Rotodynamic Machinery

Book (s):
▪ Applied Thermodynamics by TD Eastop and A McConkey, 5th Ed.
(Ch. 11)

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC Univ. 1

 Rotodynamic Machinery

▪ Rotodynamic Machine: in which a fluid flows freely through an Impeller or Rotor

o the transfer of energy between the fluid and the rotor is continuous and
o the change of Angular Momentum of the fluid causes, or is the result of, a Torque on the rotor

▪ This chapter covers the Basic Theory of

Turbines and Compressors used in Steam
Plant and Gas Turbine Plant

▪ Analysis of pumps, fans, and turbines using

Liquids or Incompressible Gases is not dealt

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC Univ. 2

 Rotodynamic Machinery
Impulse Steam Turbine
▪ Impulse Turbine:
o Takes a high-pressure, high-enthalpy fluid
o Expands it in a Fixed Nozzle
o Steam coming out through a fixed nozzle at a very high
velocity strikes the Blades fixed on the periphery of a Rotor
o Blades change the direction of steam flow without changing
its pressure
o Force due to change of momentum (by changing direction
of steam flow) causes the rotation of the turbine shaft

Steam Out Steam In 3

 Rotodynamic Machinery
Impulse Steam Turbine
Pressure and velocity variations along the stage in nozzle ring
and moving blade ring

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC Univ. 4

 Rotodynamic Machinery
Impulse Steam Turbine
▪ Fluid flows through the wheel at a fixed mean radius, then the change of Linear Momentum tangential to the
wheel gives a Tangential Force that causes the wheel to rotate

▪ Assume Initially that the fluid is able to enter and leave the wheel
passages in the Tangential Direction with an Absolute Velocity at
Inlet, Cai, and an Absolute Velocity at Exit, Cae

▪ For Fixed Blade, i.e., Cb = 0,

Force on the fluid due to change in velocity in +ve x-direction =
ṁ ( — Cae — Cai)

o An Equal and Opposite Force, F, must act on the Blades

F = ṁ (Cai + Cae) from left to right

If Blade Friction is negligible  Ca = Cai = Cae

F = 2ṁCa
Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC Univ. 5
 Rotodynamic Machinery
Impulse Steam Turbine
▪ When Blade moving with velocity Cb, and Jet with velocity Cai
o If Cb > Cai  Steam Jet cannot impinge on the blade
o If Cb < Cai  Steam Jet impinges on the blade with a relative
velocity of Cai – Cb ,
o If Blade Friction is negligible  Jet leaves with the relative
velocity of - (Cae – Cb) where Cai = Cae = Ca - (Cae – Cb)
o The change in the velocity of the jet is:
- (Ca – Cb ) – ( Ca – Cb ) = -2 ( Ca – Cb )
o Force on the jet is: F = - 2 (ṁ) ( Ca – Cb)
o Repulsive Force on the Blade in positive x- direction is: F = 2 (ṁ) ( Ca – Cb)
o Torque acting on the wheel is: T = F . R = 2 R (ṁ) ( Ca – Cb) R : radius of the wheel

o Rate of Work done (Power developed) = W = F . V = F . Cb = 2 Cb (ṁ) ( Ca – Cb)

Cb is the Blade Tangential Speed = 2πNR
Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC Univ. 6
 Rotodynamic Machinery
Impulse Steam Turbine
▪ For blades to receive steam from a series of nozzles, steam is usually
delivered to the wheel at an angle αi
▪ Selection of the angle αi is one of compromise
o increase in αi reduces the value of the useful component, Cai cos αi
o increases the value of the Axial or Flow Component, Cai sin αi
▪ Due to Linear Velocity of moving blade Cb the steam stream actually glides
over the moving blade with Relative Velocity Cri and Blade Angle βi at inlet
o This velocity Cri is actually the result of two velocity vectors Cai and Cb
▪ Steam stream leaves the moving blade with Relative Velocity Cre and Blade
Angle βe at exit

▪ If the steam is to enter and leave the blades smoothly without shock, then βi , is
the angle of the blades at inlet, and βe the angle of the blades at exit

