1.

Steam Turbines

Dr. Venkat Chintala

Associate Professor, Mech. Engg. Deptt.

Head, Institute of Alternate Energy Research (IAER), R&D
CoEs, UPES
 Contents
Turbine types
Compounding in turbines
Nozzle and blade heights
Loses in turbines, reheat factor and condition
line
Flow through cascades, design of multistage
turbines,
Governing of steam turbines and critical
speeds
Maintenance of steam turbines
 STEAM TURBINES

A Turbine is a Form of Engine Requires

a suitable working fluid in order to
function- a source of High Grade
Energy and a Sink for Low Grade
energy. When a Fluid Flows through
the Turbine ,Part of Energy Content is
Continuously Extracted and
Converted in to Useful mechanical
Work.
Steam turbines are one of the oldest prime mover technologies still
in use.

Steam turbines extract heat from steam and transform it into

mechanical work by expanding the steam from high pressure to low
 PRICIPLE OF STEAM
TURBINE
Steam turbine depends completely upon the dynamic
action of the steam. According to Newtons second law
of motion, the FORCE is proportional to the rate of
change of MOMENTUM (mass x velocity). If the rate of
change of momentum is caused in the steam by
allowing a high velocity jet of steam to pass over
curved blade, the steam will impart a force to the
blade. If the blade is mc1
free, it Moving
will free off (rotate) in the
Blade
direction of force.
Force = mc1 - mc2

mc2

The steam from the boiler is expanded in a passage or

nozzle , where due to fall in pressure of steam is
 TYPES OF TURBINE
On the basis of principle of operation
Impulse turbine
Reaction turbine
Impulse- Reaction turbine

Impulse Turbine .. In impulse the drop in pressure of

steam takes place only in nozzle & not in moving
blades. This is obtained by making the blade passage of
constant cross section area it may be noted that energy
transformation takes place only in nozzles. Moving
blades only cause energy transfer.
X

X
Reaction turbine:-
Pressure drop take place in rotor (M.B.). Energy
transformation takes place in rotor. Energy
transfer only in rotor.

Impulse- Reaction turbine:-

In this turbine drop in pressure of steam takes
place in fixed blade as well as moving blade. It
may be noted that energy transformation occur in
both fixed blade & moving blade. The rotor blade
cause energy transfer & energy transformation.
 Impulse turbine
The single stage impulse turbine is also called
the de Laval turbine after its inventor. The
turbine consists of a single rotor to which
impulse blades are attached. The steam is fed
through one or several convergent divergent
nozzles which do not extend completely around
the circumference of the rotor, so that only part
of the blades is impinged upon by the steam at
any one time. The nozzles also allow governing
of the turbine by shutting off one or more them.
 COMPOUNDING OF TURBINES
Compounding of Impulse turbine :-
Compounding is done to reduce the rotational speed of
the impulse turbine to practical limits.
Compounding is achieved by using more than one set
of nozzles, blades, rotors, in a series, keyed to a
common shaft; so that either the steam pressure or the
jet velocity is absorbed by the turbine in stages.
One row of nozzles followed by one row of blades is
called a stage of turbines.
Compounding is a method for reducing the rotational
speed of the impulse turbine to practical limit.
Three main types of compounded impulse turbines are:
a) Pressure compounded Steam Turbine : The
Rateau Design
b) velocity compounded Steam Turbine : The Curtis
Design
 Compounding in Impulse Turbine
If high velocity of steam is allowed to flow
through one row of moving blades, it produces
a rotor speed of about 30000 rpm which is too
high for practical use. It is therefore essential
to incorporate some improvements for
practical use and also to achieve high
performance. This is possible by making use of
more than one set of nozzles, and rotors, in a
series, keyed to the shaft so that either the
steam pressure or the jet velocity is absorbed
by the turbine in stages. This is called
compounding.
Velocity Compounding of the
Impulse Turbine
The Curtis stage turbine, as it came to be called, is
composed of one stage of nozzles as the single
stage turbine, followed by two rows of moving
blades instead of one. These two rows are separated
by one row of fixed blades attached to the turbine
stator, which has the function of redirecting the
steam leaving the first row of moving blades to the
second row of moving blades.

