Steam turbines
Prepared by
Dr. Vibin Antony P
Module 2
• Steam turbines: classification, compounding of turbines-pressure
velocity variation, velocity diagrams, work done, efficiency, condition
for maximum efficiency,
• Multistage turbines condition line, stage efficiency.
• Steam turbine performance-reheat factor, degree of reaction,
• Cycles with reheating and regenerative heating, governing of turbines.
Steam turbine
• The steam turbine is a prime-mover in which the potential energy of
the steam is transformed into kinetic energy, and latter in its turn is
transformed into the mechanical energy of rotation of the turbine shaft.
• The turbine shaft, directly or with the help of a reduction gearing is
connected with the driven mechanism.
• Depending on the type of the driven mechanism a steam turbine may
be utilised in most diverse fields of industry, for power generation and
for transport.
• Transformation of the potential energy of steam into the mechanical
energy of rotation of the shaft is brought about by different means.
CLASSIFICATION OF STEAM TURBINES
• There are several ways in which the steam turbines may be
classified. The most important and common division being with
respect to the action of the steam
• (a) Impulse.
• (b) Reaction.
• (c) Combination of impulse and reaction
Simple impulse turbine. & Reaction turbine
• The main difference between these turbines lies in the way by which
the steam is expanded while it moves through them.
• In the former type steam expands in the nozzles and its pressure does
not alter as it moves over the blades while in the latter type the steam
expands continuously as it passes over the blades and thus there is
gradual fall in the pressure during expansion.
Simple impulse turbines
Simple impulse turbines
• The top portion of the figure exhibits a
longitudinal action through the upper half of
the turbine,
• the middle Portion shows one set of nozzles
which is followed by a ring of moving
blades,
• while lower part of the diagram indicates
approximately changes in pressure and
velocity during the flow of steam through the
turbine.
• This turbine is called simple' impulse turbine
since the expansion of the steam takes place
in one set of the nozzles.
Simple impulse turbines
• As the steam flows through the nozzle its pressure falls
from steam chest pressure to condenser pressure (or
atmospheric pressure if the turbine is non-condensing).
• Due to this relatively higher ratio of expansion of steam
in the nozzles the steam leaves the nozzle with a very
high velocity.
• The velocity of the steam leaving the moving blades is a
large portion of the maximum velocity of the steam when
leaving the nozzle.
• The loss of energy due to this higher exit velocity is
commonly called the "carry over loss" or "leaving loss
• De laval turbine
Reaction turbine
• In this type of turbine, there is a gradual
pressure drop and takes place continuously
over the fixed and moving blades. The
function of the fixed blades is (the same as
the nozzle) that they alter the direction of the
steam as well as allow it expand to a larger
velocity.
• As the steam passes over the moving blades
its kinetic energy (obtained due to fall in
pressure) is absorbed by them. Fig. shows a
three-stage reaction turbine. The changes in
pressure and velocity
METHODS OF REDUCING WHEEL OR ROTOR SPEED
• In simple impulse turbine that if the steam is expanded from the boiler
pressure to condenser pressure in one stage the speed of the rotor becomes
tremendously high which crops up practical complicacies.
• There are several methods of reducing this speed to lower value; all these
methods utilize a multiple system of rotor in series, keyed on a common shaft
and the steam pressure or jet velocity is absorbed in stages as the steam flows
over the blades.
• This is known as compounding.
The different methods of compounding
1. Velocity compounding.
2. Pressure compounding.
3. Pressure velocity compounding.
4. Reaction turbine.
Velocity compounding
• Steam is expanded through a stationary nozzle from the
boiler or inlet pressure to condenser pressure.
• So the pressure in the nozzle drops, the kinetic energy
of the steam increases due to increase in velocity.
• A portion of this available energy is absorbed by a row
of moving blades.
• The steam (whose velocity has decreased while moving
over the moving blades) then flows through the second
row of blades which are fixed.
• The function of these fixed blades is to re-direct the
steam flow without altering its velocity to the following
next row moving blades where again work is done on
them and steam leaves the turbine with a low velocity.
Advantage that the initial cost is low due to
lesser number of stages yet its efficiency is low.
Pressure compounding
• Fig. shows rings of fixed nozzles incorporated
between the rings of moving blades.
• The steam at boiler pressure enters the first set of
nozzles and expands partially The kinetic energy of
the steam thus obtained is absorb by the moving
blades (stage 1).
• The steam then expand partially in the second set of
nozzles where its pressure again falls and the
velocity increases; the kinetic energy obtained is
absorbed by so the second ring of moving blades
(stage 2).
• This is repeated in stage 3 and steam finally leaves
the turbine at low velocity and pressure.
• The number are stages (or pressure reductions)
depends on the number of rows of nozzles through
which the steam must pass.
Pressure velocity compounding
• This method of compounding is the
combination of two previously discussed
method.
• The total drop in steam pressure is divided
into stages and the velocity obtained in each
stage is also compounded.
• The rings of nozzles are fixed at the
beginning of each stage and pressure remains
Constant during each stage.
• This method of compounding is used in
Curits and Moore turbine
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IMPULSE AND REACTION TURBINES
Velocity diagram for moving blade
Velocity diagram for moving blade
The relative velocity at the inlet (Cr1) is the
same
as the relative velocity at the outlet (Cr2) if there
is no frictional loss at the blade
blade velocity (Cr)
Work done on the Blade
values of Cu and Ca, are to be added while doing the
solution of the problem.
