTurbineSteamTurbineTheory

Aturbine,beingaformofengine,requiresinordertofunctionasuitable
workingfluid,asourceofhighgradeenergyandasinkforlowgradeenergy.
Whenthefluidflowsthroughtheturbine,partoftheenergycontentis
continuouslyextractedandconvertedintousefulmechanicalwork.Steamand
gasturbinesuseheatenergy,whilewaterturbinesusepressureenergy.Forthe
purposeofthispost,thedescription,advantages,principlesandclassification
havebeenrestrictedtothatofsteamturbinesandtheircomponents
only.

SteamturbineasaPrimemover
Thesteamturbineoffersmanyadvantagesoverotherprimemovers,both
thermodynamicallyandmechanically.Froma.thermodynamicpointofview,themain
advantageofthesteamturbineover,sayareciprocatingsteamengineisthatinthe
turbinethesteamcanbeexpandeddowntoalowerbackpressure,therebymaking
availableagreaterheatdrop.Ifareciprocatingsteamengineweretoexpandthe
steamdowntoabackpressureoftheorderofaninchortwoofmercury,thelow
pressurecylinderswouldhavetobeaverylargetodealwiththelargevolumeofsteam
resultingfromthesepressures.Theconstructionofsuchlargecylinderswouldbe
impracticableanduneconomic.Inadditiontheinternalefficiencyoftheturbineishigh
soitisabletoconvertahighproportionofthisrelativelylargeheatdropinto
mechanicalwork.
Fromamechanicalpointofview,theturbineisideal,becausethepropellingforceis
applieddirectlytotherotatingelementofthemachineandhasnotasinthe
reciprocatingenginetobetransmittedthroughasystemofconnectinglinkswhichare
necessarytotransformareciprocatingmotionintoarotarymotion.Hencesincethe
steamturbinepossessesforitsmovingpartsrotatingelementsonlyifthemanufacture
isgoodandthemachineiscorrectlydesigneditoughttobefreefromoutofbalance
forces.
IftheloadOnaturbineiskeptconstantthetorquedevelopedatthecouplingisalso
constant.Ageneratoratasteadyloadoffersaconstanttorque.Therefore,aturbineis
suitablefordrivingagenerator,particularlyastheyarebothhighspeedmachines.
Afurtheradvantageoftheturbineistheabsenceofinternallubrication.Thismeans
thattheexhauststeamisnotcontaminatedwithoilvapourandcanbecondensed
andfedbacktotheboilerswithoutpassingthroughfilters.Italsomeansthattin!cis
considerablesavinginlubricatingoilwhencomparedwithareciprocatingsteamengine
ofequalpower.
Afinaladvantageofthesteamturbineandaveryimportantoneisthefactthat,a
turbinecandevelopmanytimesthepowercomparedtoareciprocatingenginewhether
steamoroil.

OperatingPrinciples
Asteamturbine'stwomainpartsarethecylinderandtherotor.Thecylinder(stator)is
asteelorcastironhousingusuallydividedatthehorizontalcenterline.Itshalvesare
boltedtogetherforeasyaccess.Thecylindercontainsfixedblades,vanes,andnozzles
thatdirectsteamintothemovingbladescarriedbytherotor.Eachfixedbladesetis
mountedindiaphragmslocatedinfrontofeachdiscontherotor,ordirectlyinthe
casing.Adiscanddiaphragmpairaturbinestage.Steamturbinescanhavemany
stages.Therotorisarotatingshaftthatcarriesthemovingbladesontheouteredges
ofeitherdiscsordrums.Thebladesrotateastherotorrevolves.Therotorofalarge
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MainTurbineSteamTurbineTheory

steamturbineconsistsofhigh,intermediate,andlowpressuresections.
Inamultiplestageturbine,steamatahighpressureandhightemperatureentersthe
firstrowoffixedbladesornozzlesthroughaninletvalveorvalves.Asthesteam
passesthroughthefixedbladesornozzlesitexpandsanditsvelocityincreases.The
highvelocityjetofsteamstrikesthefirstsetofmovingblades.Thekineticenergyof
thesteamchangesintomechanicalenergy,causingtheshafttorotate.Thesteamthen
entersthenextsetoffixedbladesandstrikesthenextrowofmovingblades.
Asthesteamflowsthroughtheturbine,itspressureandtemperaturedecreases,while
itsvolumeincreases.Thedecreaseinpressureandtemperatureoccursasthesteam
transmitsenergytotheshaftandperformswork.Afterpassingthroughthelastturbine
stage,thesteamexhaustsintothecondenserorprocesssteamsystem.
Thekineticenergyofthesteamchangesintomechanicalenergythroughtheimpact
(impulse)orreactionofthesteamagainsttheblades.Animpulseturbineusesthe
impactforceofthesteamjetonthebladestoturntheshaft,asimpleimpulsestageis
showninFig.31(A).Steamexpandsasitpassesthroughthenozzles,whereits
pressuredropsanditsvelocityincreases.Asthesteamflowsthroughthemoving
blades,itspressureremainsthesame,butitsvelocitydecreases.Thesteamdoesnot
expandasitflowsthroughthemovingblades.
Asimpleimpulseturbineisnotveryefficientbecauseitdoesnotfullyusethevelocity
ofthesteam.Manyimpulseturbinesarevelocitycompounded.Whichmeansthey
havetwoormoresetsofmovingbladesineachstage.Theextrasetsofmovingblades
makeuseofthehighvelocitysteamleavingthefirstsetofmovingblades.Arowof
fixedbladesbetweenthemovingbladesdirectthesteamintothenextsetofblades.