In the Curtis stage, the total enthalpy drop and

hence pressure drop occur in the nozzles so that the
pressure remains constant in all three rows of
blades.
Velocity is absorbed in two
stages. In fixed (static) blade
passage both pressure and
velocity remain constant.
Fixed blades are also called
guide vanes. Velocity
compounded stage
The fixed blades areisused
also to
called Curtis
guide the stage.
outlet steam/gas
from the previous stage in
such a manner so as to
smooth entry at the next
stage is ensured.

K, the blade velocity

coefficient may be different in
each row of blades
 n= no. of stages

Blade maximum
efficiency
Fig: Velocity Diagram of Curtis Stage Impulse
Turbine
A System of Velocity Triangles for Curtis Turbine (3 rows of
M Bs)
U
1
2 1
Va2 1 Va1 1 Vr1
1

1 Vr2

U
2 1
2 1
Va1
2Va2 Vr1
2
2
2 Vr2

U
2 1
2 1
Va2
3 3Vr2 3 Va1 Vr1
3
 Pressure Compounding or Rateau Staging

The Pressure Compounded Impulse Turbine

To alleviate the problem of high blade velocity in the single
stage impulse turbine, the total enthalpy drop through the
nozzles of that turbine are simply divided up, essentially in
an equal manner, among many single stage impulse
turbines in series. Such a turbine is called a Rateau
turbine , after its inventor. Thus the inlet steam velocities
to each stage are essentially equal and due to a reduced
h.
Multistage turbines with pressure stages have found a wide
field of usage in industry as prime movers (~ 10 MW).
The number pressure stages vary from 4 to 5.
The distribution of enthalpy drop in a large number of
pressure stages enables the attainment of lower velocities
for the steam flowing through the system of moving blades.
As a result more advantageous values of blade speed ratio
and blade friction factor are obtained.
Pressure drop takes place
in more than one row of
nozzles and the increase in
kinetic energy after each
nozzle is held within limits.
Usually convergent
nozzles are used.
Fig: Velocity Diagram of
Pressure compounded
Impulse Turbine
 Pressure-Velocity compounded Impulse Turbine

Fig: Schematic Diagram of Pressure-Velocity compounded Impulse

Turbine
 Reaction Turbine
A reaction turbine, therefore, is one that is constructed of rows of fixed and rows of
moving blades.

The fixed blades act as nozzles.

The moving blades move as a result of the impulse of steam received (caused by
change in momentum) and also as a result of expansion and acceleration of the
steam relative to them. In other words, they also act as nozzles.

The enthalpy drop per stage of one row fixed and one row moving blades is divided
among them, often equally. Thus a blade with a 50 percent degree of reaction, or a 50
percent reaction stage, is one in which half the enthalpy drop of the stage occurs in
the fixed blades and half in the moving blades. The pressure drops will not be equal,
however. They are greater for the fixed blades and greater for the high pressure than
the low pressure stages.

50 % reaction stage 50% h drop in Fixed balde+50% h drop in moving blade

50 % reaction stage may be 60% p drop in Fixed balde+40% p drop in moving blade
( Enthalpy, h =u+pv)

Enthalpy drop may / may not equal to Pressure drop in fixed and moving
blades
 Compounding in reaction
turbines

Fig: Schematic Diagram of Pressure compounded

Fig: Velocity Diagram of Pressure Compounded
Reaction turbine
 Blade configuration
The moving blades of a reaction turbine are
easily distinguishable from those of an impulse
turbine in that they are not symmetrical and,
because they act partly as nozzles, have a
shape similar to that of the fixed blades,
although curved in the opposite direction.
The schematic pressure line shows that
pressure continuously drops through all rows of
blades, fixed and moving.
The absolute steam velocity changes within
each stage as shown and repeats from stage
to stage.
A very widely used design has half degree of reaction or
50% reaction and this is known as Parson's Turbine. This
consists of symmetrical stator and rotor blades.
Absolute velocity of the outlet at
this stage is axial. In this case,
the energy transfer
ll efficiency, Stage Efficiency and Reheat
The Thermodynamic effect on the turbine efficiency can be best
understood by considering a number of stages between two stages 1 and
2 as shown in Figure
The total expansion is divided into four stages of the same efficiency
and pressure ratio.
The lines of
constant
pressure diverge
from left to right
on the diagram
 This makes the overall efficiency of the turbine greater
than the individual stage efficiency.

