STEAM TURBINES

Steam
Steam is a vapour used as a working substance in the operation of steam turbine.

Is steam a perfect gas?

Steam possess properties like those of gases: namely pressure, volume, temperature,
internal energy, enthalpy and entropy. But the pressure volume and temperature of
steam as a vapour are not connected by any simple relationship such as is expressed by
the characteristic equation for a perfect gas.
Sensible heat – The heat absorbed by water in attaining its boiling point. Latent heat –
The heat absorbed to convert boiling water into steam.
Wet steam – Steam containing some quantity of moisture. Dry steam – Steam that has
no moisture content.
Superheated steam – Dry steam, when heated at constant pressure, attains superheat
The properties of steam are dependent on its pressure.
 Steam Properties

Enthalpy (H) kJ/kg Internal energy (U) kJ/kg Specific

Entropy (S) kJ/kg-K volume (v) m3/kg
Density () kg/m3 Isobaric heat capacity (Cp)
kJ/kg-K 4
 Steam Power Plant
Process
Thot

Fuel Boiler Turbine Generator

Pump x Exhaust Steam

Low Pressure Low Pressure
Water and temp.
Cold
Pump x Hot

Tcold
 Steam Turbine
 Steam turbine convert a part of the energy of the steam evidenced by high
temperature and pressure into mechanical power-in turn electrical power
 The steam from the boiler is expanded in a nozzle, resulting in the emission of a
high velocity jet. This jet of steam impinges on the moving vanes or blades,
mounted on a shaft. Here it undergoes a change of direction of motion which
gives rise to a change in momentum and therefore a force.
 The motive power in a steam turbine is obtained by the rate of change in
momentum of a high velocity jet of steam impinging on a curved blade which is
free to rotate.
 The conversion of energy in the blades takes place by impulse, reaction or
impulse reaction principle.
 Steam turbines are available in a few kW (as prime mover) to 1500 MW
 Impulse turbine are used for capacity up to
 Reaction turbines are used for capacity up to
 Steam, Gas and Hydraulic
Turbines
 The working substance differs for different types of turbines.
 Steam turbines are axial flow machines (radial steam turbines are rarely used)
whereas gas turbines and hydraulic turbines of both axial and radial flow type
are used based on applications.
The pressure of working medium used in
steam turbines is very high, whereas the temperature
of working medium used is gas turbine is high
comparatively.
The pressure and temperature of working medium in hydraulic turbines is
lower than steam turbines.
Steam turbines of 1300 MW single units are available whereas largest gas
turbines unit is 530 MW and 815 MW
 Merits and Demerits of Steam
Turbine
Merits:
•Ability to utilize high pressure and high temperature steam.
•High component efficiency.
•High rotational speed.
•High capacity/weight ratio.
•Smooth, nearly vibration-free operation.
•No internal lubrication.
•Oil free exhaust steam.
•Can be built in small or very large units (up to 1200 MW).
Demerits:
•For slow speed application reduction gears are required.
•The steam turbine cannot be made reversible.
•The efficiency of small simple steam turbines is poor.
 Application

• Power generation
• Refinery, Petrochemical,
• Pharmaceuticals, Food
• processing,
• Petroleum/Gas processing,
• Pulp & Paper mills,
• Waste-to-energy
 Turbine
Selection
In all fields of application the competitiveness of a turbine is a
combination of several factors:

Efficiency
Life
Power density (power to weight ratio)
Direct operation cost
Manufacturing and maintenance costs
 Rankine
Cycle

Saturated Rankine cycle Superheated Rankine cycle

 Reheat on T-s
diagram
T
3
Note that T5 < T3. Many w outhi
systems reheat to the qinlo 5
qinhi
same temperature
(T3=T5). 4
2
woutlo
Reheat is usually not win 1 qout 6
offered for turbines less
than 50 MW

s
 Schematic of Rankine Reheat
Cycle

Low
qinlo 5 Pressure
4 TURBINE

BOILER

3 wouthi woutlo
High
Pressure 6
2 CONDENSER
TURBINE

qinhi qout
1

win PUMP
 What is Steam Turbine
Steam turbine is a machine capable
of transforming thermal energy (from
steam) to mechanical energy.
OR
Steam Turbine is a prime mover in
which, heat energy is transformed
into mechanical energy.
 Steam Turbines

• Turbines convert the thermal energy of the

steam to mechanical energy of the rotor

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 Steam Turbine
 High pressure steam enters
through nozzles.
 The stationary blades direct the
steam flow towards the moving
blades.
 The direction of the steam flow
changes as it flows through the
moving blades.
 The change of flow direction
generates a force on the moving
blades.
 This force drives the turbine.

