Performance Study of an Eleven-Stage Steam Turbine
Sulzer Repco received a request
from a German power plant to
study the performance of one of
their steam turbines that drives a
boiler feed pump. The turbine has a
history of underperformance,
supposedly due to the steam
delivery pressure being lower than
the design specification pressure.
There have been attempts to
increase the turbine power (by
removing the front stage) and
changing the steam supply, but
these have not provided the lasting
solution now sought.
The power plant provided Sulzer
Repco with some data on the turbine
and a Sulzer Repco engineer spent
three days in the plant to obtain
relevant turbine operating data. All this
data relates only to the performance of
turbine; there is no blading design
information (other than the number of
stages) and the only information
available on annulus geometry had to
be derived from dimensionless
sketches from which measurements
were taken, which inevitably gives rise
to significant accuracy concerns.
The factory test data available from
the original equipment manufacturer
(OEM) relates to the turbine as
originally configured, and not to the
present configuration, i.e. with the
front stage removed. This original test
data was limited and consisted of
seven test points, one of which was
fairly close to the machine’s rated duty
of 7.2 MW. Additionally, performance
data for three plant operating
Visual inspection of the running installation.
conditions were provided for the
turbine as presently configured.
Requirement
Sulzer Repco were to establish an
analytical model of the turbine’s
configuration, so that this could be
used to evaluate various operating
scenarios, including some involving
changes to blade geometry. In view of
the data available it was appreciated
that findings could only be tentative,
and although they would be
qualitatively correct, an additional
study would be required involving
more accurate turbine data before
definitive recommendations could be
made.
Work Performed
Original Geometry – A model of the
eleven-stage steam turbine as
originally manufactured by the OEM
was developed. This was used to
provide performance parameters that
reflect machine performance at design
(full load) operating conditions. This
model was also used to investigate
off-design performance, which it
predicted with reasonable accuracy.
However, this ‘base’ model relied
substantially on the aforementioned
estimates of annulus geometry
established from sketches and on
approximations of the blading
geometry our experience tells us have
probably be used in this design of
turbine.
Revised Geometry – The original
geometry model was then used to
study the effect of removing the first
Collecting running data from the steam turbine.
stage, i.e. as presently operated within
the power plant. Performance
modeling of this revised configuration
suggested an increase in flow and
power of around 15%, but that the
original rating of 7.2 MW would still not
be achieved.
Further Action
The power plant has asked Sulzer
Repco to perform a complete overhaul
of this steam turbine. As soon as the
turbine is open a full inspection of its
internals will take place, including
accurate measurement of blade
geometry, to facilitate the develop-
ment of an improved analytical model.
It will then be possible to use this
improved model to analyze the
performance of the turbine under
various operating conditions and in
combination with some of the
alternative valve options that have
already been proposed.
If these options do not provide the
operating power required, the study
could then be extended to identify the
turbine modifications needed to
achieve required performance, inc-
luding changes to blading and annulus
geometry. If it is subsequently decided
that these modifications are desired,
then the detailed design work of the
revised geometry components can be
undertaken followed by their
manufacture, installation in the turbine
and finally the proving of the uprated
configuration on site.
Ko Houtzagen
Sulzer Repco
TurboTalk Volume 8, 2004 7