The effect depicted by above Eq. is due to the thermodynamic effect

called "reheat". This does not imply any heat transfer to the stages from
outside. It is merely the reappearance of stage losses an increased
enthalpy during the constant pressure heating (or reheating) processes
Problem 7

The velocity of steam leaving the nozzles of an

impulse turbine is 900 m/s and the nozzle
angle is 20o. The blade velocity is 300 m/s and
the blade velocity coefficient is 0.7. Calculate
for a mass flow of 1 kg/s, and symmetrical
blading;
i. the blade inlet angle;
ii. the driving force on the wheel;
iii. the axial thrust;
iv. the diagram power, and
v. the diagram efficiency
Ans: 29o24; 927.7 N per kg/s; 92.3 N per kg/s; 278.3 kW;
68.7%]
 Critical speed of turbine
Turbine shaft material has its own natural
frequency, whenturbine rotates on such a
speed that frequency of shaft become close
to its natural frequency, machine causes
noise & high vibrations because of
resonance due to matching offrequency.
Running of Steam "TURBINE" on this speed
isavoided & this is called Critical speed.

A turbine may havemore than one critical

speed, which may depend upon number of
couplings.
 Governing of steam turbines
Compounding To reduce the speed to a practical
limits (i.e., bringing down the speed from 30,000 rpm
to about 10,000-15,000 rpm)
Governing Maintaining constant speed (may be
5000 rpm or 10000 rpm or 12000 rpm)
Steam Turbine Governing is the procedure of
monitoring and controlling the flow rate of steam into
the turbine with the objective of maintaining its
speed of rotation as constant.
In a practical situation the load frequently varies from
the designed or economic load and thus there always
exists a considerable deviation from the desired
performance of the turbine. The primary objective in
the steam turbine operation is to maintain a constant
speed of rotation irrespective of the varying load.
Types of governing in STs:
Throttle governing
Nozzle governing
By pass governing
Combination governing
 Throttle governing

In throttle governing the pressure of steam is reduced at the turbine

entry thereby decreasing the availability of energy.

In this method steam is passed through a restricted passage

thereby reducing its pressure across the governing valve.

The flow rate is controlled using a partially opened steam control

valve. The reduction in pressure leads to a throttling process in
which the enthalpyof steam remains constant.
 Nozzle governing

In nozzle governing the flow rate of steam is regulated by opening

and shutting of sets of nozzles rather than regulating its pressure.
In this method groups of two, three or more nozzles form a set and
each set is controlled by a separate valve.
In actual turbine, nozzle governing is applied only to the first stage
whereas the subsequent stages remain unaffected.Since no
regulation to the pressure is applied, the advantage of this method
lies in the exploitation of full boiler pressure and temperature.
As shown in the figure the three sets of nozzles are controlled by
means of three separate valves.
 By pass governing

Occasionally the turbine is overloaded for short durations. During

such operation, bypass valves are opened and fresh steam is
introduced into the later stages of the turbine.
This generates more energy to satisfy the increased load.
 Multistage turbines
IMPULSE TURBINE
Thermal energy of steam is converted to kinetic energy
in turbine nozzle. Kinetic energy to be converted to
blade become mechanical energy and transferred
through rotor, shaft and coupling to the load. Enthalpy
drop is high for each moving blades.
Impulse blade applies in Curtis and Rateau turbines
such as the following typical
Curtis turbine contain 1 row of nozzle for 2 row of
impulse blades
Rateau turbine contain 1 row of nozzle for 1 row of
impulse blades, can be 1 pair up to several pair.
1 Curtis + Rateau rows constructed in one rotor.
 Steam turbine operating range
The following criteria are used for selection steam turbine
type
Curtis (Stand alone or Single Stage)
a. Compact .
b. Power is relative small ( up to 2000 kW).
c. Speed is relative low ( up to 6000 rpm, except for
special design up to 12000 rpm).
d. Enthalpy drop is high.
Rateau (Multi rows)
a. Efficiency is higher than Curtis
b. Power is high ( up to 30,000 kW)
c. Generally, speed is higher than Curtis (up to15000
rpm)
d. Enthalpy drop for each row lower than Curtis but still
high, higher than Reaction
Reaction Turbine
In reaction turbine, there is no nozzle to convert steam
energy to mechanical energy. Moving blades work due to
differential pressure of steam between front and at
behind of moving blades.
In general, reaction turbine is not stand alone, but works
at behind impulse turbine whether constructed in one
rotor or at separated rotor, but still connected by
coupling. The purpose of impulse turbine is to control
speed and reduce steam enthalpy to specified level.
Reaction turbine is just receiving steam condition from
impulse blades. Typical pairs of reaction and impulse
turbines are;
1 Curtis + Several rows of Rateau + Reaction rows
1 Rateau + Reaction rows
Several rows of Rateau + Reaction rows
Figure: Steam
turbine blades
arrangement of
Impulse and
Reaction blades.
Figure: Pressure
and velocity of
steam across
nozzle and blades
in impulse and
Reaction (Multi row reaction + 1 row
impulse for control stage)
a. More efficient
b. Power is high
c. Speed is high (up to15000 rpm)
d. Enthalpy drop each row is low
e. For low steam pressure.
Figure . Operating Range of Steam Turbines
Figure . Steam Process in Curtis and Single Row
Rateau Turbine
Figure. Steam Process in Multi Row of Rateau
Turbine
Figure. Steam Process in Impulse as Control Stage and
Reaction Turbine
Back Pressure and Condensing Turbines
The name "Condensing turbine" and "Back
pressure turbine" expressed about steam
condition exit the turbines.