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 Steam turbine open

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 Steam Turbines

 Turbines perform the energy conversion in

two steps:

 Step 1: Thermal energy of the steam to

kinetic energy of the steam

 Step 2: Kinetic energy of the steam to

mechanical energy of the rotor
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 Purpose of Steam Turbines
Broadly speaking, Purpose of Steam turbines
is divided into two broad categories:
 Generating Electric Power

 General - Purpose units used for driving

pumps, compressors etc.
In both cases Steam Turbine will act as a
prime mover.
 THE CONCEPT OF PRODUCING
ELECTERCITY

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 Principle of Working
When Steam is passed through a nozzle, it
expands (transforming pressure into velocity).
This high velocity (momentum) steam, when
impinges on the blades, cause the wheel (rotor)
to revolve.
 Steam Turbines

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 Types of Steam Turbine
Steam turbines are categorized by the following
three different ways:
 From working principle
 Impulse Turbine
 Reaction Turbine

 From number of steages

 Single stage turbine
 Multi stage turbine
 Types of Steam Turbine
 From how steam is utilized
 Condensing turbine
 Back pressure (non-condensing) turbine

 Extraction turbine

 Induction turbine
 Impulse Principle
If steam at high pressure is allowed to expand
through a stationary nozzle, the result will be a
drop in steam pressure and an increase in
steam velocity. If the direction of this high
velocity steam changed by passing it through a
properly shaped turbine blade, will generate an
impulse force. This impulse force will cause
the blade to move.
 Impulse Principle

Impulse Blade Steam In

Impulse
Force

Steam Out
 Reaction Principle
When high pressure steam is allowed to
expand through a nozzle. It will produce a
reaction force in the opposite direction.
Causing the blade to move.
 Reaction Principle

Steam Reaction
Out Force
 Impulse Turbine Reaction
Turbine

Process of complete expansion of Pressure drop with expansion and

steam takes place in stationary nozzle generation of kinetic energy takes place
and the velocity energy is converted in the moving blades.
into mechanical work on the turbine
blades.
 Impulse Reaction
Turbine
 Modern turbines are neither purely impulse or reaction but a combination of
both.
 Pressure drop is effected partly in nozzles and partly in moving blades which
are so designed that expansion of steam takes place in them.
 High velocity jet from nozzles produce an impulse on the moving blade and
jet coming out from still higher velocity from moving blades produces a
reaction.
 Impulse turbine began employing reaction of upto 20% at the root of the
moving blades in order to counteract the poor efficiency incurred from zero or
even negative reaction.
 Reaction at the root of reaction turbines has come down to as little as 30% to
40% resulting in the reduction of the number of stages required and the
sustaining of 50% reaction at mid point.
 It may be more accurate to describe the two design as
 Disc and diaphragm turbine using low reaction blading
 Drum rotor turbine using high reaction blading
Flow Through Steam
Turbine Stage
 Compounding of Steam

Turbines
This 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.
Three main types of compounded impulse turbines are:
a. Pressure compounded
b. Velocity compounded
c. Pressure and velocity compounded impulse turbines.

Involves splitting up of the whole pressure drop into a series of smaller

pressure drops across several stages of impulse turbine.
The nozzles are fitted into a diaphragm locked in the casing that separates
one wheel chamber from another. All rotors are mounted on the same
shaft.
Compounding of Steam
Turbines
Velocity drop is acheived through many moving rows of
blades instead of a single row of moving blades.
It consists of a nozzle or a set of nozzles and rows of moving
blades attached to the rotor or the wheel and rows of fixed
blades attached to the casing.

