Steam

turbine

summary
What

is the turbine?
What is the principle of
steam turbine?
Types of steam turbine.
Component of steam
turbine.
Problems in steam
turbine.

What exactly is the turbine?

Turbine is an engine
that converts energy
of fluid into
mechanical energy
The steam turbine
is steam driven
rotary engine.

Principle of steam
turbine:
The steam energy is converted mechanical

work by expansion through the turbine.

Expansion takes place through a series of
fixed blades(nozzles) and moving blades.
In each row fixed blade and moving blade
are called stage.

Steam turbine:
Steam Turbine System:

Widely used in CHP(combined heat and power)

applications.

Oldest prime mover technology

Capacities: 50 kW to hundreds of MWs

Thermodynamic cycle is the Rankin cycle that uses a

boiler

Most common types

Back pressure steam turbine
Extraction condensing steam turbine

Steam turbine:
Back Pressure Steam Turbine

Steam exits the turbine at a higher pressure that the

atmospheric
HP Steam

Boiler

Advantages:
-Simple configuration
-Low capital cost
-Low need of cooling water
-High total efficiency

Turbine

Fuel
Condensate

Process

LP
Steam

Disadvantages:
-Larger steam turbine

Figure: Back pressure steam turbine

6

Steam turbine:
Extraction Condensing Steam
Turbine
HP Steam

Steam obtained by
extraction from an
intermediate stage
Remaining steam is
exhausted
Relatively high
capital cost, lower
total efficiency

Boiler

Turbine

Fuel
LP Steam
Condensate

Process

Condenser

Figure: Extraction condensing steam turbine

7

steam turbine and blades

Types of steam turbine:

There

are two main types

1. Impulse steam turbine
2. Reaction steam turbine

Impulse steam turbine:

The

basic idea of an impulse turbine is

that a jet of steam from a fixed nozzle
pushes against the rotor blades and
impels them forward.
The velocity of steam is twice as fast
as the velocity of blade.
Pressure drops take place in the fixed
blade (nozzle).

The single stage impulse

turbine:
The

turbine consists of a single rotor

to which impulse blades are attached.
The steam is fed through one or
several convergent nozzles.
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.

Velocity diagram:

Cross section view:

Component of impulse steam

turbine:
Main
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

components are
Casing
Rotor
Blades
Stop and control valve
Oil befell, steam befell
governor
Bearing(general and thrust bearing)
Gear box(epicyclic gear box)
Oil pumps

Construction of steam turbines

1 steam pipeline
2 inlet control valve
3 nozzle chamber
4 nozzle-box
5 outlet
6 stator
7 blade carrier
8 casing

9 rotor disc
10 rotor
11 journal bearing
13 thrust bearing
14 generator rotor
15 coupling
16 labyrinth packing
19 steam bleeding (extraction)

21 bearing pedestal
22 safety governor
23 main oil pump
24 centrifugal governor
25 turning gear
29 control stage impulse blading

Reaction steam turbine:

A

reaction turbine utilizes a jet of

steam that flows from a nozzle on
the rotor.
Actually, the steam is directed into
the moving blades by fixed blades
designed to expand the steam.
The result is a small increase in
velocity over that of the moving
blades.

Schematic diagram:

Problems in steam
turbine:
Stress

corrosion carking
Corrosion fatigue
Pitting
Oil lubrication
imbalance of the rotor can lead
to vibration
misalignment
Thermal fatigue

BLADE FAILURES:
Unknown

26%
Stress-Corrosion Cracking 22%
High-Cycle Fatigue 20%
Corrosion-Fatigue Cracking 7%
Temperature Creep Rupture 6%
Low-Cycle Fatigue 5%
Corrosion 4%
Other causes 10%

Corrosion:
Resultant

damage:
Extensive pitting of airfoils,
shrouds, covers, blade root
surfaces.
Causes of failure:
Chemical attack from corrosive
elements in the steam provided
to the turbine.

Creep:
Resultant

damage:
Airfoils, shrouds, covers
permanently deformed.
Causes of failure:
Deformed parts subjected to
steam temperatures in excess of
design limits.

Fatigue:
Resultant

damage:
Cracks in airfoils, shrouds,
covers, blade roots.
Causes of failure:
Loosing of parts (cover, tie wire,
etc.)
Exceeded part fatigue life design
limit

Stress Corrosion Cracking:

Resultant

damage:
Cracks in highly stressed areas of
the blading.
Causes of failure:
caused by the combined
presence of corrosive elements
and high stresses in highly loaded
locations.

Thank you