If steam condition exit the turbine in wet steam

or where steam condition at bellow saturated
line of Mollier diagram, named condensing
turbine.

If steam condition exit the turbine in dry or still

in superheated condition or at upper of
saturated line of Mollier diagram, named back
pressure turbine.
 Back Pressure Turbine Condensing Turbine
For CHP applications For power generation only
For Process heating Higher electrical efficiency
Lower electrical efficiency Lower overall efficiency
Higher overall efficiency (Heat + Electrical)
 Condensing turbine
The condensing turbine processes
result in maximum power
andelectrical generation
efficiencyfrom the steam supply
and boiler fuel.
The power output of condensing
turbines is sensitive to ambient
conditions.
 Back pressure turbine
It exhausts its entire flow of steam to the industrial
process or facility steam mains at conditions close to
the process heat requirements.
Usually, the steam sent into the mains is not much
above saturation temperature.3 The term back-
pressure refers to turbines that exhaust steam at
atmospheric pressures and above.
Power generationcapability reduces significantly
when steam is used at appreciable pressure rather than
being expanded to vacuum in a condenser.
Applications: For district energy systems, paper and
pulp plants, refineriesand oil and natural gas facilities
 Steam Turbine Selection
Back-pressure turbines expand the live steam supplied by the
boiler to the pressure at which the steam is required for the
process. The overall plant efficiency of a back-pressure turbine
exhausting to a process is high, due to the considerable heat
losses through the condenser being eliminated. The electric
power generated by the back-pressure turbine is directly
proportional to the amount of process steam required. To avoid
the direct relationship between backpressure steam and power,
the alternator would have to be connected to the grid, or a by-
pass valve installed.

Extraction back-pressure turbines are employed where the

process steam is used at two different pressure levels. The
operating of this type of turbine is similar to the back-pressure
machine, a high overall plant efficiency being obtainable.
Difficulties exist in the control of such a turbine type, two by-
pass valves being necessary to maintain the process pressures
if the alternator is not coupled to the grid.
 The condensing turbine is used where process steam
is not necessary. This turbine has a lower overall
efficiency due to the loss of heat in the steam
condenser, and it is difficult to obtain cheaper station
cost per kilowatt-hour than buying electric power,
due to the inherent disadvantages of a relatively
small condensing turbo-alternator set.

The extraction-condensing turbine is used where the

power required is in excess of the process steam.
The efficiency of this type is lower than a back-
pressure turbine due to the partial loss of heat in the
condenser. However, this turbine has the advantage
that the power generated is not proportional to the
process steam required and, furthermore, power can
be obtained whilst the process in the factory is shut
down.
Blade configuration

Twiste
d
Blade
Failures
 Losses in Nozzles
Losses of kinetic energy of steam while flowing
through nozzles or guide blade passages are
caused because of
Energy losses of steam before entering the
nozzles,
Frictional resistance of the nozzles walls,
Viscous friction between steam molecules,
Deflection of the flow,
Growth of boundary layer,
Turbulence in the Wake and
Losses at the roof and floor of the nozzles.
These losses are accounted by the velocity
coefficient, .
 Losses in Moving Blades
Losses in moving blades are caused due to various factors.
The total losses in moving blades are accounted for by the
load coefficient, .