Pressure velocity compounding gives the advantage of

producing a shortened rotor compared to pure velocity
compounding.
In this design steam velocity at exit to the nozzles is kept
reasonable and thus the blade speed (hence rotor rpm)
reduced.
 Comparison of Impulse & Reaction Turbines
Impulse Turbines Reaction Turbines
•Reaction turbine makes use
•An impulse turbine has fixed
of the reaction force
nozzles that orient the steam
produced as the steam
flow into high speed jets.
accelerates through the
•Blade profile is symmetrical as
nozzles formed by the rotor
no pressure drop takes place in •Blades have aerofoil profile
the rotor blades.
(convergent passage) since
•Suitable for efficiently
pressure drop occurs partly
absorbing the high velocity and
in the rotor blades.
high pressure. •Efficient at the lower
•Steam pressure is constant
pressure stages
across the blades and therefore •Fine blade tip clearances are
fine tip clearances are not
necessary due to the pressure
necessary.
leakages.
•Efficiency is not maintained in
lower pressure stages (high •Inefficient at the high
the
velocity cannot be achieved in pressure stages due to the
steam for the lower pressure pressure leakages around the
stages). blade tips.
•Fine tip clearances can cause
damage to the tips of the
blades.
 Losses in Steam
Turbine
Profile loss: Due to formation of boundary layer on blade surfaces. Profile loss is a
boundary layer phenomenon and therefore subject to factors that influence boundary
layer development. These factors are Reynolds number, surface roughness, exit Mach
number and trailing edge thickness.
Secondary loss: Due to friction on the casing wall and on the blade root and tip. It is
a boundary layer effect and dependent upon the same considerations as those of
profile loss.
Tip leakage loss: Due to steam passing through the small clearances required
between the moving tip and casing or between the moving blade tip and rotating
shaft. The extend of leakage depends on the whether the turbine is impulse or
reaction. Due to pressure drop in moving blades of reaction turbine they are more
prone to leakages.
Disc windage loss: Due to surface friction created on the discs of an impulse turbine
as the disc rotates in steam atmosphere. The result is the forfeiture of shaft power for
an increase in kinetic energy and heat energy of steam.
 Losses in Steam
Turbine
Lacing wire loss: Due to passage blockage created by the presence of lacing wires in
long blade of LP Stages.
Wetness loss: Due to moisture entrained in the low pressure steam at the exit of LP
turbine. The loss is a combination of two effects; firstly, reduction in efficiency due to
absorption of energy by the water droplets and secondly, erosion of final moving
blades leading edges.
Annulus loss: Due to significant amount of diffusion between adjacent stages or
where wall cavities occur between the fixed and moving blades. The extent of loss is
greatly reduced at high annulus area ratios (inlet/outlet) if the expansion of the
steam is controlled by a flared casing wall.
Leaving loss: Due to kinetic energy available at the steam leaving from the last stage
of LP turbine. In practice steam does slow down after leaving the last blade, but
through the conversion of its kinetic energy to flow friction losses.
Partial admission loss: Due to partial filling of steam, flow between the blades is
considerably accelerated causing a loss in power.
 Steam Turbine
Stage
 A turbine stage consists of stationary stator row
(guide vanes or nozzle ring) and rotating rotor
row.
 In the guide vanes high pressure, high
temperature steam is expanded resulting in high
velocity.

 The guide vanes direct the flow to the rotor

blades at an appropriate angle.
 In the rotor, the flow direction is changed and
kinetic energy of the working fluid is absorbed by
the rotor shaft producing mechanical energy
 Single Stage Turbine
This type of turbine intakes and expands the
steam in a single row of nozzles and the kinetic
(velocity) energy of steam is converted into a
mechanical one, by one or two rows of buckets.

Single stage turbines are used mainly for small

output service, such as driving a pump.
Single Stage Turbine
 Multi-stage Turbine
A multistage turbine consists of a series of stages
arranged on a single shaft. It is designed so that each
stage shares only a part of the total pressure difference.
Each stage has a set of nozzle rows and bucket rows and
is arranged in series to expand the steam by turns.

These turbines are energy efficient and used for medium

to large power service to drive large pumps,
compressors and (electric) power generators.
Multi-stage Turbine
 Condensing Turbine
A condensing turbine intakes high-pressure steam
and expands it fully through the series of stages
to vacuum and exhausts it to a condenser, where
it is condensed to water, instead of being released
to the atmosphere or low pressure steam system.
A condensing turbine require less steam than a
back-pressure turbine because the recovered
energy from a unit of steam can be maximized by
expanding to high vacuum.
Condensing Turbine
 Back Pressure Turbine
A back pressure turbine (non-condensing
turbine) utilizes only a part of high-pressure
steam by expanding it to an appropriate level of
pressure (low pressure or medium pressure
steam). Remaining energy in the exhaust steam
will be utilized as a heat source in the refinery.
Back Pressure Turbine
 Extraction / Induction Turbine
The Extraction Turbine, a part of the expanding
steam is extracted from the turbine casing at
each connection and supplied to the steam
header of intermediate pressure.