[http://2.bp.blogspot.com/1RYZbPiz
Sg/VDplDwUpYCI/AAAAAAAAARw/pBc5IQVjcqU/s1600/impluse%2Bturbine.png]

Anothertypeofimpulseturbineisapressurecompoundedturbine(Seefig.31B).It
consistsoftwoormoresimpleimpulsestagescontainedinonecasing.Thecasing
containsdiaphragmsthatconnecttonozzles.Thenozzlesmakeefficientuseofthe
steampressurethatremainsafterthesteamflowsthroughthepreviousstage.The
pressuredropsineachstageassteamexpandsthroughthenozzles.
Areactionturbineusesthe"kickback"forceofthesteamasitleavesthemoving
bladesand.fixedbladeshavethesameshapeandactlikenozzles(SeeFig.32).Thus,
steamexpands,losespressureandincreasesinvelocityasitpassesthroughbothsets
ofblades.Allreactionturbinesarepressurecompoundedturbines.

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MainTurbineSteamTurbineTheory

[http://1.bp.blogspot.com/
S8zWhf47ruI/VDplUEr9A0I/AAAAAAAAAR4/zRFAyto_Y2U/s1600/steam%2Bflow%2Bthrough%2Breation%2Bturbine.png]

Manylargeturbinesusebothimpulseandreactionblading.Thesecombinationturbines
usuallyhaveimpulsebladingatthehighpressureend,andreactionbladingatthelowpressure
end.Thebladelengthandsizeincreasesthroughouttheturbinetousethe
expandingsteamefficiently.Bladerowsrequiresealstopreventsteamleakagewhere
thepressuredrops.Sealsforimpulsebladingarelocatedbetweentherotorthe
diaphragmtostopleakagepastthenozzle.Sealsforreactionbladingarelocatedatthe
tipsofboththefixedandmovingblades.

SteamCycle
Thethermal(steam)powerplantusesadual(vapour+liquid)phasecycle.Itisa
closedcycletoenabletheworkingfluid(water)tobeusedagainandagain.Thecycle
usedis"RankingCycle"modifiedtoincludesuperheatingofsteam,regenerativefeed
waterheatingandreheatingofsteamFigure33showsthiscycleandisselfexplanatory.

[http://1.bp.blogspot.com/3rLMlobUMfc/VDpluxT
XrI/AAAAAAAAASA/Z0JuH_97978/s1600/steam%2Bcycle.png]

Onlargeturbines,itbecomeseconomictoincreasethecycleefficiencybyusingreheat,
whichisawayofpartiallyovercomingtemperaturelimitations.Byreturningpartially
expandedsteam.toareheat,theaveragetemperatureatwhichheatisadded,is
increasedand,byexpandingthisreheatedsteamtotheremainingstagesoftheturbine,
theexhaustwetnessisconsiderablylessthanitwouldotherwisebe.conversely,ifthe
maximumtolerablewetnessisallowed,theinitialpressureofthesteamcanbe
appreciablyincreased.

BledSteamExtraction:
Forregenerativesystem,nos.ofnonregulatedextractionsare
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MainTurbineSteamTurbineTheory

takenfromHP,IPandLPturbine.
Regenerativeheatingoftheboilerfeedwateriswidelyusedinmodernpowerplants
theeffectbeingtoincreasetheaveragetemperatureatwhichheatisaddedtothe
cycle,thusimprovingthecycleefficiency.

FactorsAffectingThermalCycleEfficiency:
Thermalcycleefficiencyisaffectedbyfollowing:
InitialSteamPressure
InitialSteamTemperature
Whetherreheatisusedornot,andifusedreheatpressureandtemperature
Condenserpressure.
Regenerativefeedwaterheating.

ClassificationofTurbines
Steamturbinesmaybeclassifiedintodifferentcategoriesdependingontheir
construction,theprocessbywhichheatdropisachieved,theinitialandfinalconditions
ofsteamusedandtheirindustrialusage.Thishasbeendetailedinthesubsequent
paragraphs.

Accordingtothenumberofpressurestages:
Singlestageturbineswithoneormorevelocitystagesusuallyofsmallpower
capacities,theseturbinesaremostlyusedfordrivingcentrifugalcompressors,
blowersandothersimilarmachinery.
Multistageimpulseandreactionturbinestheyaremadeinawiderangeof
powercapacitiesvaryingfromsmalltolarge.