These total losses are comprised as following:

Impingement losses.
Losses due to leakage of steam through the annular space
between stator and the shrouding (losses includes losses at
admission to the stages and leakage at glands and seals, and
the residual velocity loss).
Friction losses(friction losses in the nozzles, in the blades, and
at the discs which rotate in the fluid).
Losses due to the turning of the steam jet in the blades
Losses due to shrouding (Generally shroud prevents flow
leakage thus reducing losses in the turbine).
Losses due to trailing edge wake.
 MAINTENANCE OF STEAM TURBINES

CIRCULATING WATER SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION
. Circulating Water system supplies
cooling water to the turbine condenser.
.

It is used to maintain the vacuum in

the condenser.
 Types of Circulating water system
1. Open or Once Through
It is used when there is a large source of water
available.
e.g.- river , ocean.

2. Closed Cooling system

In this system, warm water from condenser is
passed through a cooling device, like cooling tower.
 Exhaust Stem from
Turbine

Condenser

Filter Condensat
e Condensate
Pump

CW Hot water
Pump

River

Open or Once Through

 Exhaust Stem from
Turbine

Condenser

Condensat Condensate
e to boiler Pump
Cooling water Hot
Hot water air

Cooling Tower

CW
Pump
Make up
Closed Cooling water from
system river
 Cooling tower
It cools the warm water discharged
from the condenser & feed the cool
water back to the condenser.

It reduces the cooling water demand

in the power plant.
Types of cooling tower
1. Natural Draught Cooling Tower

2. Mechanical Draught Cooling Tower

A. Forced Draught Cooling
Tower
B. Induced Draught Cooling
Tower
 Losses in cooling tower

1. Evaporation Losses
2. Drift Losses
3. Blowdown Losses
 TURBINE LUBE OIL SYSTEM
1.FLOW DIAGRAM OF LUBE OIL SYSTEM
2.NECESSITY OF LUBE OIL SYSTEM
3.COMPONENTS OF LUBE OIL SYSTEM
4.FUNCTIONS OF INDIVIDUAL
COMPONENTS OIL
5.FLOW TO DIFFERENT BRANCHES
6.FIRE PROTECTIONS
NECESSITY OF LUBE OIL SYSTEM
Lubrication : To supplies oil to the bearing to form a film
of oil as the shaft rotates.
Temperature control : To maintain temperature of the
bearing.
Sealing medium : To the prevent H2 leak out along the
Generator shaft.
Jacking of shaft : Supply to jacking device.
 COMPONENTS OF LUBE OIL SYSTEM

The system mainly consists of Main oil pump, BOP,

main oil tank, AC lubricant pump, DC emergency oil
pump,MSP, spill valve, oil cooler, Transfer valve, oil
smoke separator, shaft jacking up device, oil hydrogen
separator, oil level indicator as well as connecting lines,
monitoring instruments, etc.
 Main Oil Tank

The oil tank adopts a combination mode as various

devices allocated on the tank as
AC lube oil pump,
DC emergency oil pump,
Oil smoke separator,
Oil level indicator,
Electric heater,
Spill valve,
BOP
MSP
 SEAL OIL SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION
Hydrogen is used for the cooling of
generator rotor. Hydrogen is so much
explosive when it come into contact with
air . To save this hydrogen from
explosion we need sealing of this
hydrogen. For this purpose we generally
use oil. This sealing is very much similar
to sealing of the pump on its gland.
 The functions of the seal oil
control system

Providing seal oil to a sealing

continuously
Prevent the escape of hydrogen gas
from the generator at the point of
rotor exit . A continuous film between
the rotor collar and seal liner is
maintaining by means of oil at a
pressure which is slightly above then
hydrogen pressure.
STATOR WATER COOLING
SYSTEM

FUNCTION

The Stator Coil Cooling Water System main function

is to guarantee cooling water uninterrupted flow
into stator coil. At the same time, the system also
must control enter the stator coil water pressure ,
flow, temperature, conductivity
Thank u