The Induction Turbine, intermediate nozzles are

provided to induce the excess steam from the
steam header and expand it to the lower pressure
level.
Extraction Turbine
 Parts of Turbine
High Pressure Parts:
 Governor Valve
 Trip Valve – Trip & Throttle Valve
 Steam Chest
 Nozzles

Low Pressure Parts:

 Casing
 Blades
 Seals
 Parts of Turbine
 Exhaust Hood
 Glands or Seals

Rotor Assembly
 Blades or buckets
 Disks
 Shaft

Other Parts
 Bearings (Radial & Thrust)
 Turning Gear
 Purpose of Governor
The purpose of Governor is to control the
speed of the turbine according to the required
load / set point.
Governor controls the speed of turbine by
controlling the flow of steam into the turbine.

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 Types of Governor
There are several types of governors used in
Steam Turbines.
 Fly Ball Governor
 Hydraulic Governor

 Oil Relay Governor

 Electronic Governor
 Fly Ball Governor
It consists of a fly ball and governor spring.
As the speed of turbine changes, the fly ball
moves outward or inward because of
centrifugal force. This creates tension in the
spring that in turns opens and closes the
steam regulation valve.
This phenomena in shown in following
figure.
 Hydraulic Governor
It uses an oil pump in place of fly ball. An Oil
pump is connected directly to the turbine shaft.
As the turbine shaft speed changes, the discharge
pressure of the oil pump changes. Governor
valve is connected to a flexible diaphragm. As
the oil pressure on diaphragm changes, the
Governor valve opening changes as well.
This governor is sensitive to temperature
because of Oil.
 Oil Relay Governor
These governors combines the features of both fly
ball governor and hydraulic governor. Oil
pressure operates the piston which is attached to
the spring. The spring keeps the piston in place
until a change in oil pressure acts on the piston.
Fly ball position the pilot valve that controls the
oil flowing through oil inlet and oil outlet of the
oil relay.
It is not sensitive to temperature as the fly ball
adjusts the turbine speed.
 Electronic Governor
In these Governors an Electric Generator is
attached to the turbine shaft to adjust the oil
relay. Changes in the speed of shaft
changes the output of the electric current.
This change in the electric current adjust
the pilot valve of the relay.
 Video of Steam Turbines
Governor

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 Turbine Protection
For the protection of turbine from over speeding, an
over speed trip mechanism is provided. This mechanism
operate automatically if the speed exceeds the designed
limit.
The over speed trip pin assembly is contained in the trip
body mounted on the turbine rotor shaft. When the
turbine speed exceeds the rated operated speed,
centrifugal force exerted on the trip pin increases. As
this force increases above the tension in the spring of
trip pin. The pin moves outward and strikes the over
speed trip lever and thus stops the turbine.
 Auxiliary Systems
Steam turbines are usually equipped with
following auxiliary systems
 Lubrication system
 Sealing steam system
 Moving
Blade

Steam
Nozzle
Stationary
Blade
 Lubrication System
There are mainly two types of turbine lubrication
systems
 Oil Ring Lubrication system
 Forced Lubrication System

First one is simple system that employs oil

rings to deliver oil to the turbine bearings.
Second one employs a lubrication pump to
deliver oil to the turbine bearings.
 Bearings
Two types of bearings are mainly used in the
turbine,
 Radial Bearing or Journal Bearing

 Thrust Bearing

Radial bearing is used to avoid radial vibration

(up & down vibration) of the turbine shaft.
Thrust bearing is used to avoid axial movement
of the turbine shaft.
 Start Up of Turbine
Following are the main steps involved in the start
up of steam turbine,
 Lubrication system preparation & start up
 Turbine condensing system start up (optional)

 Turbine sealing & vacuum system start up

(optional)
 Heating & pressurizing of steam lines and turbine

 Process system preparation

 Start up & Control

Preparation & Precautions
 Monitoring Parameters During
Operation
 Excessive Casing Pressure
 Condensation of Steam
 Quality of Steam
 Bowing of Shaft
 Healthiness of the Instruments & Fittings
 Vibrations
 Contamination of the oil system
 Seals leakage
 Critical Speed
 Shut Down of Steam Turbine
Following are the main steps involved in the
start up of steam turbine,
 Lowering of Speed to minimum controllable
 Stop the turbine with shutdown push button

 Isolation of the steam inlet and outlet valves

 Opening of all drain points

 Barring of turbine for some time

 Cooling and shutdown of auxiliary systems

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