Accordingtothedirectionofsteamflow:
Axialturbinesinwhichthesteamflowsinadirectionparalleltotheaxisofthe
turbine
Radialturbinesinwhichthesteamflowsinadirectionperpendiculartotheaxis
oftheturbinewithoneormorelowpressurestagesinsuchturbinesbeingaxial.

Accordingtothenumberofcylinder:
Singlecylinderturbines.
Doublecylinderturbines.
ThreeCylinderturbinesand
FourCylinderturbines:
MultiCylinderturbineswhichhavetheirrotorsmountedononeandthesameshaftand
coupledtoasinglegeneratorareknownassingleshaftturbines.Turbineswithseparate
rotorshaftsforeachcylinderplacedparalleltoeachotherareknownasmultiaxial
turbines.

Accordingtothemethodofgoverning:
Turbineswiththrottlegoverninginwhichfreshsteamentersthroughoneormore
(dependingonthepowerdeveloped)simultaneouslyoperatedthrottlevalves.
turbineswithnozzlegoverninginwhichfreshsteamentersthroughtwoormore
consecutivelyopeningregulators.
turbinewithbypassgoverninginwhichsteam,besidesbeingfedtothefirststage
isalsodirectlyledtoone,twooreventhreeintermediatestagesoftheturbine.

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MainTurbineSteamTurbineTheory

Accordingtotheprincipleofactionofsteam:
Impulseturbines.
Axialreactionturbines.
Radialreactionturbineswithstationaryguideblades.
Radialreactionturbineswithoutanystationaryblades.

Accordingtotheheatdropprocess:
CondensingturbineswithregenerationIntheseturbinessteamatapressure
lessthanatmosphericpressureisdirectedtoacondenser,steamisalso
extractedfromintermediatestagesforfeedwaterheating.Thenumberofsuch
extractionsusuallyvaryfrom23toasmuchas89.Thelatentheatofexhaust
steamduringtheprocessofcondensationiscompletelylostintheseturbines.
Smallcapacityturbinesofearlierdesignoftendonothaveregenerativefeed
heating.
Condensingturbineswithoneortwointermediatestageextractionsatspecific
pressureforindustrialandheatingpurposes.
Backpressureturbines:Theexhauststeamfromwhichisutilisedforindustrialor
heatingpurposes.Tothistypeofturbineswithdeterioratedvacuum,canalsobe
added(inrelativesense)theexhauststeamofwhichmaybeusedforheating
andprocesspurposes.
Toppingturbines:Theseturbinesarealsoofthebackpressuretypewiththe
differencethattheexhauststeamfromtheseturbinesisfurtherutilisedin
mediumandlowpressurecondensingturbines.Theseturbines,ingeneral,
operateathighinitialconditionsofsteampressureandtemperature,andare
mostlyusedduringextensionofpowerstationcapacities,withaviewtoobtain
betterefficiencies.
Backpressureturbineswithsteamextractionfromintermediatestagesatspecific
pressureturbinesofthistypearemeantforsupplyingtheconsumerwithsteam
ofvariouspressureandtemperatureconditions.
Lowpressure(exhaustpressure)turbinesinwhichtheexhauststeamfrom
reciprocatingsteamengines,powerhammers,presses,etc.isutilizedforpower
generationpurposes.
Mixedpressureturbineswithtwoorthreepressurestages,withsupplyof
exhauststeamtoitsintermediatestages.Theturbinesenumeratedunder'a'and
'h'usuallyhaveextractionsforregenerationofsteamatspecificpressuresfor
otherpurposes.
Accordingtothesteamconditionsatinlettoturbines:
Lowpressureturbines,usingsteamatpressureof1.2to2ata.
Mediumpressureturbines,usingsteamatpressureofupto.40ata.
Highpressureturbines,utilisingsteamatpressureabove40ata.
Turbinesofveryhighpressures,utilisingsteamatpressuresof170ataand
higherandtemperatureof535deg.Candhigher.
Turbinesofsupercriticalpressures,usingsteamatpressureof255ataand
above.

Accordingtotheirusageinindustry:
Turbineswithconstantspeedofrotationprimarilyusedfordrivingalternators:
Steamturbineswithvariablespeedmeantfordrivingturboblowers,air
circulators,pumpsetc.
Turbineswithvariablespeed:Turbinesofthistypeareusuallyemployedin
steamers,shipsandrailwaylocomotives(turbolocomotives).
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MainTurbineSteamTurbineTheory

Allthesedifferenttypesofturbinesdescribedabovedependingontheirspeedof
rotationareeithercoupleddirectlyorthroughareductiongeartothedriven
machine.
DEARREADERSIFYOUHAVEANYDOUBTORQUESTIONMAILMEATAVINASHSINGH1444@GMAIL.COM
Posted12thOctober2014byAvinashSingh
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