(i.e., when ß < 90°)
Work done on the Blade
Reaction turbine
Condition for Maximum Efficiency
• Assumptions
• The degree of reaction is 50%.
• The moving and fixed blades are symmetrical.
• The velocity of steam at exit from the preceding stage is
same as velocity of steam at the entrance to the succeeding
stage.
Stage efficiency
• The stage efficiency covers all the losses in the nozzles,
blades, diaphragms and discs that are associated with that
stage.
STATE POINT LOCUS AND REHEAT FACTOR
• The state point may be defined as that point on h-s diagram which represents
the condition of steam at that instant.
• Thus knowing the initial condition of steam entering the nozzle of a turbine the
initial state point may be located on h-s diagram.
• If stage efficiency be known or assumed the position of the end state point 5 for
a stage be readily obtained.
• The point 5 now becomes the initial state point for the succeeding stage of the
turbine.
Adiabatic power (A.P.). It is the power based on the total internal steam flow and adiabatic
heat drop.
Shaft power (S.P.). It is the actual power transmitted by the turbine
Multistage turbine having four stages
The locus passing through
these points is called "State point
locus".
The sum of the adiabatic heat drops
(1-2) + (2'-3) + (3'-4) + (4'-5) is generally
called "cumulative heat drop" and is
represented as hcum
Reheat Factor
The sum of the adiabatic
heat drops (1-2) + (2'-3) +
(3'-4) + (4-5) is generally
called "cumulative heat
drop" and is represented
as hcum
Bleeding
• Bleeding is the process of draining steam from the turbine, at certain points
during its expansion, and using this steam for heating the feed water supplied to
the boiler.
• In this process a small quantity of steam, at certain sections of the turbine, is
drained from the turbine and is then circulated around the feed water pipe leading
from hot well to the boiler.
• The steam is thus condensed due to relatively cold water, the heat so lost by
steam is transferred to the feed water.
• The condensed steam then finds its way to hot well.
• There is a usual practice in bleeding installations to allow the bled steam to mix
with the feed water. The mixture of steam and water then proceeds to the boiler
Bleeding
• By bleeding process hotter water is supplied to the boiler of
course at the cost of loss of small amount of turbine work.
• Due to this process efficiency is slightly increased but at the
same time power developed is also decreased.
• The ideal Rankine cycle, modified to take into account the
effect of bleeding is known as the regenerative cycle.
STEAM TURBINE GOVERNING AND CONTROL
• The objective of governing is to keep the turbine speed fairly
constant irrespective of load.
• The principal methods of steam turbine governing are as
follows
1. Throttle governing
2. Nozzle governing
3. By-pass governing
4. Combination of and 2 and 1 and 3.
Throttle governing
• Throttle governing is the most widely used
particularly on small turbines, because its
initial cost is less and the mechanism is simple.
• The object of throttle governing is to throttle
the steam whenever there is a reduction of load
compared to economic or design load for
maintain speed and vice-versa.
• To start the turbine for full load running valve A is
opened,
• The operation of double beat valve B is carried out by
an oil servomotor which is controlled by a centrifugal
governor.
• As the steam turbine gains speed the valve B closes to
throttle the steam and reduces the supply to the nozzle
Throttle governing
• For a turbine governed by throttling the
relationship between steam consumption and
load is given by the well known Willan's line as
shown in Fig.
• Several tests have shown that when a turbine is
governed by throttling, the Willan's line is
straight.
ms varies from about 0.1 to 0.14 times the full
load consumption.
Nozzle governing
• The efficiency of a steam turbine is
considerably reduced if throttle governing is
carried out at low loads.
• An alternative, and more efficient form of
governing is by means of nozzle control.
• Fig. shows a diagrammatic arrangement of
typical nozzle control governing.
• In this method of governing, the nozzles are
grouped together 3 to 5 or more groups and
supply of steam to each group is controlled
Nozzle governing
• When the load on the turbine becomes more or less
than the design value, the supply of steam to a group
of nozzles may be varied accordingly so as to restore
the original speed.
• Nozzle control can only be applied to the first stage
of a turbine.
• It is suitable for simple impulse turbine and larger
units which have an impulse stage followed by an
impulse reaction turbine.
• In pressure compounded impulse turbines, there will
be some drop in pressure at entry to second stage
when some of the first stage nozzles are cut out.
By-pass governing
• The steam turbines which are designed
to work at economic load it is desirable
to have full admission of steam in the
high pressure stages.
• At the maximum load, which is greater
than the economic load, the additional
steam required could not pass through
the first stage since additional nozzles
are not available.
• By-pass regulation allows for this in a
turbine which is throttle governed, by
means of a second by-pass valve in the
first stage nozzle
By-pass governing
• This valve opens when throttle valve has opened
a definite amount.
• Steam is by-passed through the second valve to a
lower stage in the turbine.
• When by-pass valve operates it is under the
control of the turbine governor.
• In secondary and tertiary supplies of steam in the
lower stages increase the work output in these
stages, but there is a loss in efficiency and a
curving of the Willian's line.
• In reaction turbines, because of the pressure drop
required in the moving blades, nozzles control
govern not possible, and throttle governing plus
by-pass governing is used