▪ For a perfectly smooth and frictionless blade Cri = Cre, as there is no expansion
of steam in moving blade  (blades are symmetrical and passage between two
consecutive moving blades is of constantMechanical
area type from inlet to exit)
Engineering Dept. HITEC Univ. 7
Rotodynamic Machinery
Impulse Steam Turbine
Velocity Triangle at Inlet

o Absolute Velocity at exit Cae is determined from

the Velocity Triangle

o Since both triangles have the common side OA =

Cb  the Triangles can be combined

Velocity Triangle
at Exit

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC Univ. 8

 Rotodynamic Machinery
Impulse Steam Turbine
▪ If the blade is symmetrical then βi = βe
▪ if the friction effects of the blade on the steam are zero, then Cre = Cri
▪ Actually there always exist some friction over the blade so the relative velocity at outlet will be smaller than
the relative velocity at inlet, i.e. Cre < Cri
o This reduction in Relative Velocity is quantified by parameter  Blade Velocity Coefficient, k
2.1

▪ Velocities of Flow across the blade at inlet and exit = Cfi , Cfe i.e., EB and DC, respectively

▪ Differencebetween Cfi and Cfe means

change in velocity in the Axial Direction
and an associated Axial Thrust

▪ Whirl Velocities, Cwi and Cwe: Cfe Cfi

o horizontal components of the Absolute
Velocities at inlet and exit, respectively

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC Univ. 9

 Rotodynamic Machinery
Impulse Steam Turbine
▪ From Newton’s Second Law the Tangential Force acting on the jet is:

▪ Tangential Velocity of the steam relative to the blade at Inlet is:

▪ Tangential Velocity of the steam relative to the blade at Exit is:
▪ Change in velocity in tangential direction:

▪ Reaction to this force provides the Cfe

driving thrust on the wheel: Cfi

2.2
Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC Univ. 10
 Rotodynamic Machinery
Impulse Steam Turbine

⇒
▪ Rate of work done on the wheel is given by the product of the Driving Force and the Blade Velocity:

Cfe Cfi
BC = Change in Absolute Velocity of jet
ṁ × BC = Resultant Force on the Jet
ṁ × CB = Reactive Force on the Wheel
Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC Univ. 11
 Rotodynamic Machinery
Impulse Steam Turbine
ṁ × CB = Reactive Force on the Wheel

▪ Force can be expressed as its components ṁ × FB and ṁ × CF: Cfe Cfi

▪ FB = DE = ∆CW and ṁ × FB is the Tangential Driving Force
▪ ṁ × CF Axial Component of the Driving Force  Axial Thrust
on the wheel
o It must be taken up by the bearings in which the shaft is
mounted

▪ If the enthalpy of the steam at entry and exit of the nozzle is h0

and hi  Maximum Velocity of the steam impinging on the
blades is:

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC Univ. 12

 Rotodynamic Machinery
Impulse Steam Turbine
▪ Energy Supplied to the Blades is the Kinetic Energy of the jet:
▪ Blading Efficiency or Diagram Efficiency:

⇒ 2.3

▪ For purpose of analysis, ∆CW can be expressed as:

if k = 1 (i.e. Cre = Cri), and if the blades are Cfe

Cfi
symmetrical (i.e. βi = βe)
⇒
⇒ Rate of doing work per unit mass:
Mechanical
2.4Engineering Dept. HITEC Univ. 13
 Rotodynamic Machinery
Impulse Steam Turbine

2.5 Cb / Cai is called the Blade Speed Ratio

⇒

▪ The Simple Impulse Turbine is called the De Laval Turbine, since it was invented by Dr Gustaf de Laval and
patented by him in 1888

Cfe
Cfi

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC Univ. 14

 Rotodynamic Machinery
Impulse Steam Turbine
Problem
The velocity of steam leaving the nozzles of an impulse turbine is 900 m/s and
the nozzle angle is 20°. 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
(v) the diagram efficiency

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC Univ. 15

 Rotodynamic Machinery
Impulse Steam Turbine

Problem

In a single stage simple impulse turbine the steam flows at rate of 5 kg/s. It
has rotor of 1.2 m diameter running at 3000 rpm. Nozzle angle is 18°, blade
speed ratio is 0.4, velocity coefficient is 0.9, outlet angle of blade is 3° less
than inlet angle. Determine blade angles and power developed.

Mechanical Engineering Dept. HITEC Univ. 16