STEAM TURBINE
REFERENCE: www.nptel.iitm.ac.in
Introduction
A steam turbine converts the energy of high-pressure, high temperature steam
produced by a steam generator into shaft work.
1. The energy conversion is brought about in the following ways:
The high-pressure, high-temperature steam first expands in the nozzles
emanates as a high velocity fluid stream.
2. The high velocity steam coming out of the nozzles impinges on the blades
mounted on a wheel. The fluid stream suffers a loss of momentum while flowing
past the blades that is absorbed by the rotating wheel entailing production of
torque.
3. The moving blades move as a result of the impulse of steam (caused by the
change of momentum) and also as a result of expansion and acceleration of the
steam relative to them. In other words they also act as the nozzles.
A steam turbine is basically an assembly of nozzles fixed to a stationary casing
and rotating blades mounted on the wheels attached on a shaft in a row-wise
manner.
HISTORICAL DATA
In 1878, a Swedish engineer, Carl G. P. de Laval developed a simple impulse
turbine, using a convergent-divergent (supersonic) nozzle which ran the turbine to
a maximum speed of 100,000 rpm.
In 1897 he constructed a velocity-compounded impulse turbine (a two-row axial
turbine with a row of guide vane stators between them.
Auguste Rateau in France started experiments with a de Laval turbine in 1894,
and developed the pressure compounded impulse turbine in the year 1900.
In the USA , Charles G. Curtis patented the velocity compounded de Lavel
turbine in 1896 and transferred his rights to General Electric in 1901.
In England , Charles A. Parsons developed a multi-stage axial flow reaction
turbine in 1884.
APPLICATIONS
• Steam turbines are employed as the prime movers
together with the electric generators in thermal and
nuclear power plants to produce electricity.
• They are also used to propel large ships, ocean liners,
submarines and to drive power absorbing machines like
large compressors, blowers, fans and pumps.
SCOPE OF PRESENT STUDY
• We shall consider steam as the working fluid
• Single stage or Multistage
• Axial or Radial turbines
• Atmospheric discharge or discharge below atmosphere in
condenser
• Impulse/and Reaction turbine
Energy transfer eqn.
Degree of reaction
R=static enthalpy change
in the rotor/ total enthalpy
change.
Impulse Turbines
• Impulse turbines (single-rotor or multirotor) are simple
stages of the turbines.
• Here the impulse blades are attached to the shaft.
Impulse blades can be recognized by their shape.
• They are usually symmetrical and have entrance and exit
angles respectively, around 20 ° .
• Because they are usually used in the entrance high-
pressure stages of a steam turbine, when the specific
volume of steam is low and requires much smaller flow
than at lower pressures, the impulse blades are short and
have constant cross sections.
The Single-Stage 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.
Schematic diagram of an Impulse machine
Figure : Velocity diagram of an Impulse Turbine
Simple Equations
Tangential force on a blade,
or,
Blade efficiency or Diagram efficiency or Utilization factor is
given by
or,
Stage efficiency
Optimum blade speed of a single stage turbine
where, = friction coefficient
Efficiency is maximum when also
Now, (For single stage impulse turbine)
The maximum value of blade efficiency
For equiangular blades,
If the friction over blade surface is neglected
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 30,000 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.
Two types of compounding can be accomplished:
(a) velocity compounding and
(b) pressure compounding
The Velocity - Compounding of the Impulse Turbine
The velocity-compounded impulse turbine was first proposed by C.G. Curtis
Total energy transfer =
End thrust =
Optimum Velocity ratio =
Note:
1.Work is not uniformly distributed
(1st >2nd )
2.The fist stage in a large (power
plant) turbine is velocity or
pressure compounded impulse
stage.
The Pressure - Compounded Impulse Turbine
Rateau turbine
Reaction Turbine
A reaction turbine 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.
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.
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.
The velocity triangles are
symmetrical
Blade efficiency
