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4-14 | Clean Combustion Technologies

condenser. Issues with this large LP


exhaust volume ow are two-fold:
eciency, and choking. High-volume
ow through a xed area translates
into high velocity. The kinetic energy
leaving the last-stage blades is lost to
the condenser, reducing cycle eciency.
(Note that the kinetic energy in the
steam leaving any upstream stage can
be recovered in the downstream stages.
This lost kinetic energy is the major
component of the combined exhaust
losses that will be discussed later.)
Steam, like any gas, has a sonic
velocity (speed of sound). As the steam
velocity reaches the sonic velocity, a
shock wave forms in the blading. Once
the shock wave is formed, steam ow
cannot be increased by downstream
conditions. This point is appropriately called the choke point, and it
represents a maximum volume ow
condition for a given LP turbine.
If the volume ow and exhaust
steam velocity are too low, turbulence
and uneven ow result along the length
of the last-stage blades. At extremely
low ows, partial recirculation of steam
may occur, typically along the rotor.
These phenomena mechanically add

LP Turbine Exhaust Losses

Exhaust Losses

Increasing Losses due


to Increasing Velocity

Increasing Losses due to


Backflow and Turbulence

Choking
Occurs

Minimum
Exhaust Loss
Exhaust Volume Flow

Figure 4-21 | Optimal cycle efficiency occurs where exhaust losses are minimized at the lowest
point of the exhaust loss curve

energy back to the steamthat is,


energy lost to the condenser. These
losses, combined with the kinetic energy losses discussed earlier, represent
exhaust losses.
LP Selection

Exhaust losses can be plotted versus


volume ow, as shown in Figure 4-21.
The right side of the curve (high volume per ow) parabolically increases
because of increasing kinetic energy
losses. Typically, however, the left side
(low volume per ow) is more vertical
and less dened. Choking will occur
at the extreme right end of the curve.
Maximum eciency occurs where
the exhaust losses are minimized. For
a given steam ow, exhaust volume
ow will increase with decreasing
exhaust pressure.
Because the LP exhaust pressure
will vary seasonally with the condenser cooling medium (water or air), the
size of the total LP annulus area must
be selected to match that experienced
throughout the year. Ideally, the LP
exhaust area should be selected to operate at or near the minimum exhaust
loss point. Because the left side of the
curve is more vertical, the LP should
be selected to avoid operation too far
below the minimum exhaust loss.
The LP annulus area can be
increased by increasing the last-stage
blade length or by increasing the
number of ows. Increasing the LP
annulus area eectively reduces the
specic volume ow on the exhaust
loss curve, moving to the left on the
curve. Large, utility-size turbines
typically use one, two, or three
double-ow LP turbines in tandem to
achieve the desired exhaust ow area.
Using the longest blades available
enables the designer to use fewer LP
modules, reducing cost.

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